C. elegans behavior of preference choice on bacterial food.
Caenorhabditis elegans is a free living soil nematode and thus in its natural habitat, C. elegans encounters many different species of soil bacteria. Although some soil bacteria may be excellent sources of nutrition for the worm, others may be pathogenic. Thus, we undertook a study to understand how C. elegans can identify their preferred food using a simple behavioral assay. We found that there are various species of soil bacteria that C. elegans prefers in comparison to the standard laboratory E. coli strain OP50. In particular, two bacterial strains, Bacillus mycoides and Bacillus soli, were preferred strains. Interestingly, the sole feeding of these bacteria to wild type animals results in extended lifespan through the activation of the autophagic process. Further studies will be required to understand the precise mechanism controlling the behavior of identification and selection of food in C. elegans.
Abada
Emad Abd-elmoniem
EA
Brain Korea 21 Life Science for Global Warming Team, Department of Life Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
Sung
Hyun
H
Dwivedi
Meenakshi
M
Park
Byung-Jae
BJ
Lee
Sun-Kyung
SK
Ahnn
Joohong
J
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D008136:Longevity; D012988:Soil Microbiology