Meeting Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans Natural Diversity Resource (CeNDR) is a newly emerging tool within the C. elegans scientific community. CeNDR is a collection of wild strains of C. elegans whose genomes have been sequenced, analyzed, and annotated for all the differences and similarities between the strains. We have used this resource to evaluate the odorant 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol (prenol), which is associated with insect cadavers that have been parasitized by entomopathogenic (insect-killing) nematodes (known as EPNs). EPNs are repelled by prenol, but other soil-dwelling nematode species, such as C. elegans, are attracted to prenol. The divergent set offered by CeNDR is a useful tool to test the effect of natural variation on phenotypic traits such as the behavioral response to odors. The divergent set consists of 12 of the most genetically divergent strains of C. elegans available within CeNDR’s catalog. Our evaluation of these 12 strains indicated that there is a significant difference in the behavioral response of C. elegans to prenol and that this is due to natural variation. With this information, we have moved forward in selecting and testing additional strains from the mapping sets available through CeNDR. This will allow us to identify a genetic locus or loci associated with C. elegans ability to detect and respond to prenol. Through this, we hope to utilize conserved biology to better identify how parasitic nematodes might use chemosensory information to avoid already-colonized hosts.
