Kwon Namseop, Hwang Ara B, You Young-Jai, V Lee Seung-Jae, Je Jung Ho
1] [2].
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Sci Rep. 2015 May 8;5:9564. doi: 10.1038/srep09564.
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a widely used model for genetic dissection of animal behaviors. Despite extensive technical advances in imaging methods, it remains challenging to visualize and quantify C. elegans behaviors in three-dimensional (3-D) natural environments. Here we developed an innovative 3-D imaging method that enables quantification of C. elegans behavior in 3-D environments. Furthermore, for the first time, we characterized 3-D-specific behavioral phenotypes of mutant worms that have defects in head movement or mechanosensation. This approach allowed us to reveal previously unknown functions of genes in behavioral regulation. We expect that our 3-D imaging method will facilitate new investigations into genetic basis of animal behaviors in natural 3-D environments.
线虫秀丽隐杆线虫是用于对动物行为进行遗传剖析的广泛使用的模型。尽管成像方法有了广泛的技术进步，但在三维（3-D）自然环境中可视化和量化秀丽隐杆线虫的行为仍然具有挑战性。在这里，我们开发了一种创新的三维成像方法，能够在三维环境中量化秀丽隐杆线虫的行为。此外，我们首次对头部运动或机械感觉有缺陷的突变蠕虫的三维特异性行为表型进行了表征。这种方法使我们能够揭示基因在行为调节中以前未知的功能。我们预计，我们的三维成像方法将有助于在自然三维环境中对动物行为的遗传基础进行新的研究。
