Team:Queens Canada/Project/Intro
From 2011.igem.org
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<regulartext><i>C. elegans </i> has been a long standing model organism for multicellular eukaryotes due to its simplistic structure and features which, despite being base in nature, provide highly analogous representations of biological processes in other model organisms. Generally, model organisms must have a set of common traits which allow for ease of use and observation such as rapid maturation and small growth cycles, small size, availability, and tractability. <i>C. elegans</i> is a particularly attractive model organism not only for its adherence to the above criteria but due to several other factors as well. </regulartext> <p> | <regulartext><i>C. elegans </i> has been a long standing model organism for multicellular eukaryotes due to its simplistic structure and features which, despite being base in nature, provide highly analogous representations of biological processes in other model organisms. Generally, model organisms must have a set of common traits which allow for ease of use and observation such as rapid maturation and small growth cycles, small size, availability, and tractability. <i>C. elegans</i> is a particularly attractive model organism not only for its adherence to the above criteria but due to several other factors as well. </regulartext> <p> | ||
- | <regulartext> <i>C. elegans</i> is a transparent, nonparasitic nematode approximately 1mm in length and is found in most temperate soil climates. It is easily sustained in the lab through use of agar plates or liquid cultures at laboratory temperatures. It can feed solely on <i>E. coli</i>, and is hence cheaply cultivated. Its transparency allows for the study of cellular differentiation and tissue mapping via fluorescing proteins. The rapidity with which C.elegans reproduces and the large number of offspring generated per hermaphrodite leads to the production of high numbers of offspring in a short amount of time. </regulartext> <p> | + | <regulartext> <i>C. elegans</i> is a transparent, nonparasitic nematode approximately 1mm in length and is found in most temperate soil climates. It is easily sustained in the lab through use of agar plates or liquid cultures at laboratory temperatures. It can feed solely on <i>E. coli</i>, and is hence cheaply cultivated. Its transparency allows for the study of cellular differentiation and tissue mapping via fluorescing proteins. The rapidity with which <i>C.elegans</i>reproduces and the large number of offspring generated per hermaphrodite leads to the production of high numbers of offspring in a short amount of time. </regulartext> <p> |
<regulartext>A population of <i>C. elegans </i> is comprised of two sexes: hermaphrodites and males, the former being predominant in any given population. Because of a lack of male-hermaphroditic mating, the genotypes of worms produced in culture remain generally homogenous. While the life span of a worm can be anywhere from 2-3 weeks in length, the worms themselves reach maturation within 3 days. At this point, all expression patterns in their cells are considered adult and the number of somatic cells within the worm remains at a constant of 959 for hermaphrodites and 1031 for males. The expected results of genetic construct microinjection can be detected and tested at this point. </regulartext> <p> | <regulartext>A population of <i>C. elegans </i> is comprised of two sexes: hermaphrodites and males, the former being predominant in any given population. Because of a lack of male-hermaphroditic mating, the genotypes of worms produced in culture remain generally homogenous. While the life span of a worm can be anywhere from 2-3 weeks in length, the worms themselves reach maturation within 3 days. At this point, all expression patterns in their cells are considered adult and the number of somatic cells within the worm remains at a constant of 959 for hermaphrodites and 1031 for males. The expected results of genetic construct microinjection can be detected and tested at this point. </regulartext> <p> | ||
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<regulartext><span class="classredt"><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Queens-Canada/full">QGEM 2010</a><span> was the first iGEM team to introduce <i> C. elegans</i> as a chassis for genetic engineering in the iGEM competition. Their project focused on the creation of a <i>C. elegans</i> toolkit whereby other teams may easily perform feats of genetic engineering with the worm. This year, our focus was to build upon that concept, demonstrating the use of having a eukaryotic multicellular organism as a functional iGEM chassis and also a bioremediation tool, among other goals. </regulartext><p> | <regulartext><span class="classredt"><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Queens-Canada/full">QGEM 2010</a><span> was the first iGEM team to introduce <i> C. elegans</i> as a chassis for genetic engineering in the iGEM competition. Their project focused on the creation of a <i>C. elegans</i> toolkit whereby other teams may easily perform feats of genetic engineering with the worm. This year, our focus was to build upon that concept, demonstrating the use of having a eukaryotic multicellular organism as a functional iGEM chassis and also a bioremediation tool, among other goals. </regulartext><p> | ||
- | <regulartext>While the benefits of working with simpler prokaryotic organisms such as <i>E. coli</i> are not disputed, using eukaryotes as a chassis for genetic engineering has significant advantages as well. As a model eukaryotic organism, succesful manipulation of the C.elegans genome would quantify similar exploits using larger organisms. The portability between the genes of <i>C. elegans</i> and genes of other model organisms is high and, as is seen with the successful insertion of human GPCR transgenes into <i>C. elegans</i>, is proof that despite a largely divergent evolutionary pathways, eukaryotic systems share much in basic biological interactions. By utilizing a eukaryotic chassis, we show that other higher organisms may be manipulated similarly and that the possibilities of genetic engineering are truly endless. Already <i>C. elegans </i> has been instrumental in <span class="classredt"><a href="http://130.15.90.245/">the study of aging and cancer development in humans</a><span>. </regulartext><p> | + | <regulartext>While the benefits of working with simpler prokaryotic organisms such as <i>E. coli</i> are not disputed, using eukaryotes as a chassis for genetic engineering has significant advantages as well. As a model eukaryotic organism, succesful manipulation of the <i>C.elegans</i> genome would quantify similar exploits using larger organisms. The portability between the genes of <i>C. elegans</i> and genes of other model organisms is high and, as is seen with the successful insertion of human GPCR transgenes into <i>C. elegans</i>, is proof that despite a largely divergent evolutionary pathways, eukaryotic systems share much in basic biological interactions. By utilizing a eukaryotic chassis, we show that other higher organisms may be manipulated similarly and that the possibilities of genetic engineering are truly endless. Already <i>C. elegans </i> has been instrumental in <span class="classredt"><a href="http://130.15.90.245/">the study of aging and cancer development in humans</a><span>. </regulartext><p> |
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<h3red> GPCRs in <i>C. elegans</i></h3red><p> | <h3red> GPCRs in <i>C. elegans</i></h3red><p> | ||
- | <regulartext>In <i>C. elegans</i>, a variety of behaviours are regulated by the chemosensory system where volatile and water soluble chemical signals in the environment are detected primarily through neurons in the amphid. These signals are associated with food, other organisms, or danger and can cause responses such as chemotaxis, changes in motility, rapid avoidance, and entry into or exit from the alternative dauer developmental stage. The amphid chemosensory organ of C.elegans is comprised of eleven neurons, all of which express a specific set GPCRs which bind distinct attractants, repellents, and pheromones. Within <i>C. elegans</i>, 500-1000 GPCRs are expressed in the amphid chemosensory neurons. Activation of these receptors triggers either the cGMP signal transduction pathway where cGMP acts as a secondary messenger which opens cGMP gated channels or the TRPV signal transduction pathway. </regulartext><p> | + | <regulartext>In <i>C. elegans</i>, a variety of behaviours are regulated by the chemosensory system where volatile and water soluble chemical signals in the environment are detected primarily through neurons in the amphid. These signals are associated with food, other organisms, or danger and can cause responses such as chemotaxis, changes in motility, rapid avoidance, and entry into or exit from the alternative dauer developmental stage. The amphid chemosensory organ of <i>C.elegans</i> is comprised of eleven neurons, all of which express a specific set GPCRs which bind distinct attractants, repellents, and pheromones. Within <i>C. elegans</i>, 500-1000 GPCRs are expressed in the amphid chemosensory neurons. Activation of these receptors triggers either the cGMP signal transduction pathway where cGMP acts as a secondary messenger which opens cGMP gated channels or the TRPV signal transduction pathway. </regulartext><p> |
- | <regulartext>A table can be seen below which lists the GPCRs present in C.elegans the neurons in which they are expressed. It also shows the function of the GPCR and method of signal transduction.</regulartext><p> | + | <regulartext>A table can be seen below which lists the GPCRs present in <i>C.elegans</i> the neurons in which they are expressed. It also shows the function of the GPCR and method of signal transduction.</regulartext><p> |
- | <regulartext>QGEM 2011 focused on utilizing the chemosensory system of C.elegans by expressing non-native GPCRs in neurons where a forward chemotactic response was the ultimate downstream effect of ligand binding.</regulartext> | + | <regulartext>QGEM 2011 focused on utilizing the chemosensory system of <i>C.elegans</i> by expressing non-native GPCRs in neurons where a forward chemotactic response was the ultimate downstream effect of ligand binding.</regulartext> |
Revision as of 23:23, 22 October 2011