The purpose of this lab is identify a particular strain of a mutation in C. elegans and determine its mode of inheritance. This is done by conducting a series of crosses between worms possessing the mutation and analyzing the phenotypes and genotypes. Genotypes are essentially the genetic code of an organism, while phenotypes are the physical traits an organism displays. Which phenotypes are expressed and how they are expressed is determined by genotypes. C. (Caenorhabditis) elegans are tiny, non-parasitic, transparent roundworms that primarily feed on bacteria such as E. coli. They are used as experimental subjects in many fields due to their being simple to both culture and handle. They also have a large number of mutations that can be easily
