Caenorhabditis Genetics Center

线虫遗传中心(CGC)的总体目标是通过获取、维护和分发具有遗传特征的线虫种群来促进对小型后生动物秀丽线虫的研究。世界各地的研究人员将从CGC获得的基因库用于各种基础和应用研究工作。使用这种主要的模式生物的研究已经导致了对基本生物学机制的基本见解，包括细胞程序性死亡的遗传基础，microRNAs的发现，以及动物体内RNA干扰的机制。事实证明，这种线虫对于了解癌症进展和包括阿尔茨海默氏症和帕金森氏症在内的其他疾病的机制，以及揭示人类发育的基本机制也很重要。此外，线虫是阐明我们对与人类和牲畜健康相关的寄生线虫的理解的关键模型。作为线虫唯一的总储备中心，CGC是极其重要的国际研究资源。对CGC菌株的高需求反映了它们对研究界的高度重视；目前每年分布的菌株超过25,000株。CGC负责管理线虫品系，并应要求通过在线订购系统分发。将实施一个新的研究部分，以扩大政府间委员会的活动。线虫遗传工具包将通过生成遗传工具来增强，以帮助研究人员操纵致命和不育突变。

The overall objective of the Caenorhabditis Genetics Center (CGC) is to promote research on the small metazoan Caenorhabditis elegans by acquiring, maintaining, and distributing genetically characterized nematode stocks. Researchers throughout the world use genetic stocks obtained from the CGC in diverse basic and applied research endeavors. Studies using this premier model organism have led to fundamental insights into basic biological mechanisms, including the genetic basis of programmed cell death, the discovery of microRNAs, and the mechanism of RNA interference in animals. The nematode has also proved important for understanding mechanisms of cancer progression and other diseases including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, as well as for revealing basic mechanisms underlying human development. In addition, C. elegans serves as a key model for illuminating our understanding of parasitic nematodes with relevance to human and livestock health. As the sole general stock center for the nematode C. elegans, the CGC is an extremely important international research resource. The high demand for CGC strains reflects their great importance to the research community; currently more than 25,000 strains are distributed per year. The CGC curates C. elegans strains and distributes them upon request through an on-line ordering system. A new research component will be implemented to expand the activities of the CGC. The C. elegans genetic tool-kit will be enhanced through the generation of genetic tools to aid researchers in manipulations of lethal and sterile mutations.