Figure 4. Effect of prolonged arrest at the L1 stage on the defecation cycle. Each symbol represents the mean and standard deviation of one animal, scored for five consecutive defecation cycles. All animals were scored at the young adult stage at 20 C. Genotypes were
clk-1/+:+
clk-1(
qm30)/dpy-17
(e164)+ (heterozygous controls),
clk-1 m+:
clk-1(
qm30)/clk-1
(qm30) m+ (
clk-1 maternally rescued), and
clk-1 m-:
clk-1(
qm30)/clk-1
(qm30) m- (
clk-1 mutants). A, no L1 arrest. The defecation cycle of
clk-1 maternally rescued animals was similar to heterozygous control animals.
clk-1 mutants exhibited a markedly slower and more variable defecation cycle. B, 3-day L1 arrest. The defecation cycle of
clk-1 maternally rescued animals was a little slower after a 3-day L1 arrest, but these animals were still clearly rescued. The defecation cycle of wild-type animals, as well as
clk-1 mutants, was not affected by the 3-day L1 arrest. C, 6-day L1 arrest. The defecation cycle of maternally rescued animals was clearly slower after 6-day arrest at the L1 stage. This slowdown appeared to be specific to the
clk-1 maternally rescued animals, as the defecation cycle of wild-type and
clk-1 mutants was not affected by the arrest. D, 9-day L1 arrest. The defecation cycle of
clk-1 maternally rescued animals was as slow and variable as
clk-1 mutants after a 9-day arrest at the L1 stage. Prolonged arrest did not affect the defecation cycle length of the wild-type or
clk-1 mutants.