Useful methods for producing high quality cultures and movies for C. elegans teaching labs at large (and small) institutions.
For this experiment, you will be given worms with a dominant mutation in the
rol-6 gene. You will also be given some wild
type worms so that you can observe the normal movement pattern.
You will then use RNAi (also known as RNA interference) to knockdown
expression of the mutant rol-6 allele
. What do you expect will happen to the worms
after the RNAi treatment?
This is a project-based laboratory activity. Students will be engaged in activities of “forward genetics” and “functional genomics” (utilizing RNAi). For detailed lab procedure, please contact Dr. jhubbard [at] saturn [dot] med [dot] nyu [dot] edu (E. Jane Hubbard) at New York University.
DsRNAi by feeding lab for sophomore level genetics course using unc-22 gene. Handout provided to students (also includes instructions for online prelab). Includes prep sheet for dsRNAi by feeding lab.
Identification of dumpy worms; design of primers to amplify dpy-5 gene. Preparation of single worms for PCR, PCR reactions, gel electrophoresis.
A 6-day hands-on inquiry unit. Activities include C. elegans phenotype
observation, worm transfer, RNA
interference, PCR and DNA
electrophoresis. In addition, students have the opportunity to apply online tool BLAST to find out the gene
sequence of the dsRNA underlying the interference of RNA (RNAi).