Isolating genes involved with genotoxic drug response in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans using genome-wide RNAi screening

Methods Mol Biol. 2012:920:27-38. doi: 10.1007/978-1-61779-998-3_3.

Abstract

The soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has become a popular genetic model organism used to study a broad range of complex biological processes, including development, aging, apoptosis, and DNA damage responses. Many genetic tools and tricks have been developed in C. elegans including knock down of gene expression via RNA interference (RNAi). In C. elegans RNAi can effectively be administrated via feeding the nematodes bacteria expressing double-stranded RNA targeting the gene of interest. Several commercial C. elegans RNAi libraries are available and hence gene inactivation using RNAi can relatively easily be performed in a genome-wide fashion. In this chapter we give a protocol for using genome-wide RNAi screening to identify genes involved with the response to genotoxic stress.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / cytology
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / drug effects*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / growth & development
  • DNA Damage / drug effects
  • DNA Damage / genetics*
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques / methods*
  • Genes, Helminth / genetics*
  • Genome, Helminth / genetics*
  • Germ Cells / cytology
  • Germ Cells / drug effects
  • Germ Cells / metabolism
  • Hydroxyurea / toxicity
  • Male
  • Mutation
  • RNA Interference*

Substances

  • Hydroxyurea