The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a model organism for investigating innate immunity using microbial pathogens. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly known as baker's yeast, was found to associate with C. elegans by colonizing the intestinal lumen and causing intestinal distension. We found that when grown on S. cerevisiae, mutants carrying mutations in mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase genes mek-1 and mek-2 accumulated intestinal S. cerevisiae more rapidly than wild type. Intact S. cerevisiae cells expressing an RFP-tagged protein were visible in the intestinal lumen by fluorescent microscopy, and their accumulation correlated with intestinal distension.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Iguchi, Shinya

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-043009-162201

Advisor

• Politz, Samuel M.

Year

• 2009

Date created

• 2009-04-30

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biology & Biotechnology

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2021-02-01