Caenorhabditis elegans mutant allele identification by whole-genome sequencing

Abstract

Identifying the molecular lesions in mutants isolated in forward genetic screens can be a laborious process. A proof-of-principle study in Caenorhabditis elegans now shows that this can be achieved rapidly by whole-genome deep sequencing. Identification of the molecular lesion in Caenorhabditis elegans mutants isolated through forward genetic screens usually involves time-consuming genetic mapping. We used Illumina deep sequencing technology to sequence a complete, mutant C. elegans genome and thus pinpointed a single-nucleotide mutation in the genome that affects a neuronal cell fate decision. This constitutes a proof-of-principle for using whole-genome sequencing to analyze C. elegans mutants.