M9 precipitate

[Carlos Eduardo Winter]

Dear worm people,

I don't know if this will interest many of you. I have noticed that the
worm I work with (Oscheius n.sp., a Rhabditid related to C. elegans) "does
not like" M9. When you leave the worms in M9 for some time they do not
float anymore in 30% sucrose (density variation = water loss). I have
noticed that same behavior with C.  elegans also if they are left for
longer times in M9. In our lab we use only S medium, or MilliQ-water, to wash
worms. I think M9 was originally developed for E.  coli, that lives inside
the human intestine. Solutions with much less salt are probably better
suited for C. elegans and other free-living nematodes, taking into
consideration what happens to Oscheius. 

I hope to hear more about water balance in nematodes.

Sincerely,

Carlos Winter

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  CARLOS EDUARDO WINTER - Department of Parasitology - ICB2 - USP      
  Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374 - 05508-900 Sao Paulo - BRAZIL         
  FAX: (55)(11)818-7417 - PHONE: (55)(11)818-7269                      
  http://www.icb2.usp.br/~cewinter/

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