ORCA | General Poster Session
Identifying Novel Genetic Regulators of Temporal Development in Caenorhabditis elegans
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Junior
Major
Biology/Pre-Dental
Minor
Chemistry
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Chris Trzepacz
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
The gestation time for organisms is loosely correlated with their size, with larger organisms generally having longer gestation periods. Related species have similar gestation times; humans have a gestation time of 280 days, while the gestation time of chimpanzees is 243 days. The genetic control of gestation and developmental timing must be very similar, if not identical, in both of these organisms due to sharing a recent common ancestor. It is possible that the differences between the gestation of these two related organisms may be due to simple allelic differences within hypothetical developmental timing regulatory genes.
Examining the genetic influence of developmental timing is more easily accomplished using model organisms. Caenorhabditis elegans are microscopic, hermaphroditic roundworms often used in genetic studies. The average worm creates about 300 progeny in the course of three days, each of which consistently takes about 16 hours to develop, although this timing is extrinsically influenced by temperature. We are using C. elegans to dissect the genetic influences on developmental timing. C. elegans share 70% of their genome with humans, therefore our findings using this organism may provide insight into the genetic control of the developmental timing in humans.
Our hypothesis is that there are master genes that control developmental timing in C. elegans. We will employ random mutagenesis followed by a screen to isolate worms that harbor alleles that significantly influence their developmental timing. In order to isolate atypical worms, we first need to determine what the developmental timing of a typical worm looks like.
Affiliations
OTHER Affiliation
Identifying Novel Genetic Regulators of Temporal Development in Caenorhabditis elegans
The gestation time for organisms is loosely correlated with their size, with larger organisms generally having longer gestation periods. Related species have similar gestation times; humans have a gestation time of 280 days, while the gestation time of chimpanzees is 243 days. The genetic control of gestation and developmental timing must be very similar, if not identical, in both of these organisms due to sharing a recent common ancestor. It is possible that the differences between the gestation of these two related organisms may be due to simple allelic differences within hypothetical developmental timing regulatory genes.
Examining the genetic influence of developmental timing is more easily accomplished using model organisms. Caenorhabditis elegans are microscopic, hermaphroditic roundworms often used in genetic studies. The average worm creates about 300 progeny in the course of three days, each of which consistently takes about 16 hours to develop, although this timing is extrinsically influenced by temperature. We are using C. elegans to dissect the genetic influences on developmental timing. C. elegans share 70% of their genome with humans, therefore our findings using this organism may provide insight into the genetic control of the developmental timing in humans.
Our hypothesis is that there are master genes that control developmental timing in C. elegans. We will employ random mutagenesis followed by a screen to isolate worms that harbor alleles that significantly influence their developmental timing. In order to isolate atypical worms, we first need to determine what the developmental timing of a typical worm looks like.