Large-scale Gene Knockdown in C. elegans Using dsRNA Feeding Libraries to Generate Robust Loss-of-function Phenotypes

Summary

While dsRNA feeding in C. elegans is a powerful tool to assess gene function, current protocols for large scale feeding screens result in variable knockdown efficiencies. We describe an improved protocol for performing large scale RNAi feeding screens that results in highly efficacious and reproducible knockdown of gene expression.

Abstract

RNA interference by feeding worms bacteria expressing dsRNAs has been a useful tool to assess gene function in C. elegans. While this strategy works well when a small number of genes are targeted for knockdown, large scale feeding screens show variable knockdown efficiencies, which limits their utility. We have deconstructed previously published RNAi knockdown protocols and found that the primary source of the reduced knockdown can be attributed to the loss of dsRNA-encoding plasmids from the bacteria fed to the animals. Based on these observations, we have developed a dsRNA feeding protocol that greatly reduces or eliminates plasmid loss to achieve efficient, high throughput knockdown. We demonstrate that this protocol will produce robust, reproducible knock down of C. elegans genes in multiple tissue types, including neurons, and will permit efficient knockdown in large scale screens. This protocol uses a commercially available dsRNA feeding library and describes all steps needed to duplicate the library and perform dsRNA screens. The protocol does not require the use of any sophisticated equipment, and can therefore be performed by any C. elegans lab.

Introduction

Historically, genetic screens in C. elegans have been performed by treating animals with a chemical mutagen such as ethyl methanesulfonate to create random mutations within DNA. Progeny or grandprogeny of mutagenized animals are then isolated that exhibit a desired abnormal phenotype. The mutation responsible for causing the phenotype is then identified through a labor-intensive mapping procedure or by sequencing the mutant worm's entire genome. There are many advantages to performing such chemical mutagenesis screens as they create permanent lesions within the worm genome that can result in both gain-of-function and loss-of-function phenotypes, but the mappi....

Protocol

Note: This protocol can be used to identify genes required for a variety of biological processes in a variety of tissue types. As a necessary quality control during the screen, animals are fed both positive and negative control dsRNA-expressing bacteria to demonstrate RNAi effects in the targeted tissue.

Other published feeding protocols grow dsRNA-expressing bacteria in the presence of either 50 μg/ml ampicillin or 25 μg/ml carbenicillin ^8-10. We have found that bacteria grown under either of these conditions lose the dsRNA plasmid at high frequency. Indeed, we have found that even when bacteria are grown overnight in v....

Results

P0 knockdown phenotypes will begin to appear after 2-3 days of feeding animals dsRNA expressing bacteria. Some early phenotypes include larval arrest and lethality and should be observed in 2-3% of all feeding wells. These same phenotypes will also be observed in the F1 generation animals. The presence of F1 eggs that fail to hatch is another common F1 phenotype, and together, these three phenotypes will be observed in nearly 10% of all wells in F1 screens.

We used the protocol described here .......

Discussion

We have described a protocol that uses a commercially available dsRNA feeding library to perform large-scale screens in C. elegans. We provide all instructions to duplicate the library and to use it effectively. We demonstrate that this approach is able to identify genes involved in different biological processes in different tissues of the animal. While the phenotypes we describe here are easily observable (Unc, Egl, and Dpy), this protocol can be adapted to search for genes required for nearly any biological p.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Reagent/Material
96-well Falcon flat bottom plate	Fisher Scientific	353072	sterile
adhesive foil	USA Scientific	2923-0100
Nunc omniplate	Fisher Scientific	267060
2.0 ml deep 96-well polypropylene Masterblock	USA Scientific	5678-0285	autoclavable
Lids for deep well plates	USA Scientific	5665-6101
50 ml combitips	USA Scientific	4796-5000	individually wrapped
Reservoir	USA Scientific	2977-8500	autoclavable
12-well plates	USA Scientific	CC7682-7512	individually wrapped
dsRNA feeding library	OpenBiosystems	RCE1181	store -80 °C
Ampicillin	Fisher Scientific	BP1760-5
Tetracycline	Fisher Scientific	BP912-100
Carbenicillin			allow 2-4 weeks for delivery www.biochemicaldirect.com
Bacteriolgical Agar Ultrapure grade A	Affymetrix	10906	for worm plates
Equipment
Brayer roller	USA Scientific	9127-2940
B–kel 96-pin replicator	Fisher Scientific	05-450-9	autoclavable
microshaker	Thomas Scientific	1231A93	3 mm orbit
12 channel multichannel pipet (0.5-10 μl)	USA Scientific	7112-0510
12 channel multichannel pipet (30-300 μl)	USA Scientific	7112-3300
Repeater Plus manual pipettor	USA Scientific	4026-0201