Report Ecophysiology; C. elegans preference choice for bacterial food sources
2 views 0 purchase
Course
NEM-21306 (NEM21306)
Institution
Wageningen University (WUR)
Verslag geschreven voor het vak Ecophysiology (NEM-21306).
Report written for the course Ecophysiology (NEM-21306).
Onderzoek naar/research on : 'C. elegans preference choice for bacterial food sources'.
Beoordeeld met het cijfer: 8
C. elegans preference choice for
bacterial food sources
Fig. 1 C. elegans adult hermaphrodite imaged using Nomarski microscopy [Abbi Cox-Paulson].
Student: Emma Limbeek
Number: 1195662
Course: Ecophysiology NEM21306_2022_1
Supervisor: Mark Sterken
Wageningen University & research
1
, Introduction
C. elegans is a 1mm-long soil living roundworm that has been used for biological research
for over half a decade. C. elegans has a short life cycle of 3 days and has a life span of
approximately 3 weeks. It’s body is transparent and well defined and there are many
resources available for C. elegens [Girard et al. 2007; Frézal and Félix 2015]. This is why this
organism lends itself for many different research topics such as adaptation to changes in
abiotic and biotic environments. Some factors that could possibly play a role in these
changes are temperature, feeding conditions & symbiosis and parasitism. This report will
cover the topic of feeding conditions.
C. elegans nematodes are known to occur on decomposing materials such as leaves, fruits
and stems. Organisms known to be associated with C. elegans are pathogens such as
bacteria. Decomposing materials will contain many species of bacteria. While some of the
bacteria may be pathogenic, others could be a source of nutrition. Those different species of
bacteria provide different nutrients for C. elegans nematodes. In the wild C. elegans has to
make a decision on what to eat. But when given a choice, it has been reported that animals
select their food according to their environment and dietary requirements [Abada et al.,
2009]. In an experiment we can assess this food choice preference by providing wild C.
elegans isolates from around Wageningen a small collection of C. elegans-associated
bacteria [Volkers et al., 2013].
For this experiment we will provide the C. elegans nematodes with two different natural soil
bacteria: JUb19 & Myb71 and a strain of laboratory E.coli bacteria: OP50.
Jub19 is a natural isolate from C. elegans natural habitat. It was found on a rotten pear in Le
Blanc, France. It belongs to a species called Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. They are
aerobic gram-negative bacteria [Cambiaso-Daniel et al., 2018].
Myb71 is a slow growing natural isolate from Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It belong to
a species called Ochrobactrum pecoris. They are gram-negative and non-fermenting
bacteria. Ochrobactrum species are found in environments such as water, soil, plants and
animals [Ryan, M. P., & Pembroke, J. T. (2020)].
OP50 is an Escherichia coli strain that is conventionally used as a bacterial food in the
laboratory maintenance of Caenorhabditis elegans on agar plates [Arata et al., 2020].
When different strains of C. elegans have a preference for one or more of these bacteria, we
will be able to see and count the nematodes on each of these food sources. The research
question that has led to this experiment is the following:
“Do population differences drive food choice?”
2
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller emax9920. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $16.57. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
