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Updated: May 20, 2026

High-throughput Screening and Biosensing with Fluorescent C. elegans Strains

High-throughput Screening and Biosensing with Fluorescent C. elegans Strains

Published on: May 19, 2011

High-throughput fluorescence-based isolation of live C. elegans larvae.

Anita G Fernandez¹, Bastiaan O R Bargmann, Emily K Mis

¹Department of Biology and Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, USA. afernandez@fairfield.edu

Nature Protocols

|July 21, 2012

Summary

This study introduces live animal fluorescence-activated cell sorting (laFACS) for automated genotype selection in Caenorhabditis elegans. This method uses standard FACS systems to efficiently sort GFP-expressing and non-GFP-expressing L1 larvae with high purity.

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Area of Science:

Genetics
Developmental Biology
Biotechnology

Background:

Automated genotype selection in Caenorhabditis elegans is crucial for genetic screens but often requires specialized equipment.
Existing methods for isolating specific nematode genotypes are not widely accessible.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop an accessible protocol for automated selection of live Caenorhabditis elegans animals based on genotype.
To adapt standard fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) systems for sorting live L1 larvae.

Main Methods:

Described a protocol named live animal fluorescence-activated cell sorting (laFACS).
Utilized a standard FACS system to identify and sort GFP-expressing and non-GFP-expressing L1 larvae.
Collected large numbers of sorted homozygotes with high purity.

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Main Results:

Demonstrated precise identification and high-speed sorting of live L1 animals using FACS.
Successfully collected over 100,000 homozygotes from mixed populations within 2 hours with >99% purity.
Confirmed that sorted animals continued normal development.

Conclusions:

laFACS provides an accessible and efficient method for automated genotype selection in C. elegans.
This protocol is suitable for isolating terminal mutants for genetic interaction and chemical genetic screens.
Standard FACS systems can be repurposed for live animal sorting, broadening research accessibility.