THE DNA OF CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS

J. E. Sulston 1 and S. Brenner 1

1 Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QH, England

Chemical analysis and a study of renaturation kinetics show that the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, has a haploid DNA content of 8 x 107 base pairs (20 times the genome of E. coli). Eighty-three percent of the DNA sequences are unique. The mean base composition is 36% GC; a small component, containing the rRNA cistrons, has a base composition of 51% GC. The haploid genome contains about 300 genes for 4S RNA, 110 for 5S RNA, and 55 for (18 + 28)S RNA.

Submitted on December 10, 1973




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 GeneticsHome page
S. Brenner
In the Beginning Was the Worm ...
Genetics, June 1, 2009; 182(2): 413 - 415.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol Biol EvolHome page
A. D. Cutter, A. Dey, and R. L. Murray
Evolution of the Caenorhabditis elegans Genome
Mol. Biol. Evol., June 1, 2009; 26(6): 1199 - 1234.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Physiol. GenomicsHome page
A. R. Mendenhall, M. G. LeBlanc, D. P. Mohan, and P. A. Padilla
Reduction in ovulation or male sex phenotype increases long-term anoxia survival in a daf-16-independent manner in Caenorhabditis elegans
Physiol Genomics, February 2, 2009; 36(3): 167 - 178.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 RNAHome page
M. MacMorris, M. Kumar, E. Lasda, A. Larsen, B. Kraemer, and T. Blumenthal
A novel family of C. elegans snRNPs contains proteins associated with trans-splicing
RNA, April 1, 2007; 13(4): 511 - 520.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Appl. Environ. Microbiol.Home page
B. M. Pecson, J. A. Barrios, D. R. Johnson, and K. L. Nelson
A Real-Time PCR Method for Quantifying Viable Ascaris Eggs Using the First Internally Transcribed Spacer Region of Ribosomal DNA
Appl. Envir. Microbiol., December 1, 2006; 72(12): 7864 - 7872.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 RNAHome page
G. S. Parker, D. M. Eckert, and B. L. Bass
RDE-4 preferentially binds long dsRNA and its dimerization is necessary for cleavage of dsRNA to siRNA
RNA, May 1, 2006; 12(5): 807 - 818.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Genome ResHome page
L. W. Hillier, A. Coulson, J. I. Murray, Z. Bao, J. E. Sulston, and R. H. Waterston
Genomics in C. elegans: So many genes, such a little worm
Genome Res., December 1, 2005; 15(12): 1651 - 1660.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Cell Sci.Home page
K. Ono, M. Parast, C. Alberico, G. M. Benian, and S. Ono
Specific requirement for two ADF/cofilin isoforms in distinct actin-dependent processes in Caenorhabditis elegans
J. Cell Sci., May 15, 2003; 116(10): 2073 - 2085.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ANN BOT (LOND)Home page
M. D. BENNETT, I. J. LEITCH, H. J. PRICE, and J. S. JOHNSTON
Comparisons with Caenorhabditis (~100 Mb) and Drosophila (~175 Mb) Using Flow Cytometry Show Genome Size in Arabidopsis to be ~157 Mb and thus ~25 % Larger than the Arabidopsis Genome Initiative Estimate of ~125 Mb
Ann. Bot., April 1, 2003; 91(5): 547 - 557.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Biol. Chem.Home page
N. Kitagawa, S. Shimohama, T. Oeda, K. Uemura, R. Kohno, A. Kuzuya, H. Shibasaki, and N. Ishii
The Role of the Presenilin-1 Homologue Gene sel-12 of Caenorhabditis elegans in Apoptotic Activities
J. Biol. Chem., March 28, 2003; 278(14): 12130 - 12134.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Biol. Chem.Home page
B. L. Gourley, S. B. Parker, B. J. Jones, K. B. Zumbrennen, and E. A. Leibold
Cytosolic Aconitase and Ferritin Are Regulated by Iron in Caenorhabditis elegans
J. Biol. Chem., January 24, 2003; 278(5): 3227 - 3234.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum Mol GenetHome page
J. Gao, L. Estrada, S. Cho, R. E. Ellis, and J. L. Gorski
The Caenorhabditis elegans homolog of FGD1, the human Cdc42 GEF gene responsible for faciogenital dysplasia, is critical for excretory cell morphogenesis
Hum. Mol. Genet., December 1, 2001; 10(26): 3049 - 3062.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum Mol GenetHome page
T. Oeda, S. Shimohama, N. Kitagawa, R. Kohno, T. Imura, H. Shibasaki, and N. Ishii
Oxidative stress causes abnormal accumulation of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-related mutant SOD1 in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans
Hum. Mol. Genet., September 1, 2001; 10(19): 2013 - 2023.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Nucleic Acids ResHome page
C. Sanford and M. D. Perry
Asymmetrically distributed oligonucleotide repeats in the Caenorhabditis elegans genome sequence that map to regions important for meiotic chromosome segregation
Nucleic Acids Res., July 15, 2001; 29(14): 2920 - 2926.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 GeneticsHome page
B. van Swinderen, L. B. Metz, L. D. Shebester, J. E. Mendel, P. W. Sternberg, and C. M. Crowder
Go{{alpha}} Regulates Volatile Anesthetic Action in Caenorhabditis elegans
Genetics, June 1, 2001; 158(2): 643 - 655.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 GeneticsHome page
L. Duret, G. Marais, and C. Biémont
Transposons but Not Retrotransposons Are Located Preferentially in Regions of High Recombination Rate in Caenorhabditis elegans
Genetics, December 1, 2000; 156(4): 1661 - 1669.
[Abstract] [Full Text]

Home page
 DevelopmentHome page
D Wu, P. Chen, S Chen, Y Hu, G Nunez, and R. Ellis
C. elegans MAC-1, an essential member of the AAA family of ATPases, can bind CED-4 and prevent cell death
Development, January 5, 1999; 126(9): 2021 - 2031.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 DevelopmentHome page
T. Gumienny, E Lambie, E Hartwieg, H. Horvitz, and M. Hengartner
Genetic control of programmed cell death in the Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodite germline
Development, January 2, 1999; 126(5): 1011 - 1022.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Genome ResHome page
D. Pilgrim
CeRep25B Forms Chromosome-Specific Minisatellite Arrays in Caenorhabditis elegans
Genome Res., November 1, 1998; 8(11): 1192 - 1201.
[Abstract] [Full Text]

Home page
 GeneticsHome page
J. W. Drake, B. Charlesworth, D. Charlesworth, and J. F. Crow
Rates of Spontaneous Mutation
Genetics, April 1, 1998; 148(4): 1667 - 1686.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Biol. Chem.Home page
M. R. Leroux, B. J. Ma, G. Batelier, R. Melki, and E. P. M. Candido
Unique Structural Features of a Novel Class of Small Heat Shock Proteins
J. Biol. Chem., May 9, 1997; 272(19): 12847 - 12853.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Genome ResHome page
S. E. Devine, S. L. Chissoe, Y. Eby, R. K. Wilson, and J. D. Boeke
A Transposon-Based Strategy for Sequencing Repetitive DNA in Eukaryotic Genomes
Genome Res., May 1, 1997; 7(5): 551 - 563.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 DevelopmentHome page
R Hoskins, A. Hajnal, S. Harp, and S. Kim
The C. elegans vulval induction gene lin-2 encodes a member of the MAGUK family of cell junction proteins
Development, January 1, 1996; 122(1): 97 - 111.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 DevelopmentHome page
Z Liu, S Kirch, and V Ambros
The Caenorhabditis elegans heterochronic gene pathway controls stage-specific transcription of collagen genes
Development, January 8, 1995; 121(8): 2471 - 2478.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Genes Dev.Home page
T M Rogalski, B D Williams, G P Mullen, and D G Moerman
Products of the unc-52 gene in Caenorhabditis elegans are homologous to the core protein of the mammalian basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan.
Genes & Dev., August 1, 1993; 7(8): 1471 - 1484.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Genes Dev.Home page
L M Miller, M E Gallegos, B A Morisseau, and S K Kim
lin-31, a Caenorhabditis elegans HNF-3/fork head transcription factor homolog, specifies three alternative cell fates in vulval development.
Genes & Dev., June 1, 1993; 7(6): 933 - 947.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant BiolHome page
R. Waterston, R. Ainscough, K. Anderson, M. Berks, D. Blair, M. Connell, J. Cooper, A. Coulson, M. Craxton, S. Dear, et al.
The Genome of the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol, January 1, 1993; 58(0): 367 - 376.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Genes Dev.Home page
S K Kim and H R Horvitz
The Caenorhabditis elegans gene lin-10 is broadly expressed while required specifically for the determination of vulval cell fates.
Genes & Dev., March 1, 1990; 4(3): 357 - 371.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Genes Dev.Home page
D G Moerman, G M Benian, R J Barstead, L A Schriefer, and R H Waterston
Identification and intracellular localization of the unc-22 gene product of Caenorhabditis elegans.
Genes & Dev., January 1, 1988; 2(1): 93 - 105.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant BiolHome page
D. Hirsh, K.J. Kemphues, D.T. Stinchcomb, and R. Jefferson
Genes Affecting Early Development in Caenorhabditis elegans
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol, January 1, 1985; 50(0): 69 - 78.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 ScienceHome page
J. Golden and D. Riddle
A pheromone influences larval development in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Science, November 5, 1982; 218(4572): 578 - 580.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 ScienceHome page
H. Horvitz, M Chalfie, C Trent, J. Sulston, and P. Evans
Serotonin and octopamine in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Science, May 28, 1982; 216(4549): 1012 - 1014.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 ScienceHome page
A. Sparrow and A. Nauman
Evolution of genome size by DNA doublings
Science, May 7, 1976; 192(4239): 524 - 529.
[Abstract] [PDF]