Worm Breeder's Gazette 14(1): 104 (October 1, 1995)

These abstracts should not be cited in bibliographies. Material contained herein should be treated as personal communication and should be cited as such only with the consent of the author.

THE EFFECT OF ETHANOL ON THE LIFESPAN AND FECUNDITY OF THE AGED C. elegans

Vladimir V. Bakaev

box 45, Novosibirsk 630107, USSR

Three adult animals were kept in microtitre wells containing 0,75 ml of
liquid medium with E. coli during 12 hours, then they were discarded and
newborn larvae were transferred in next wells every day (one worm in one
well). After second day number of progeny was calculated, if any animal
during 2 days stopped reproduction, I used new medium with ethanol in
different concentrations: 0,0% (control), 0,5%,  0% and 2,0%, 12 nematodes
with every ethanol concentration.

Ethanol concentration         0,0%        0,5%      1,0%       2,0%

Mean life span (days)     23,6+/-1,8   20,1+/-1,0  19,5+/-0,9  22,0+/-1,4

Mean life span after
ethanol addition (days)        -        5,4+/-0,9   3,8+/-0,6    5,2+/-1,5

Number of
progeny from             85,7+/-7,9   85,2+/-6,4  92,5+/-10,2 103,3+/-12,3
single worm

Maximal number of progeny
from one worm after            -          35             44       60
ethanol addition

It can be concluded, that ethanol has no effect on life span of aged C.
elegans, but the fecundity slightly increased with increasing ethanol
concentration. In 7 cases ethanol renewed reproduction in C. elegans after
2 day ceasing , although there was no life prolongation.

Acknowledgment: The author wishes to express his gratitude to CGC for
providing C. elegans (Bristol, N2, wild line) and E. coli OP50.