Worm Breeder's Gazette 5(2): 50b
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.
In order to develop a new field of biology with nematodes, we have put forward the radiobiological studies using R. tokai and C. elegans (WBG, 5(1), 1980). Recently we have isolated several UV- sensitive mutants of C. elegans. Of these mutants, two have been studied in more detail. They are approximately 4-5 times more sensitive to UV than is the wild-type: Namely, only 4th to 5th the influence of UV is enough to kill nematodes to give a same level of survival (for example, one per cent) as compared with the wild-type. Mutant eggs are also more sensitive to UV than are the wild-type eggs with respect to hatchability. Interesting was the fact that these mutants have a shorter life span than that of the wild-type. As far as we know, these mutants are the first case of man-made mutants with respect to UV-sensitivity as well as to life span in animal kingdom. Reports will appear in near future.