Advice regarding long-term liquid culture of C. elegans transgenics

Dear Worm breeders,

We have generated a large number of transgenic worms in an unc-119
background using microparticle bombardment. We need large numbers of
these transgenics and have been growing them in liquid culture to
reach the density required. A few months ago, these strains were
growing really well with a quick generation time. More recently, the
same strains have become extremely slow growing and have not been
reaching the densities needed.

We have tried starting fresh cultures from frozen stocks, making
fresh culture reagents etc, but nothing as improved the growth of
these strains. The same strains have also not grown well when we have
put them on solid media.

Has anyone had any experience with the long-term liquid culture of
transgenics?? Is it perhaps the time of year, as it is now winter in
the Southern hemisphere!

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Julie-Anne


Julie-Anne Fritz, Ph.D.
Nematode Molecular Genetics Group
The School of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Faculty of Science
The Australian National University
Canberra, A.C.T., Australia 0200

Ph(office): + 61 2 6125 4941
Ph(lab): + 61 2 6125 5012
Fax: + 61 2 6125 0313
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