Running worms: C. elegans self-sorting by electrotaxis
Manière X, Lebois F, Matic I, Ladoux B, Di Meglio JM, Hersen P (2011)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2011
Journal
Book Volume: 6
Article Number: e16637
Journal Issue: 2
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0016637
Abstract
The nematode C. elegans displays complex dynamical behaviors that are commonly used to identify relevant phenotypes. Although its maintenance is straightforward, sorting large populations of worms when looking for a behavioral phenotype is difficult, time consuming and hardly quantitative when done manually. Interestingly, when submitted to a moderate electric field, worms move steadily along straight trajectories. Here, we report an inexpensive method to measure worms crawling velocities and sort them within a few minutes by taking advantage of their electrotactic skills. This method allows to quantitatively measure the effect of mutations and aging on worm's crawling velocity. We also show that worms with different locomotory phenotypes can be spatially sorted, fast worms traveling away from slow ones. Group of nematodes with comparable locomotory fitness could then be isolated for further analysis. C. elegans is a growing model for neurodegenerative diseases and using electrotaxis for self-sorting can improve the high-throughput search of therapeutic bio-molecules. © 2011 Manière et al.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Université Sorbonne Paris Cité
France (FR)
University of Paris 7 - Denis Diderot / Université Paris VII Denis Diderot
France (FR)
France (FR)
University of Paris 7 - Denis Diderot / Université Paris VII Denis Diderot
France (FR)
How to cite
APA:
Manière, X., Lebois, F., Matic, I., Ladoux, B., Di Meglio, J.M., & Hersen, P. (2011). Running worms: C. elegans self-sorting by electrotaxis. PLoS ONE, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0016637
MLA:
Manière, Xavier, et al. "Running worms: C. elegans self-sorting by electrotaxis." PLoS ONE 6.2 (2011).
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