Genotype vs. Phenotype – Background
General Characteristics of C. elegans  | |
Habitat | Lives in soil and can be found throughout the world. |
Feed | Is non parasitic. Feeds on bacteria, or anything that fits into its mouth. |
Adult Size | It is transparent and is about 1 mm in length. |
Sexes | Hermaphrodite and male |
Fertilization | Hermaphrodites can self-fertilize or cross with males. However, hermaphrodites cannot fertilize another hermaphrodite. Males can only cross with hermaphrodites. |
Reproduction Rate | From hermaphrodite X hermaphrodite: about 300 eggs. From hermaphrodites X males : more than 300 eggs. |
Life Cycle | From Egg -> Embryo -> L1 (Larva1)-> L2 -> L3 -> L4 -> Adult Worm -> Egg takes about 3 days. |
Life Span | About 3 weeks |
Nickname | Worm |
Some Components in an Embryo
A cell with spindle highlighted
(source: Gerald Harp, Cell Biology)
Random Worm Term
Any segment of an interrupted gene that is represented by the mature mRNA product. (Genes V, p.1241)
that is represented by the mature mRNA product. (Genes V, p.1241)