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To swim or to crawl: For the worm it's a no brainer
March 31, 2009A study at the University of Leeds has shown, for the first time, that C. elegans worms crawl and swim using the same gait, overturning the widely accepted belief that these two behaviours are completely different.
The findings have important implications for biologists and geneticists using C. elegans for their research. Until recently scientists have largely limited their observations of the worm to crawling on solids, but this discovery suggests that it is just as important to consider a range of environments when studying the behaviour of the worm.
Lead researcher Dr Netta Cohen, Reader in the School of Computing, says: "Our discovery suggests that it's important to study the function of the worm's nervous system in a range of environments, where the mode of operation of the nervous system and the specific role of individual genes may be more apparent."
C. elegans, a tiny free-living worm, was the very first animal species to be completely genetically sequenced and operates with many of the same genes that are found in human beings. It is used by scientists as a model system to gain a fundamental understanding of the basic principles of life.
C. elegans is so simple it doesn't have a brain, only a minimal nervous system of 302 nerve cells (as opposed to the 100 billion or so in the human brain). This 1mm long worm exhibits a wide range of behaviour, including foraging, learning, memory and even social behaviour. Scientists are fascinated with this tiny worm, anticipating that this will be the first animal species to be completely understood.
In its natural habitat, C. elegans can encounter a range of environments where its motion can be quite varied - from muddy water and moist surfaces in dry ground to the centre of rotten fruit, where it will find a plentiful supply of food. The worm's swimming and crawling observed in different environments look so distinct, there's a long-held consensus that these are separate gaits - as with horses, where galloping and trotting are entirely different motions.
Using a combination of experimental laboratory work and computer simulations, the research team has shown that swimming, crawling - and everything in between - represents one locomotion gait that is generated and controlled with a single underlying nervous system mechanism.
Dr Cohen says: "We raised the question of how such a minimal nervous system can exhibit different behaviours and instantly switch between them. Our finding is the first unified description of a whole range of behaviours and should hopefully make the modeling of this animal more accessible."
University of Leeds
C. elegans, a tiny free-living worm, was the very first animal species to be completely genetically sequenced and operates with many of the same genes that are found in human beings. It is used by scientists as a model system to gain a fundamental understanding of the basic principles of life.
C. elegans is so simple it doesn't have a brain, only a minimal nervous system of 302 nerve cells (as opposed to the 100 billion or so in the human brain). This 1mm long worm exhibits a wide range of behaviour, including foraging, learning, memory and even social behaviour. Scientists are fascinated with this tiny worm, anticipating that this will be the first animal species to be completely understood.
In its natural habitat, C. elegans can encounter a range of environments where its motion can be quite varied - from muddy water and moist surfaces in dry ground to the centre of rotten fruit, where it will find a plentiful supply of food. The worm's swimming and crawling observed in different environments look so distinct, there's a long-held consensus that these are separate gaits - as with horses, where galloping and trotting are entirely different motions.
Using a combination of experimental laboratory work and computer simulations, the research team has shown that swimming, crawling - and everything in between - represents one locomotion gait that is generated and controlled with a single underlying nervous system mechanism.
Dr Cohen says: "We raised the question of how such a minimal nervous system can exhibit different behaviours and instantly switch between them. Our finding is the first unified description of a whole range of behaviours and should hopefully make the modeling of this animal more accessible."
University of Leeds
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C. Elegans II by Donald L. Riddle (Author) Studies of the cells and genes of the nematode C. elegans have become a cornerstone of current biology. A classic 1988 Cold Spring Harbor monograph, The Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, described the basic genetics, anatomy and development of the organism. Now, in that authoritative tradition, comes C. elegans II -- not a second edition but a book that breaks new ground and defines the current status of the field, providing a detailed molecular explanation of how development is regulated and the nervous system specifies varied aspects of behavior. This volume is a must for any investigator doing worm studies but it has been written and rigorously edited to illuminate for a wider community of investigators in cell and molecular biology who should know how new knowledge of C.... |
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C. elegans: A Practical Approach (Practical Approach Series) by Ian A. Hope (Editor) Caenorhabditis Elegans has been a popular model organism for biological research for over thirty years and has been used to investigate many aspects of animal development. It has recently taken on new importance with the publication of its entire genome sequence in 1998. This book contains all the basic information on C. elegans required to use it, making it the ideal book for those looking to know anything from applicability to the biology of C. elegans. |
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The Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans (The Cold Spring Harbor Monograph Series) by William B. Wood (Author), William B. Wood (Editor) |
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Anemone Elegans Antique Botanical Print C1875 by old-print Old Antique Historical Victorian Prints Maps and Historic Fine Art---------- Anemone Elegans Antique Botanical Print C1875 Plate From Various Botanical Printers . Paris And London C1800 To C1880 . Curtis Or Lemerier Paris & Others . These Hand Coloured Engravings & Chromolithograths Would Make An Ideal Gift For Christmas Or Birthday . This Engraving Is Over 120 Plus Years Old. And Is Not A Modern Copy. These Images Are Scanned At Low Resolution For Quick Uploading And Are Much Better Than The Scanned Image.. Note The Enlarged Image Shown Is Larger That The Actual Plate But It Shows The Quality And Detail.. Size Of Scan Is Approx9" X 5" ( 225 X 125 ) . Ready To Matt And Frame. These Old Prints Really Look Great When Framed.. Note This Print Has No Printing On Reverse As It Is... |
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Brass Elegans Solid Brass 2.25x14" Contemporary Floor Register- Polished Chrome by Brass Elegans Brass Elegans 116C CH Floor Register Contemporary Design 2-1/4" x 14", ChromeFor over a decade, Brass Elegans has been bringing the highest quality, superior craftsmanship and style to homes across the country and beyond. Along the way they have been changing how today's homeowners think about the details that give their homes that special touch.Brass Elegans 116C CH Floor Register Contemporary Design 2-1/4" x 14", Chrome Features:; Size: 2-1/4" x 14"; 100% Solid Brass Decorative Floor Register* Image shown may vary by color, finish and or material |
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C. elegans: Methods and Applications (Methods in Molecular Biology) by Kevin Strange (Editor) Nonmammalian model organisms have become a cornerstone of systems biology research. Like the Rosetta Stone, which enabled modern scholars to decode ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, model organisms enable biologists to decipher the genetic code underlying the complex physiological processes common to all life. C. elegans provides a particularly striking example of the experimental utility of model organisms. Genetic, molecular and systems biological characterization of this organism is greatly facilitated by its short life cycle and high rate reproduction, and by the ease with which it can be cultured in the laboratory. C. elegans also has a fully sequenced and well-annotated genome, which is assembled in readily accessible public databases along with virtually all other biological data... |
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C1979 Orchids Flowers Laeliocattleya Elegans Purple by old-print C1979 Orchids Flowers Laeliocattleya Elegans Purple A page taken from An illustrated treasury of Orchids in beautiful full colour by Frank J Anderson.Dates c1979 Size of each plate is 12 x 15 inches (310 x380). |
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C. elegans Atlas by David H. Hall (Author) Derived from the acclaimed online "WormAtlas," C. elegans Atlas is a large-format, full-color atlas of the hermaphroditic form of the model organism C. elegans, known affectionately as "the worm" by workers in the field. Prepared by the editors of the WormAtlas Consortium, David H. Hall and Zeynep F. Altun, this book combines explanatory text with copious, labeled, color illustrations and electron micrographs of the major body systems of C. elegans. Also included are electron microscopy cross sections of the worm. This laboratory reference is essential for the working worm biologist, at the bench and at the microscope, and provides a superb companion to the C. elegans II monograph. It is also a valuable tool for investigators in the fields of developmental biology, neurobiology,... |
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