Culotti J G, Russell R L
Genetics. 1978 Oct;90(2):243-56. doi: 10.1093/genetics/90.2.243.
A wild-type strain of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been shown to avoid high concentrations of a number of sugars and salts. Individual and population assays for this response were developed and mutants were selected for their inability to avoid high concentrations of fructose or NaCl, Seven nonavoiding mutants representing six complementation groups were isolated and characterized. Genetic studies indicate that the mutants each carry a single recessive mutation responsible for the defective osmotic avoidance behavior. The map locations of the six complementation groups identified by these mutations have been determined. Mutants isolated for their inability to avoid fructose are also unable to avoid NaCl and vice versa. The mutants move normally, exhibit normal touch sensitivity, and, like wild type, follow isotherms in a radial thermal gradient. All of the mutants are at least partially defective in the attraction to sodium chloride exhibited by wild type. None of the mutants is temperature sensitive, and all exhibit defective osmotic avoidance behavior as young L1 larvae. Preliminary anatomical studies indicate selective sensory neuron changes in at least one mutant.
线虫秀丽隐杆线虫的野生型菌株已被证明会避开高浓度的多种糖类和盐类。针对这种反应开发了个体和群体检测方法，并筛选出无法避开高浓度果糖或氯化钠的突变体。分离并鉴定了代表六个互补群的七个非避开突变体。遗传学研究表明，每个突变体都携带一个单一隐性突变，该突变导致了有缺陷的渗透回避行为。已确定由这些突变鉴定出的六个互补群的图谱位置。因无法避开果糖而分离出的突变体也无法避开氯化钠，反之亦然。这些突变体移动正常，表现出正常的触觉敏感性，并且与野生型一样，在径向热梯度中遵循等温线。所有突变体在对野生型所表现出的氯化钠吸引力方面至少部分存在缺陷。没有一个突变体对温度敏感，并且所有突变体在L1幼虫期就表现出有缺陷的渗透回避行为。初步解剖学研究表明，至少有一个突变体存在选择性感觉神经元变化。
