Worming your way through the genome.
The 100 Mb sequence of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans genome will be completed in 1998. More than 10,000 predicted genes have been identified to date, so it should come as no surprise to find a C. elegans homologue of your favourite gene in current databases. For some investigators, the discovery of a C. elegans homologue represents a unique opportunity to adopt a genetic approach and to take advantage of the extensive repertoire of C. elegans gene characterization and manipulation tools. RNA injection provides a quick and efficient method for obtaining clues about wild-type gene function. Reverse genetic approaches also make it feasible to screen de novo for mutations in specific gene sequences. This review highlights the resources available for analysing a C. elegans homologue, starting from the gene sequence and proceeding to the biological function.
Kuwabara
P E
PE
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Division of Cell Biology, Cambridge, UK. pek@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D015870:Gene Expression; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D016678:Genome; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000235:genetics
D016372:RNA, Antisense