Tissue-specific RNA interference was performed on the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to cause the knockdown of bli-3, which is hypothesized to play an important role in immune defense through the production of reactive oxygen species. Survival assays on C. elegans infected by the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans revealed highly significant effects on the survival of the worms when the gene was knocked down in the hypodermal and intestinal tissues. There was no significant effect on the survival of worms with bli-3 knockdown in body wall muscle.

• 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

• Pellegriti, Kate J

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042512-163422

Advisor

• Politz, Samuel M.

Year

• 2012

Date created

• 2012-04-25

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biology & Biotechnology

Rights statement

• In Copyright