C. elegans

number of neurons

302

bleach treatment

kills everything but eggs

hermaphrodite genotype

XX

male genotype

XO

number of autosomal chromosomes

5

selfing

self-fertilization

DNC

dorsal nerve cord

VNC

ventral nerve cord

L1 stage duration

16 hours

L2-4 stages duration

12 hours

lethargus

sleep-like period at the end of each L stage

end of the lethargus

the old cuticle molts

dauer

an alternative L3 stage triggered by stress or starvation

the cuticle surrounding the mouth

prevents eating and developing during dauer

N2

standard wild-type c. elegans strain

reverse genetics

causing a specific mutation then understanding the phenotype

foward genetics

undestanding the genetic basis of a known phenotype

axenic culture

single-species culture

coelomocyte

similar in function to macrophage

sodium action potentials

do not exist in c. elegans

neuron conductivity

very high

innexins

invertebrate equivalent of connexins in gap channels

worm bagging

the worm doesn't lay eggs and the larvae hatch inside, killing it

starvation

cause of worm bagging in nature

male size

smaller than hermaphrodite size

rays

support cells in the male tail

c. elegans genome size

100 Mb

operons

multiple genes that are expressed together

difference between operons in bacteria and c. elegans

in worms, different mRNAs are created for the different genes

trans-splicing

attaching an additional sequence to mRNA

trans-spliced leader sequences in c. elegans

aid in translation initiation

purpose of nictation

attaching to other creatures during dauer

factors affecting food pumping rate

food sensation by the motor neuron and serotonin signaling

high pumping rate

caused by starvation

muscarinic receptor - MAPK pathway

promotes autophagy in response to starvation

food quality

ability to promote growth

large bacteria

low quality food

spoiled worms

experienced high-quality food and tend to leave lower quality food

satiety quiescence

occurs only with high-quality food

starvation before feeding

promotes satiety quiescence

abundance of food

increases egg-laying rate

salt solution and mechanical sensations

decrease egg-laying rate

egg-laying and movement

occur together

egg-laying pattern

short bursts separated by 20-minute rest

sexual reproduction in c. elegans

through internal fertilization

chemical released by hermaphrodites

attract males

cilated cells

chemo- and mechano-sensory cells

male ciliated cells

exist mostly in the tail

turning during mating

necessary to locate the vulva

spicules

assist penetration and anchor the male during mating

plugging

hinders other males from reaching the vulva after mating

plugging in N2 c. elegans

does not occur

number of cells (in adult hermaphrodite)

959

cameleon

GFP derivative used as a calcium reporter

mechanism of c. elegans short-term habituation

decreased excitability of sensory cells by K channel autophosphorylation

TWR

tap-withdrawal response

c. elegans olfactory neurons

express receptors for multiple odorants

difference between habituation and sensory adaptation (receptor level)

habituation is reversed with new or malicious stimuli

the main transmitter in food-related contextual learning

serotonin

ASE

gustatory neurons

memory of cultivation temperature

stored in sensory neurons

aerotaxis

movement toward a specific oxygen level

usage of imprinting

predicting food in a specific environment

cis-regulatory element

non-coding DNA sequence that regulates neighboring genes

trans-regulatory element

DNA sequence that encodes a transcription factor

endotokia matricide

worm bagging

nictation

terminal selector

a regulatory element that determines the identity of neurons

synaptobrevin

SNB-1

en-passant synapse

c. elegans synapse type

terminaux synapse

periactive zone

number of glia

56

nerve ring

amphid

the primary sensory organ

sheath glia

socket glia

low serotonin level

increased dauer entry

axon myelination

does not exist in c. elegans

trophic support

neurons surviving only when receiving signals from glia

glial trophic support

doesn’t exist in c. elegans