We are grateful to George Jarvis,&#160;Martha Bock, and Bette Hecox-Lea, Marine Biological Laboratory, for their help in filming.

1. Preparation of Media
Note: Use half-diluted Brujewicz artificial seawater of salinity 16.5 ppt (PSU). Other artificial seawaters are also frequently used to culture Brachionus rotifers 25,26.
<ol>
	<li>Add 454 mM NaCl, 26 mM MgCl2, 27 mM MgSO4, 10 mM KCl, and 10 mM CaCl2 to 4.5 L of distilled water (final volume will be 5 L). Alternatively, use deionized dilution water instead of distilled water. Add CaCl2 after dissolving all other salts.</li>
	<li>Prepare the 0.48 M NaHCO3 stock solution (200x concentration). Add 25 ml of it to the above solution. The final concentration of NaHCO3 is 2.4 mM.</li>
	<li>Prepare the 0.4 M NaBr stock solution (500x concentration). Add 10 ml of it to the above solution. The final concentration of NaBr is 0.8 mM. Make up to 5 L with distilled water.</li>
	<li>Filter the solution with a 0.45 &#181;m membrane filter. Dilute it two times with sterile water before use (v/v). 
	Note: It is possible to make a 2x concentration of Brujewicz artificial seawater as a stock solution.</li>
</ol>
2. General Culture Conditions
<ol>
	<li>Culture laboratory-raised or wild-captured rotifers in a sterile 100 ml beaker between 20 and 30 &#176;C. Higher temperatures result in shorter lifespans and accelerated reproduction. Use 25 &#176;C for the convenience of experiments. The rotifer density or volume of artificial seawater is not a big issue here.</li>
	<li>Culture dietary microalgae species in artificial seawater 11. See Snell et al. (2014) for details 11. Typically, use Tetraselmis tetrathele (~2 x 105 cells/ml 27,28), T. suecica (~6 x 105 cells/ml 25,29), and Nannochloropsis oculata (~7 x 106 cells/ml 30,31). Since diet algae (species, culture conditions, biochemical compositions) significantly influences survival time of Brachionus rotifers, use the same lot of microalga in all experimental groups.</li>
	<li>Keep a stock population of rotifers in a batch culture by feeding and changing media occasionally (e.g., feed every 2 days and inoculate every week). Many neonates and adults bearing 2-3 eggs can be observed when rotifers are in optimal conditions. 
	Note: An alternative way to obtain experimental rotifers is to hatch resting eggs. Rotifers hatched from resting eggs are considered to be well synchronized, and their lifespan is not significantly different from that of rotifers hatched from amictic eggs 11. However, rotifers from resting eggs start reproduction earlier than those from amictic eggs. Thus, caution is needed for measurements of their reproductive traits.</li>
</ol>
3. Synchronization of Rotifers by Pre-culture
<ol>
	<li>Select a single rotifer from the stock population and culture as described in 2.1-2.3 to establish a sub-population that will be used for experiments. Typically culture for two weeks.</li>
	<li>Collect egg-bearing rotifers from the sub-population (collect a double number of individuals that will be used for experiment). Culture them as a single cohort (density: ~50 individuals/ml) in a 6-well culture plate as described in 2.1-2.3 in a fresh media under ad libitum feeding. Controlling population density is important because the conditioned medium affects reproductive physiology of Brachionus rotifers 32,33.</li>
	<li>Transfer neonates hatched from the adults&#39; first eggs to newly prepared culture media. Repeat this procedure over 2-3 generations.</li>
	<li>Use neonates hatched within a certain time period (e.g., &#60;3 hr) for measuring the survival time. To avoid a possible bias in selecting the single individual, although very improbable, check reproducibility using several independent sub-populations. 
	Note: As rotifers usually reproduce only asexually under this condition, ensure no males are present throughout the experiment. Males are smaller than neonates and typically move faster than females. Mictic females have different lifespans from amictic females under certain conditions 29.</li>
</ol>
4. Measurements of Survival Time
<ol>
	<li>Place neonates in plastic plates (typically 24- or 48-well plates, with each well containing 1 ml of artificial seawater).</li>
	<li>At 24 hr intervals, transfer the rotifers to newly prepared culture media or at 12 hr intervals if at higher temperature (30 &#176;C or above). Record the number of offspring and whether each individual is dead or alive. Record the rotifer as dead when cilia movement of the corona has completely stopped. 
	Note: Rotifers often attach to the side walls of the wells. Gentle pipetting of the water helps to find them. If rotifers are not found or are accidentally damaged by the pipetting, record them as &#34;censored&#34;, not as &#34;dead&#34;.</li>
	<li>Remove neonates when experimental rotifers are actively reproducing. Neonates grow rapidly and it is sometimes difficult to distinguish them from experimental rotifers.</li>
</ol>
5. Data Analysis
<ol>
	<li>Create the Kaplan-Meier survival curve (Figures 1 and 2) by plotting cumulative survival rate on the Y axis and time on the X axis. This is the most common representation of survival data. Use the non-parametric log-rank test (also called Mantel-Cox test) for statistical comparison of survival time 34. The log-rank test is also included in other standard statistical packages such as JMP and R. 
	Note: Do not use Student&#39;s t-test or analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by parametric multiple comparison because normal distribution is usually not met by survival data 35. Also, these methods do not take censored individuals into account. Mann-Whitney U test can be used if there is no censored data.</li>
</ol>

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The authors have nothing to disclose.

The current protocol describes a method for measuring the survival time in Brachionus rotifers. The critical step is the synchronization of rotifer conditions over several generations. When experimental rotifers are well synchronized, a typical type I survival curve is observed with very little early mortality as reported in several previous studies 18,24,37,38. Standard deviations of their survival time therefore become smaller compared to poorly synchronized rotifers, resulting in high statistical p...

Rotifers are microscopic cosmopolitan zooplankton (&#60;1 mm) that constitute the phylum Rotifera 1. They have a simple body plan composed of approximately 1,000 somatic cells as well as a characteristic wheel-like ciliary apparatus called the corona, which is used for locomotion and feeding. Most rotifers belong to classes Monogononta or Bdelloidea, which contain about 1,600 and 500 species, respectively 2. Monogonont rotifers generally have both sexual and asexual reproductive phases (cyclical parthenogenesis), while bdelloid rotifers reproduce by obligatory parthenogenesis 3. It is thus possible to obtain genetically identical rotifer individuals, which ensures high reproducibility in experiments. In addition, they have several other advantages as model organisms, such as a short lifespan, ease of culture, availability of genomic and transcriptomic sequence data 4-7, and a unique phylogenetic position distant from arthropods and nematodes 8. Rotifers are therefore promising invertebrate models in ecological, toxicological, and aging studies 9-12.
The survival time under exposure to environmental stress or chemicals is a frequently measured parameter in these research fields 13-19. However, caution is needed when measuring the survival time of rotifers because it is susceptible to environmental conditions of their mothers. Namely, in the monogonont rotifer Brachionus manjavacas, female offspring from aged mothers have a shorter lifespan than those from young mothers; however, maternal calorie restriction (CR) partially offsets the deleterious effects of advanced maternal age 20. In B. plicatilis, maternal CR provides offspring longevity, long survival time under starvation, and high oxidative stress resistance associated with enhanced expression of antioxidant enzymes 21,22. The maternal age effect has also been observed in bdelloid rotifers 23. Therefore, the conditions of experimental rotifers should be carefully synchronized over several generations before measurements of survival time.
Here we provide a protocol for measurement of survival time in Brachionus rotifers following synchronization of culture conditions over several generations. Intermittent fasting (IF), a variation of CR where rotifers are fed periodically, was applied to reveal the effect of synchronization due to the well-known effects of IF on longevity 22,24.

<table><tbody><tr><td>Sodium chloride</td><td>Wako</td><td>190-13921</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Magnesium chloride</td><td>Wako</td><td>136-03995</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Magnesium sulfate</td><td>Wako</td><td>131-00427</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Potassium chloride</td><td>Wako</td><td>168-22111</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Calcium chloride</td><td>Wako</td><td>035-00455</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sodium bicarbonate</td><td>Wako</td><td>199-05985</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sodium bromide</td><td>Wako</td><td>190-01515</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Membrane filter (0.45 &amp;micro;m pore size)</td><td>Millipore</td><td>HAWP04700</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Culture plate, 6-well, non-treated</td><td>Thomas Scientific</td><td>6902D01</td><td>Flat bottom</td></tr><tr><td>Culture plate, 48-well, non-treated</td><td>Thomas Scientific</td><td>6902D07</td><td>Flat bottom</td></tr><tr><td>Tetraselmis, Living</td><td>Carolina Biological Supply Company</td><td>152610</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>PRISM 6</td><td>GraphPad Software</td><td>Version 6.0d</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

measurement of survival time in brachionus rotifers: synchronization of maternal conditions

Rotifers are microscopic cosmopolitan zooplankton used as models in ecotoxicological and aging studies due to their several advantages such as short lifespan, ease of culture, and parthenogenesis that enables clonal culture. However, caution is required when measuring their survival time as it is affected by maternal age and maternal feeding conditions. Here we provide a protocol for powerful and reproducible measurement of the survival time in Brachionus rotifers following a careful synchronization of culture conditions over several generations. Empirically, poor synchronization results in early mortality and a gradual decrease in survival rate, thus resulting in weak statistical power. Indeed, under such conditions, calorie restriction (CR) failed to significantly extend the lifespan of B. plicatilis although CR-induced longevity has been demonstrated with well-synchronized rotifer samples in past and present studies. This protocol is probably useful for other invertebrate models, including the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, because maternal age effects have also been reported in these species.

Figure 1 shows representative survival curves of poorly synchronized populations (out of two replicates). In this experiment, rotifers were either fed everyday [ad libitum (AL) group] or every other day (IF group). Median survival was 13 and 18 days in the AL and IF groups, respectively. Although it is well known that IF extends the lifespan of the rotifer, this experiment failed to detect a statistically significant difference between lifespans of the AL ...

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Measurement of Survival Time in Brachionus Rotifers: Synchronization of Maternal Conditions

Rotifers are microscopic zooplankton used as models in ecotoxicological and aging studies. Here we provide a protocol for powerful and reproducible measurement of survival time in Brachionus rotifers. Synchronization of culture conditions over several generations is of particular importance because maternal condition affects life history of offspring.

Measurement of Survival Time in Brachionus Rotifers: Synchronization of Maternal Conditions

Rotifers are microscopic cosmopolitan zooplankton used as models in ecotoxicological and aging studies due to their several advantages such as short ...

measurement-survival-time-brachionus-rotifers-synchronization

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

8.4K Views.  The University of Tokyo. Rotifers are microscopic zooplankton used as models in ecotoxicological and aging studies. Here we provide a protocol for powerful and reproducible measurement of survival time in Brachionus rotifers. Synchronization of culture conditions over several generations is of particular importance because maternal condition affects life history of offspring.

Video: Measurement of Survival Time in Brachionus Rotifers: Synchronization of Maternal Conditions

The Replica Set Method: A High-throughput Approach to Quantitatively Measure Caenorhabditis elegans Lifespan

The Replica Set method is an approach to quantitatively measure lifespan or survival of Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes in a high-throughput manner, thus allowing a single investigator to screen more treatments or conditions over the same amount of time without loss of data quality. The method requires common equipment found in most laboratories working with C. elegans and is thus simple to adopt. The approach centers on assaying independent samples of a population at each observation point, rather than a single sample over time as with traditional longitudinal methods. Scoring entails adding liquid to the wells of a multi-well plate, which stimulates C. elegans to move and facilitates quantifying changes in healthspan. Other major benefits of the Replica Set method include reduced exposure of agar surfaces to airborne contaminants (e.g. mold or fungus), minimal handling of animals, and robustness to sporadic mis-scoring (such as calling an animal as dead when it is still alive). To appropriately analyze and visualize the data from a Replica Set style experiment, a custom software tool was also developed. Current capabilities of the software include plotting of survival curves for both Replica Set and traditional (Kaplan-Meier) experiments, as well as statistical analysis for Replica Set. The protocols provided here describe the traditional experimental approach and the Replica Set method, as well as an overview of the corresponding data analysis.

The Replica Set Method: A High-throughput Approach to Quantitatively Measure Caenorhabditis elegans Lifespan

Here we describe the Replica Set method, an approach to quantitatively measure C. elegans lifespan/survival and healthspan in a high-throughput and robust manner, thus allowing screening of many conditions without sacrificing data quality. This protocol details the strategy and provides a software tool for analysis of Replica Set data.

The Replica Set method is an approach to quantitatively measure lifespan or survival of Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes in a high-throughput manner, thus ...

Genetics

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Long-term studies enable the identification of eco-evolutionary processes that occur over extended time periods. In addition, they provide key empirical data that may be used in predictive modelling to forecast evolutionary responses of natural ecosystems to future environmental changes. However, excluding a few exceptional cases, long-term studies are scarce because of logistic difficulties associated with accessing temporal samples. Temporal dynamics are frequently studied in the laboratory or in controlled mesocosm experiments with exceptional studies that reconstruct the evolution of natural populations in the wild.
Here, a standard operating procedure (SOP) is provided to revive or resurrect dormant Daphnia magna, a widespread zooplankton keystone species in aquatic ecosystems, to dramatically advance the state-of-the-art longitudinal data collection in natural systems. The field of Resurrection Ecology was defined in 1999 by Kerfoot and co-workers, even though the first attempts at hatching diapausing zooplankton eggs date back to the late 1980s. Since Kerfoot&#39;s seminal paper, the methodology of resurrecting zooplankton species has been increasingly frequently applied, though propagated among laboratories only via direct knowledge transfer. Here, an SOP is described that provides a step-by-step protocol on the practice of resurrecting dormant Daphnia magna eggs.
Two key studies are provided in which the fitness response of resurrected Daphnia magna populations to warming is measured, capitalizing on the ability to study historical and modern populations in the same settings. Finally, the application of next generation sequencing technologies to revived or still dormant stages is discussed. These technologies provide unprecedented power in dissecting the processes and mechanisms of evolution if applied to populations that have experienced changes in selection pressure over time.

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Long-term studies are essential to understanding the process of evolution and the mechanisms of adaptation. Generally, these studies require commitments beyond the life-time of researchers. Here, a powerful method is described that dramatically advances state-of-the-art data collection to generate longitudinal data in natural systems.

Long-term studies enable the identification of eco-evolutionary processes that occur over extended time periods. In addition, they provide key empirical ...

Environment

Measuring Replicative Life Span in the Budding Yeast

Aging is a degenerative process characterized by a progressive deterioration of cellular components and organelles resulting in mortality. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used extensively to study the biology of aging, and several determinants of yeast longevity have been shown to be conserved in multicellular eukaryotes, including worms, flies, and mice 1. Due to the lack of easily quantified age-associated phenotypes, aging in yeast has been assayed almost exclusively by measuring the life span of cells in different contexts, with two different life span paradigms in common usage 2. Chronological life span refers to the length of time that a mother cell can survive in a non-dividing, quiescence-like state, and is proposed to serve as a model for aging of post-mitotic cells in multicellular eukaryotes. Replicative life span, in contrast, refers the number of daughter cells produced by a mother cell prior to senescence, and is thought to provide a model of aging in mitotically active cells. Here we present a generalized protocol for measuring the replicative life span of budding yeast mother cells. The goal of the replicative life span assay is to determine how many times each mother cell buds. The mother and daughter cells can be easily differentiated by an experienced researcher using a standard light microscope (total magnification 160X), such as the Zeiss Axioscope 40 or another comparable model. Physical separation of daughter cells from mother cells is achieved using a manual micromanipulator equipped with a fiber-optic needle. Typical laboratory yeast strains produce 20-30 daughter cells per mother and one life span experiment requires 2-3 weeks.

In this article we present a general protocol for measuring the replicative life span of yeast mother cells.

Aging is a degenerative process characterized by a progressive deterioration of cellular components and organelles resulting in mortality. The budding ...

Surveying Low-Cost Methods to Measure Lifespan and Healthspan in Caenorhabditis elegans

The discovery and development of Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism was influential in biology, particularly in the field of aging. Many historical and contemporary studies have identified thousands of lifespan-altering paradigms, including genetic mutations, transgenic gene expression, and hormesis, a beneficial, low-grade exposure to stress. With its many advantages, including a short lifespan, easy and low-cost maintenance, and fully sequenced genome with homology to almost two-thirds of all human genes, C. elegans has quickly been adopted as an outstanding model for stress and aging biology. Here, several standardized methods are surveyed for measuring lifespan and healthspan that can be easily adapted into almost any research environment, especially those with limited equipment and funds. The incredible utility of C. elegans is featured, highlighting the capacity to perform powerful genetic analyses in aging biology without the necessity of extensive infrastructure. Finally, the limitations of each analysis and alternative approaches are discussed for consideration.

Surveying Low-Cost Methods to Measure Lifespan and Healthspan in Caenorhabditis elegans

Caenorhabditis elegans serve as an excellent model system with robust and low-cost methods for surveying healthspan, lifespan, and resilience to stress.

The discovery and development of Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism was influential in biology, particularly in the field of aging. Many ...

Measuring Embryonic Viability and Brood Size in Caenorhabditis elegans

Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent model organism for the study of meiosis, fertilization, and embryonic development. C. elegans exist as self-fertilizing hermaphrodites, which produce large broods of progeny-when males are present, they can produce even larger broods of cross progeny. Errors in meiosis, fertilization, and embryogenesis can be rapidly assessed as phenotypes of sterility, reduced fertility, or embryonic lethality. This article describes a method to determine embryonic viability and brood size in C. elegans. We demonstrate how to set up this assay by picking a worm onto an individual Modified Youngren's, Only Bacto-peptone (MYOB) plate, establish the appropriate timeframe to count viable progeny and non-viable embryos, and explain how to accurately count live worm specimens. This technique can be used to determine viability in self-fertilizing hermaphrodites as well as cross-fertilization by mating pairs. These relatively simple experiments are easily adoptable for new researchers, such as undergraduate students and first-year graduate students.

Measuring Embryonic Viability and Brood Size in Caenorhabditis elegans

Here, we present a general method to determine the embryonic viability and total number of embryos produced (brood) using the model organism C. elegans.

Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent model organism for the study of meiosis, fertilization, and embryonic development. C. elegans exist as ...

Measurement of Lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster

Aging is a phenomenon that results in steady physiological deterioration in nearly all organisms in which it has been examined, leading to reduced physical performance and increased risk of disease. Individual aging is manifest at the population level as an increase in age-dependent mortality, which is often measured in the laboratory by observing lifespan in large cohorts of age-matched individuals. Experiments that seek to quantify the extent to which genetic or environmental manipulations impact lifespan in simple model organisms have been remarkably successful for understanding the aspects of aging that are conserved across taxa and for inspiring new strategies for extending lifespan and preventing age-associated disease in mammals.
The vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is an attractive model organism for studying the mechanisms of aging due to its relatively short lifespan, convenient husbandry, and facile genetics. However, demographic measures of aging, including age-specific survival and mortality, are extraordinarily susceptible to even minor variations in experimental design and environment, and the maintenance of strict laboratory practices for the duration of aging experiments is required. These considerations, together with the need to practice careful control of genetic background, are essential for generating robust measurements. Indeed, there are many notable controversies surrounding inference from longevity experiments in yeast, worms, flies and mice that have been traced to environmental or genetic artifacts1-4. In this protocol, we describe a set of procedures that have been optimized over many years of measuring longevity in Drosophila using laboratory vials. We also describe the use of the dLife software, which was developed by our laboratory and is available for download (<a href="http://sitemaker.umich.edu/pletcherlab/software">http://sitemaker.umich.edu/pletcherlab/software</a>). dLife accelerates throughput and promotes good practices by incorporating optimal experimental design, simplifying fly handling and data collection, and standardizing data analysis. We will also discuss the many potential pitfalls in the design, collection, and interpretation of lifespan data, and we provide steps to avoid these dangers.

Measurement of Lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster

Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model organism for exploring the molecular basis of longevity regulation. This protocol will discuss the steps involved in generating a reproducible, population-based measurement of longevity as well as potential pitfalls and how to avoid them.

Aging is a phenomenon that results in steady physiological deterioration in nearly all organisms in which it has been examined, leading to reduced ...

Observation and Quantification of Mating Behavior in the Pinewood Nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

A method for observing and quantifying the mating behavior of the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, was established under a stereomicroscope. To improve the mating efficiency of B. Xylophilus and to increase the chances of mating observation, virgin adults were cultured and used for the investigation. Eggs were obtained by keeping the nematodes in water and allowing the females to lay eggs for 10 min. The second-stage juveniles (J2) were synchronized by incubating the eggs for 24 h at 25 &#176;C in the dark, and the early J4 were obtained by culturing the J2 with grey mold, Botrytis cinerea, for another 52 h. At this time point, most J4 nematodes could be clearly distinguished as being male or female using their genital morphology. The male and female J4 were collected and cultured separately in two different Petri dishes for 24 h to get virgin adult nematodes. A virgin male and a virgin female were paired in a drop of water in the well of a concave slide. The mating behavior was filmed with a video recorder under a stereomicroscope. The whole period of the mating process was 82.8 &#177;3.91 min (mean &#177;SE) and could be divided into 4 different phases: searching, contacting, copulating, and lingering. The mean minutes of duration were 21.8 &#177; 2.0, 28.0 &#177; 1.9, 25.8 &#177; 0.7 and 7.2 &#177; 0.5, respectively. Eleven sub-behaviors were described: cruising, approaching, encountering, touching, hooping, locating, attaching, ejaculating, separating, quiescence, and roaming. Interestingly, obvious intra-sexual competition was observed when one female was grouped with 3 males or one male with 3 females. This protocol is useful and valuable, not only in investigating the mating behavior of B. xylophilus, but also in acting as a reference for ethological studies of other nematodes.

Observation and Quantification of Mating Behavior in the Pinewood Nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

A protocol for investigating the mating behavior of the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is presented. Behavioral features of B. xylophilus are described in the mating process.

A method for observing and quantifying the mating behavior of the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, was established under a stereomicroscope. ...

Measurement of Oxygen Consumption Rates in Intact Caenorhabditis elegans

Optimal mitochondrial function is critical for healthy cellular activity, particularly in cells that have high energy demands like those in the nervous system and muscle. Consistent with this, mitochondrial dysfunction has been associated with a myriad of neurodegenerative diseases and aging in general. Caenorhabditis elegans have been a powerful model system for elucidating the many intricacies of mitochondrial function. Mitochondrial respiration is a strong indicator of mitochondrial function and recently developed respirometers offer a state-of-the-art platform to measure respiration in cells. In this protocol, we provide a technique to analyze live, intact C. elegans. This protocol spans a period of ~7 days and includes steps for (1) growing and synchronization of C. elegans, (2) preparation&#160;of compounds to be injected and hydration of probes, (3) drug loading and cartridge equilibration, (4) preparation of worm assay plate and assay run, and (5) post-experiment data analysis.

Measurement of Oxygen Consumption Rates in Intact Caenorhabditis elegans

Mitochondrial respiration is critical for organismal survival; therefore, oxygen consumption rate is an excellent indicator of mitochondrial health. In this protocol, we describe the use of a commercially available respirometer to measure basal and maximal oxygen consumption rates in live, intact, and freely-motile Caenorhabditis elegans.

Optimal mitochondrial function is critical for healthy cellular activity, particularly in cells that have high energy demands like those in the nervous ...

Measurements of Physiological Stress Responses in C. Elegans

Organisms are often exposed to fluctuating environments and changes in intracellular homeostasis, which can have detrimental effects on their proteome and physiology. Thus, organisms have evolved targeted and specific stress responses dedicated to repair damage and maintain homeostasis. These mechanisms include the unfolded protein response of the endoplasmic reticulum (UPRER), the unfolded protein response of the mitochondria (UPRMT), the heat shock response (HSR), and the oxidative stress response (OxSR). The protocols presented here describe methods to detect and characterize the activation of these pathways and their physiological consequences in the nematode, C. elegans. First, the use of pathway-specific fluorescent transcriptional reporters is described for rapid cellular characterization, drug screening, or large-scale genetic screening (e.g., RNAi or mutant libraries). In addition, complementary, robust physiological assays are described, which can be used to directly assess sensitivity of animals to specific stressors, serving as functional validation of the transcriptional reporters. Together, these methods allow for rapid characterization of the cellular and physiological effects of internal and external proteotoxic perturbations.

Measurements of Physiological Stress Responses in C. Elegans

Here, we characterize cellular proteotoxic stress responses in the nematode C. elegans by measuring the activation of fluorescent transcriptional reporters and assaying sensitivity to physiological stress.

Organisms are often exposed to fluctuating environments and changes in intracellular homeostasis, which can have detrimental effects on their proteome and ...

Nematode Synchronization: A Method to Obtain Populations of Worms in Identical Stages of Development

Source: Sarasija, S. and Norman, K. R. <a href="https://www.jove.com/video/59277/measurement-oxygen-consumption-rates-intact-caenorhabditis">Measurement of Oxygen Consumption Rates in Intact&#160;Caenorhabditis elegans</a>.&#160;J. Vis. Exp. (2019).
In this video, we show a method of producing a developmentally synchronized population of sterile adult C. elegans. The example protocol synchronizes worms to study oxygen consumption rates in live animals.

Source: Sarasija, S. and Norman, K. R. Measurement of Oxygen Consumption Rates in Intact&#160;Caenorhabditis elegans.&#160;J. Vis. Exp. (2019).
In this ...

Measurement of Survival Time in Brachionus Rotifers: Synchronization of Maternal Conditions

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