Investigating C. elegans development through mosaic analysis.
The analysis of genetically mosaic worms, in which some cells carry a wild-type gene and others are homozygous mutant, can reveal where in the animal a gene acts to prevent the appearance of a mutant phenotype. In this primer article, we describe how Caenorhabditis elegans genetic mosaics are generated, identified and analyzed, and we discuss examples in which the analysis of mosaic worms has provided important information about the development of this organism.
Yochem
John
J
Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, 6-160 Jackson Hall, 321 Church Street, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Herman
Robert K
RK
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D009030:Mosaicism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype