Advancing biology with a growing worm field
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SPECIAL ISSUE PERSPECTIVE Advancing Biology With a Growing Worm Field Min Han* Only a few years ago, Developmental Dynamics published work focused almost exclusively on vertebrate de- velopment. In recognition of the enor- mous contributions that have come from genetic studies in model organ- isms such as Drosophila and Caeno- rhabditis elegans, the Journal began a successful push in 2003 to attract more papers using invertebrate sys- tems. The publication of this special issue, containing a collection of 22 reviews and one original research ar- ticle focused on diverse and interest- ing topics in C. elegans biology, is the latest result of this continued effort. Over the past 3 decades, C. elegans has been one of most popular model organisms to study development, pri- marily due to its powerful forward genetics. Analyses of worm mutants with various defects have had a huge impact on our understanding of the diverse mechanisms of spatial and temporal regulation during develop- ment. Studies of worm genes have not only uncovered the roles of many cell signaling and regulatory pathways in cell differentiation and developmental pattern formation, but have also made invaluable contributions to the construction of these conserved path- ways by discovering key factors and determining the functional relation- ships between the factors. Many genes discovered in worms have become the founding members of genes families with important and evolutionarily conserved regulatory functions. Indeed, over the past dec- ade, genetics studies in C. elegans have resulted in three Nobel prizes for groundbreaking discoveries of some of the most important para- digms in biology, such as programmed cell death (apoptosis), double- stranded RNA-mediated interference (RNAi), and the use of the green fluo- rescent protein. Other findings, such as the discovery of microRNA-medi- ated gene silencing, have also tremen- dously impacted biological sciences. In the 1990s, the popularity of C. elegans climbed sharply, as indi- cated by the increase in the number of publications per year (Fig. 1) and the large number of attendees at the biannual international C. elegans meeting. In the late 1990s, there were even worries that the field might be close to saturation. However, over the past decade we have seen continued growth, albeit with a rate slower than that of 1990s (Fig. 1). The current high level of productivity of the field may be attributed to multiple factors, including two worth mentioning here. First, while many C. elegans laborato- ries continue to tackle fundamental developmental biology problems (examples are described in several excellent reviews in this issue), stud- ies have expanded to include a wider range of biological processes, many of which may not be regarded as devel- opmental biology by a narrowly defined criterion. For example, C. elegans has become a powerful system for studying many basic cell biology problems, and a popular model for analyzing animal responses to envi- ronmental changes (such as nutrient conditions, pathogen infections, and various stresses), all of which are closely related to the problems of aging and human diseases. Several thoughtful review articles in this issue summarize the exciting new research results in these areas. In addition, tackling metabolic prob- lems, including lipid function and ho- meostasis, has become a trend in the worm field. We get a glimpse at the progress made in this area from one of the reviews in this issue. Second, C. elegans has become more popular because it is now much more approachable for ‘‘casual’’ worm researchers, thanks in part to the advancement of technology as well as the wonderful tools developed by some more experienced worm labora- tories. Unlike 10 or 15 years ago, when studies using C. elegans were almost exclusively done by scientists who had gone through rigorous train- ing with this organism, today’s stu- dents can often obtain mutants of their favorite genes by ordering the deletion mutants from the Gene Knockout Consortium, or by simply Developmental Dynamics Associate Editor of Developmental Dynamics, Investigator of HHMI and Professor of University of Colorado *Correspondence to: Min Han, University of Colorado at Boulder, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Boulder, Colorado, 80302. E-mail: mhoffi[email protected] DOI 10.1002/dvdy.22291 Published online 13 April 2010 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS 239:1263–1264, 2010 V C 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Transcript of Advancing biology with a growing worm field
a SPECIAL ISSUE PERSPECTIVE
Advancing Biology With a Growing Worm FieldMin Han*
Only a few years ago, DevelopmentalDynamics published work focusedalmost exclusively on vertebrate de-velopment. In recognition of the enor-mous contributions that have comefrom genetic studies in model organ-isms such as Drosophila and Caeno-rhabditis elegans, the Journal begana successful push in 2003 to attractmore papers using invertebrate sys-tems. The publication of this specialissue, containing a collection of 22reviews and one original research ar-ticle focused on diverse and interest-ing topics in C. elegans biology, is thelatest result of this continued effort.
Over the past 3 decades, C. eleganshas been one of most popular modelorganisms to study development, pri-marily due to its powerful forwardgenetics. Analyses of worm mutantswith various defects have had a hugeimpact on our understanding of thediverse mechanisms of spatial andtemporal regulation during develop-ment. Studies of worm genes have notonly uncovered the roles of many cellsignaling and regulatory pathways incell differentiation and developmentalpattern formation, but have alsomade invaluable contributions to theconstruction of these conserved path-ways by discovering key factors anddetermining the functional relation-ships between the factors. Manygenes discovered in worms havebecome the founding members of
genes families with important andevolutionarily conserved regulatoryfunctions. Indeed, over the past dec-ade, genetics studies in C. eleganshave resulted in three Nobel prizesfor groundbreaking discoveries ofsome of the most important para-digms in biology, such as programmedcell death (apoptosis), double-stranded RNA-mediated interference(RNAi), and the use of the green fluo-rescent protein. Other findings, suchas the discovery of microRNA-medi-ated gene silencing, have also tremen-dously impacted biological sciences.
In the 1990s, the popularity ofC. elegans climbed sharply, as indi-cated by the increase in the numberof publications per year (Fig. 1) andthe large number of attendees at thebiannual international C. elegansmeeting. In the late 1990s, there wereeven worries that the field might beclose to saturation. However, over thepast decade we have seen continuedgrowth, albeit with a rate slower thanthat of 1990s (Fig. 1). The currenthigh level of productivity of the fieldmay be attributed to multiple factors,including two worth mentioning here.First, while many C. elegans laborato-ries continue to tackle fundamentaldevelopmental biology problems(examples are described in severalexcellent reviews in this issue), stud-ies have expanded to include a widerrange of biological processes, many of
which may not be regarded as devel-opmental biology by a narrowlydefined criterion. For example, C.elegans has become a powerful systemfor studying many basic cell biologyproblems, and a popular model foranalyzing animal responses to envi-ronmental changes (such as nutrientconditions, pathogen infections, andvarious stresses), all of which areclosely related to the problems ofaging and human diseases. Severalthoughtful review articles in thisissue summarize the exciting newresearch results in these areas. Inaddition, tackling metabolic prob-lems, including lipid function and ho-meostasis, has become a trend in theworm field. We get a glimpse at theprogress made in this area from oneof the reviews in this issue.Second, C. elegans has become
more popular because it is now muchmore approachable for ‘‘casual’’ wormresearchers, thanks in part to theadvancement of technology as well asthe wonderful tools developed bysome more experienced worm labora-tories. Unlike 10 or 15 years ago,when studies using C. elegans werealmost exclusively done by scientistswho had gone through rigorous train-ing with this organism, today’s stu-dents can often obtain mutants oftheir favorite genes by ordering thedeletion mutants from the GeneKnockout Consortium, or by simply
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Associate Editor of Developmental Dynamics, Investigator of HHMI and Professor of University of Colorado*Correspondence to: Min Han, University of Colorado at Boulder, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology,Boulder, Colorado, 80302. E-mail: [email protected]
DOI 10.1002/dvdy.22291Published online 13 April 2010 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com).
DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS 239:1263–1264, 2010
VC 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
examining the phenotypes afterapplying the ‘‘ultra-easy’’ feedingRNAi procedure. The establishmentof C. elegans laboratories at almost allmajor research institutions has alsofacilitated inclusion of the organismas a viable system for many nonwormlaboratories. These days, if you iden-tify an interesting mammalian genethrough human genetics or othermethods, it would almost be ‘‘silly’’not to take a look at the mutant of theworm homolog, if there is one. Indeed,many laboratories have developed
worm research projects based on stud-ies on human disease genes, examplesof which can be found in some of thereviews in this issue.
We have good reason to believe thatthe C. elegans research community willcontinue to be productive and make im-portant contributions to our under-standing of many aspects of animalbiology in the next decade. Newresearch themes and directions willlikely continue to surface, and the vital-ity of this research community is palpa-ble from the depth and breadth of the
many excellent reviews included in thisissue of Developmental Dynamics. Weare also likely to see an increase instudies using both the worm and othermodel systems, reflected by nonwormlaboratories doing worm genetics andby the usage of other systems, such asmouse genetics, in some traditionalworm laboratories. The decade aheadwill continue to be an exciting time forall biological scientists who breedworms in their research.I thank Kimberly Van Auken at
WormBase for preparing Figure 1.
Fig. 1. Number of research publications using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism by year since 1974. Thirteen and 744 researcharticles were published in 1974 and 2009, respectively. Data taken from WormBase release WS210. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue,which is available at www.interscience.wiley.com.]
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