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A C. elegans Screening Platform for the Rapid Assessment of Chemical Disruption of Germline Function
Abstract
Background
Despite the developmental impact of chromosome segregation errors, we lack the tools to assess environmental effects on the integrity of the germline in animals.Objectives
We developed an assay in Caenorhabditis elegans that fluorescently marks aneuploid embryos after chemical exposure.Methods
We qualified the predictive value of the assay against chemotherapeutic agents as well as environmental compounds from the ToxCast Phase I library by comparing results from the C. elegans assay with the comprehensive mammalian in vivo end point data from the ToxRef database.Results
The assay was highly predictive of mammalian reproductive toxicities, with a 69% maximum balanced accuracy. We confirmed the effect of select compounds on germline integrity by monitoring germline apoptosis and meiotic progression.Conclusions
This C. elegans assay provides a comprehensive strategy for assessing environmental effects on germline function.Many UC-authored scholarly publications are freely available on this site because of the UC's open access policies. Let us know how this access is important for you.