A method for measuring sulfide toxicity in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Cysteine catabolism by gut microbiota produces high levels of sulfide. Excessive sulfide can interfere with colon function, and therefore may be involved in the etiology and risk of relapse of ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease affecting millions of people worldwide. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how cells/animals regulate the detoxification of sulfide generated by bacterial cysteine catabolism in the gut. Here we describe a simple and cost-effective way to explore the mechanism of sulfide toxicity in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). •A rapid cost-effective method to quantify and study sulfide tolerance in C. elegans and other free-living nematodes.•A cost effective method to measure the concentration of sulfide in the inverted plate assay.