A high-content assay for identifying small molecules that reprogram C. elegans germ cell fate. 2014

Joshua A Benson, and Erin E Cummings, and Linda P O'Reilly, and Myon-Hee Lee, and Stephen C Pak
Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.

Recent breakthrough discoveries have shown that committed cell fates can be reprogrammed by genetic, chemical and environmental manipulations. The germline of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans provides a tractable system for studying cell fate reprogramming within the context of a whole organism. To explore the possibility of using C. elegans in high-throughput screens (HTS), we developed a high-throughput workflow for testing compounds that modulate cell fate reprogramming. We utilized puf-8; lip-1 mutants that have enhanced MPK-1 (an ERK homolog)/MAP kinase (MAPK) signaling. Wild-type C. elegans hermaphrodites produce both sperm and oocytes, and are thus self-fertile. However, puf-8; lip-1 mutants produce only sperm and are sterile. Notably, compounds that pharmacologically down-regulate MPK-1 (an ERK homolog)/MAP kinase (MAPK) signaling are able to reprogram germ cell fate and restore fertility to these animals. puf-8; lip-1 mutants provide numerous challenges for HTS. First, they are sterile as homozygotes and must be maintained as heterozygotes using a balancer chromosome. Second, homozygous animals for experimentation must be physically separated from the rest of the population. Third, a high quality, high-content assay has not been developed to measure compound effects on germ cell fate reprogramming. Here we describe a semi-automated high-throughput workflow that enables effective sorting of homozygous puf-8; lip-1 mutants into 384-well plates using the COPAS™ BIOSORT. In addition, we have developed an image-based assay for rapidly measuring germ cell reprogramming by measuring the number of viable progeny in wells. The methods presented in this report enable the use of puf-8; lip-1 mutants in HTS campaigns for chemical modulators of germ cell reprogramming within the context of a whole organism.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D005854 Germ Cells The reproductive cells in multicellular organisms at various stages during GAMETOGENESIS. Gamete,Gametes,Germ-Line Cells,Germ Line,Cell, Germ,Cell, Germ-Line,Cells, Germ,Cells, Germ-Line,Germ Cell,Germ Line Cells,Germ Lines,Germ-Line Cell
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015398 Signal Transduction The intracellular transfer of information (biological activation/inhibition) through a signal pathway. In each signal transduction system, an activation/inhibition signal from a biologically active molecule (hormone, neurotransmitter) is mediated via the coupling of a receptor/enzyme to a second messenger system or to an ion channel. Signal transduction plays an important role in activating cellular functions, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. Examples of signal transduction systems are the GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID-postsynaptic receptor-calcium ion channel system, the receptor-mediated T-cell activation pathway, and the receptor-mediated activation of phospholipases. Those coupled to membrane depolarization or intracellular release of calcium include the receptor-mediated activation of cytotoxic functions in granulocytes and the synaptic potentiation of protein kinase activation. Some signal transduction pathways may be part of larger signal transduction pathways; for example, protein kinase activation is part of the platelet activation signal pathway. Cell Signaling,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Pathways,Receptor Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Transduction Pathways,Signal Transduction Systems,Pathway, Signal,Pathway, Signal Transduction,Pathways, Signal,Pathways, Signal Transduction,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transductions,Signal Pathway,Signal Transduction Pathway,Signal Transduction System,Signal Transduction, Receptor-Mediated,Signal Transductions,Signal Transductions, Receptor-Mediated,System, Signal Transduction,Systems, Signal Transduction,Transduction, Signal,Transductions, Signal
D017173 Caenorhabditis elegans A species of nematode that is widely used in biological, biochemical, and genetic studies. Caenorhabditis elegan,elegan, Caenorhabditis
D054852 Small Molecule Libraries Large collections of small molecules (molecular weight about 600 or less), of similar or diverse nature which are used for high-throughput screening analysis of the gene function, protein interaction, cellular processing, biochemical pathways, or other chemical interactions. It includes virtual libraries. Chemical Libraries,Molecular Libraries, Small,Libraries, Chemical,Libraries, Small Molecular,Libraries, Small Molecule,Molecule Libraries, Small,Small Molecular Libraries
D057166 High-Throughput Screening Assays Rapid methods of measuring the effects of an agent in a biological or chemical assay. The assay usually involves some form of automation or a way to conduct multiple assays at the same time using sample arrays. High-Throughput Screening,High-Throughput Biological Assays,High-Throughput Chemical Assays,High-Throughput Screening Methods,Assay, High-Throughput Biological,Assay, High-Throughput Chemical,Assay, High-Throughput Screening,Biological Assay, High-Throughput,Chemical Assay, High-Throughput,High Throughput Biological Assays,High Throughput Chemical Assays,High Throughput Screening,High Throughput Screening Assays,High Throughput Screening Methods,High-Throughput Biological Assay,High-Throughput Chemical Assay,High-Throughput Screening Assay,High-Throughput Screening Method,High-Throughput Screenings,Screening Assay, High-Throughput,Screening Method, High-Throughput,Screening, High-Throughput
D019070 Cell Lineage The developmental history of specific differentiated cell types as traced back to the original STEM CELLS in the embryo. Cell Lineages,Lineage, Cell,Lineages, Cell
D065150 Cellular Reprogramming A process where fully differentiated or specialized cells revert to pluripotency or a less differentiated cell type. Cell Reprogramming,Nuclear Reprogramming,Reprogramming, Cell,Reprogramming, Cellular,Reprogramming, Nuclear

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