Genetic Analysis of Adult-Specific Surface Antigenic Differences Between Varieties of the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

We have studied developmental stage-specificity and genetic specification of surface antigens in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Rabbit antisera directed against the adult C. elegans cuticle were used in conjunction with antiserum adsorption experiments to obtain antibody reagents with specificity for the adult surface. Adult-specific antibodies were used to identify several varietal strains of C. elegans that display antigen-negative phenotypes as adults. Genetic mapping results using the surface antigen phenotype as a marker indicated that a single gene (designated srf-1) or cluster of genes on linkage group II determines the adult surface antigen phenotype.

A novel bacterial pathogen, Microbacterium nematophilum, induces morphological change in the nematode C. elegans

“…Worms mutant for the genes srf-2, srf-3 or srf-5 failed to exhibit a Dar response when grown on mixed OP50/CBX102 lawns, whereas worms mutant for four other srf genes (srf-4, srf-6, srf-8, srf-9) all developed a strong Dar phenotype. Worms mutant for srf-1, which is naturally polymorphic in C. elegans [9], developed a weak Dar response. The resistance seems most likely to be due to a change in the surface properties of the cuticle, which may alter adherence or recognition by the bacteria and thereby prevent infection.…”

Altered expression of an L1-specific, O-linked cuticle surface glycoprotein in mutants of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

“…Clonal stocks of putative mutants were established by self-fertilization and progeny were retested by inununofluorescence with M38 to eliminate false positives . Before further study of mutant phenotypes, mutants were back-crossed twice to wild-type (Brenner, 1974), using indirect immunofluorescence with M38 as a genetic marker as described previously (Politz et al ., 1987;Politz et al ., 1990) .…”

“…We reported previously an adult-specific surface antigenic polymorphism in C. elegans varietal strains that mapped to a specific genetic locus, designatedsrf-1 (Politz et al ., 1987) . More recently, we have described a set of C. elegans mutations in two genes, srf-2 and srf-3, that cause alterations in surface composition (Politz et al, 1990) .…”