Fluid dynamics alter Caenorhabditis elegans body length via TGF-β/DBL-1 neuromuscular signaling.

ABSTRACT: Skeletal muscle wasting is a major obstacle for long-term space exploration. Similar to astronauts, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans displays negative muscular and physical effects when in microgravity in space. It remains unclear what signaling molecules and behavior(s) cause these negative alterations. Here we studied key signaling molecules involved in alterations of C. elegans physique in response to fluid dynamics in ground-based experiments. Placing worms in space on a 1G accelerator increased a myosin heavy chain, myo-3, and a transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), dbl-1, gene expression. These changes also occurred when the fluid dynamic parameters viscosity/drag resistance or depth of liquid culture were increased on the ground. In addition, body leng

SUBMITTER: Harada S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5515535 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature