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Life-History Traits of the Model Organism Pristionchus pacificus Recorded Using the Hanging Drop Method: Comparison with Caenorhabditis elegans

Autor(en)
Gilarte, Patricia ; Kreuzinger, Bianca ; Majdi, Nabil ; Traunspurger, Walter
Normierter Zeitschriftentitel
PLOS ONE 
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0134105
ISSN
1932-6203
PubMed-ID
26247841
URN
urn:nbn:de:0070-pub-27686648
URL
https://pub.uni-bielefeld.de/record/2768664
Web of Science-ID
000359062300027

The nematode Pristionchus pacificus is of growing interest as a model organism in evolutionary biology. However, despite multiple studies of its genetics, developmental cues, and ecology, the basic life-history traits (LHTs) of P. pacificus remain unknown. In this study, we used the hanging drop method to follow P. pacificus at the individual level and thereby quantify its LHTs. This approach allowed direct comparisons with the LHTs of Caenorhabditis elegans recently determined using this method. When provided with 5×109 Escherichia coli cells ml–1 at 20°C, the intrinsic rate of natural increase of P. pacificus was 1.125 (individually, per day); mean net production was 115 juveniles produced during the life-time of each individual, and each nematode laid an average of 270 eggs (both fertile and unfertile). The mean age of P. pacificus individuals at first reproduction was 65 h, and the average life span was 22 days. The life cycle of P. pacificus is therefore slightly longer than that of C. elegans, with a longer average life span and hatching time and the production of fewer progeny.

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