Genetic and metabolomic analysis of how population density modulates neuroendocrine physiology of C. elegans

In nature, organisms are presented with ever-changing environmental stimuli that can be beneficial or detrimental. Distinguishing the critically important environmental cues from the insignificant ones is integral to the survival of the organism. These cues may be based on chemical communication, secreted from other organisms, both the same and different species, present in the same area. Chapter One of this thesis discusses chemical communication, specifically in Caenorhabditis elegans, throughout development, mating, and foraging for novel food sources. It also extends the description of chemical communication to include a wide variety of organisms from bacteria to vertebrates in various applications. In Chapter Two, we discuss the importance of insulin-like signaling in determining the reproductive duration of adult C. elegans. We show that the expression of an insulin-like peptide, INS-6, is downregulated in the presence of crowding and is mediated by ascaroside pheromones.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctoral

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Wong, Spencer S.(Spencer Sai Git)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Dennis H. Kim.

• Biology.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/123705

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/123705