Protocol for transgenerational learned pathogen avoidance behavior assays in Caenorhabditis elegans

Rebecca S Moore; Rachel Kaletsky; Coleen T Murphy

doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100384

Protocol for transgenerational learned pathogen avoidance behavior assays in Caenorhabditis elegans

STAR Protoc. 2021 Mar 10;2(1):100384. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100384. eCollection 2021 Mar 19.

Authors

Rebecca S Moore¹, Rachel Kaletsky^{1

2}, Coleen T Murphy^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
² LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.

Abstract

Animal experiences, including learned behaviors, can be passed down to several generations of progeny in a phenomenon known as transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Yet, little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms regulating physiologically relevant transgenerational memories. Here, we present a method for Caenorhabditis elegans in which worms learn to avoid the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA14). Unlike previous protocols, this training paradigm, either using PA14 lawns or through exposure to a PA14 small RNA (P11), induces memory in four generations of progeny. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Moore et al. (2019) and Kaletsky et al. (2020).

Keywords: Genetics; Model organisms.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Avoidance Learning / physiology*
Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
Conditioning, Psychological / physiology
Epigenesis, Genetic / genetics*
Epigenomics / methods*
Inheritance Patterns
Learning / physiology
Memory / physiology
Pseudomonas aeruginosa / pathogenicity
RNA
Wills

Substances

Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
RNA