Caenorhabditis elegans

The nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans has been a major model organism for basic biomedical research for over 30 years. Genetic and molecular research in C.elegans has played a key role in the development of our understanding of many important processes, including cell death, micro RNAs and RNA interference, development and aging. C. elegans was the first animal whose genome was sequenced (C.elegans Genome Sequencing Consortium, 1998), and has been an exemplar in the application of genomic data to functional biology in animals.

C. elegans is a small, free-living nematode found in decaying plant material, especially compost and mushroom beds in temperate regions throughout the world. It feeds on the bacteria and other microorganisms associated with plant decay, and is frequently found associated with snails, slugs, millipedes, mites and pill bugs, which are presumed to transport worms from one location to another. The animal has a short generation time, developing through four larval stages into an adult. C. elegans is hermaphroditic and distinct from the majority of other characterised nematodes which have both male and female adult animals.