>From The Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1995, v. 14, No. 1, p. 105.
AN ATTEMPT TO SLOW AGING IN C. elegans. I. THE EFFECT OF
EXTRACT FROM YOUNG WORMS DURING WHOLE LIFE SPAN
Vladimir V. Bakaev, box 45, Novosibirsk, 630107, USSR
C. elegans (1-2 days old) were collected from separate
stock, frozen and after 12 hours or more time thawed,
filtrated and mixed with S medium containing E. coli (1:1),
this mixture was used as a medium for worms in experimen-
tal group. The medium for control group was prepared by
mixing S medium containing E. coli with S medium without
E. coli (1:1).
Three adult animals (3-5 days old) were kept in microtit-
re wells containing 0,75 ml of liquid medium (with E. coli
and with or without young worms extract) during 12 hours,
then they were discarded and newborn larvae were transfer-
red in next wells every day (one worm in one well). Number
of progeny was calculated every day too. This experiment
was carried out in temperature +21oC and in the darkness.
The obtained results are presented in the following table.
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Control group Experimental
group
n = 12 P n = 11
Mean+/-S.E. Mean+/-S.E.
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Longevity:
mean 24,5+/-1,9 <0,001 13,6+/-1,5
maximal 36 21
minimal 13 8
Period:
prereproductive 3,9+/-0,08 <0,05 4,4+/-0,2
reproductive 9,9+/-0,09 <0,01 6,4+/-1,2
postreproductive 9,9+/-0,08 1 0<0,001 2,8 1+/- 00,7
Fecundity:
mean 123,9+/-12,7 <0,001 33,6+/-7,6
maximal 219 69
minimal 13 0
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Conclusion: if the extract from young worms was applied to
C. elegans during whole life span, then it was able to de-
crease longevity of nematodes, by other words, such an ext-
ract appeared as toxic, in indicated above conditions. This
extract decreased the fecundity too.
Acknowledgment: The author wishes to express his thanks to
CGC for providing C. elegans (Bristol, N2) and E. coli OP 50.
