The Effect of Nutritional State on Social Behaviors in C. elegans

Burke, Bethany Suzanne

Student Work

The Effect of Nutritional State on Social Behaviors in C. elegans

Public

In order to determine if nutrition has an effect on social behaviors, this project looks at C. elegans and their responses to endogenously produced small-molecules called ascarosides. This project involves the classification of behavior using behavior assays and different nutritional states. In particular, the project looks at sex-specific behaviors. It was found that both sexes are attracted to ascr#3 and ascr#8 when well-fed. When starved, males are still attracted to ascr#8 whereas hermaphrodites lose their attraction. Growing males and hermaphrodites on glucose plates do not change their response to ascr#8 in either the fed or starved condition. Using the daf-2 mutant, growing hermaphrodites on glucose plates or agar plates did not elicit a response to ascr#8 in the fed condition.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator