Thermo-chemical micro-sensing system of a biological model organism C. elegans towards a chemical stimulus

Abstract

DEHP (Di-ethyl hexyl phthalate), an ubiquitous chemical constituent of plasticizer, cosmetics etc. poses different abnormal neurological and behavioral responses in eukaryotic model organism C. elegans (Caenorhabditis elegans). Based upon such reports, we hypothesized that due to exposure of DEHP, the larval growth of C. elegans was altered and animals went into dauer at high concentrations of exposure at 8.26 ppm. Using chemosensory assay, the orientation of repulsion (− 0.1) of the nematodes were determined with exposure of DEHP at 4.78 ppm and 8.26 ppm. We show that N2 wild type worms display a preferential food choice and search for favorable food, and alter two modes of locomotion (forward and backward) that measures the maximum bending rate of an adult worm. Thermo sensation also plays a crucial role in determining the toxicity level in C. elegans at 15 °C, 20 °C, and 25 °C. Understanding the chemosensory pattern towards a specific chemical for C. elegans, the recent work could shed light in exploring the molecular mechanism involved in the tactile movement of the worms against a specific chemical, thereby making worms a potential biological sensing platform for external stimuli perception.