Grant BD et al. (2003) Curr Opin Cell Biol "Functional genomic maps in Caenorhabditis elegans."

Wilkinson HA, Grant BD

[Curr Opin Cell Biol, 2003]

The completion of the Caenorhabditis elegans genome sequence was the initial step toward the use of whole-genome analysis in this model organism. Advances in C. elegans genomics include transcript profiling, gene-function screens using RNA-mediated interference, and protein-interaction mapping using the yeast two-hybrid system. Recent reports have employed these methods to gain new insights into diverse biological problems such as tissue-specific gene expression, cell-fate specification, genome organization, the DNA damage response, and early embryonic development. These studies combined genomic approaches to probe complex biological pathways on an

Cully DF et al. (1996) Parasitology "Molecular biology and electrophysiology of glutamate-gated chloride channels of invertebrates."

Vassilatis DK, Cully DF, Arena JP, Etter A, Wilkinson HA

[Parasitology, 1996]

In this chapter we summarize the available data on a novel class of ligand-gated anion channels that are gated by the neurotransmitter glutamate. Glutamate is classically thought to be a stimulatory neurotransmitter, however, studies in invertebrates have proven that glutamate also functions as an inhibitory ligand. The bulk of studies conducted in vivo have been on insects and crustaceans, where glutamate was first postulated to act on H-receptors resulting from hyperpolarizing response to glutamate. Recently, glutamate-gated chloride channels have been cloned from several nematodes and Drosophila. The pharmacology and electrophysiological properties of these channels have been studied by expression in Xenopus oocytes. Studies on the cloned channels demonstrate that the invertebrate glutamate-gated chloride channels are the H-receptors and represent important targets for the antiparasitic avermectins.

Braeckman BP et al. (1998) Journal of Gerontology "Authors response to commentaries on Two-parameter logistic and Weibull equations provide better fits to survival-data from isogenic populations of Caenorhabditis elegans in axenic culture than does.."

Braeckman BP, Vanfleteren JR, De Vreese A

[Journal of Gerontology, 1998]

Although the classical Gompertz model ha been the standard for over a century, recent research has shown definitely that this model often fails to predict survival at old ages. Also our analyses reported in this article showed that the Weibull and 2-parameter (2-p) logistic functions provide better fits to the extremes of the survival curves of C. elegans in axenic culture. As a commentator argues, individual differences in the Gompertz dynamics of aging processes can generate a 2-p logistic survival curve for the entire population...

Hekimi S et al. (2001) Mech Ageing Dev "Why only time will tell."

Burgess J, Hekimi S, Branicky R, Hihi AK, Rea S, Benard C

[Mech Ageing Dev, 2001]

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has become a model system for the study of the genetic basis of aging. In particular, many mutations that extend life span have been identified in this organism. When loss-of-function mutations in a gene lead to life span extension, it is a necessary conclusion that the gene normally limits life span in the wild type. The effect of a given mutation depends on a number of environmental and genetic conditions. For example, the combination of two mutations can result in additive, synergistic, subtractive, or epistatic effects on life span. Valuable insight into the processes that determine life span can be obtained from such genetic analyses, especially when interpreted with caution, and when molecular information about the interacting genes is available. Thus, genetic and molecular analyses have implicated several genes classes (dnf, clk and eat) in life span determination and ha iie indicated that aging is affected by alteration of several biological processes, namely dormancy, physiological rates, food intake, and reproduction.