Autonomous screening of C. elegans identifies genes implicated in synaptogenesis.
Morphometric studies in multicellular organisms are generally performed manually because of the complexity of multidimensional features and lack of appropriate tools for handling these organisms. Here we present an integrated system that identifies and sorts Caenorhabditis elegans mutants with altered subcellular traits in real time without human intervention. We performed self-directed screens 100 times faster than manual screens and identified both genes and phenotypic classes involved in synapse formation.
Interdisciplinary Program in Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Matthew M
MM
Crane
Jeffrey N
JN
Stirman
Chan-Yen
CY
Ou
Peri T
PT
Kurshan
James M
JM
Rehg
Kang
K
Shen
Hang
H
Lu
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D009154:Mutation; D055495:Neurogenesis; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*