A Transposon Insertion Site Identifies Two Potential Genes That Regulate a Developmental Switch in C. Elegans
2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium
Kira Jonatzke (biological sciences), Bianca Pereira
Faculty mentor: Joy Alcedo
Abstract
Under favorable environments, the worm C. elegans undergoes four different larval stages before becoming a fertile adult. However, when environments are harsh, such as under high temperatures or high population density and low food availability, C. elegans enters a different developmental program, known as dauer.
Dauers are developmentally arrested, highly resistant to stress and live long. Thus, when environments improve, dauers exit to the last larval stage and become fertile adults. Recently, we serendipitously discovered that the Mos1 transposon insertion site ttTi5605 produced more dauers at high temperatures, when compared to wild-type animals. This Mos1 insertion site is situated between two genes, the predicted glucose transporter FGT-2 and the F14E5.8 gene of unknown function.
Thus, the Mos1 transposon insertion might alter the expression of FGT-2 and/or F14E5.8, which potentially suggests a role for at least one of these proteins in regulating the switch to the dauer program.
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Kira Jonatzke: A Transposon Insertion Site Identifies Two Potential Genes That Regulate a Developmental Switch in C. elegans