Analysis of food preference behavior of C. elegans to Acinetobacter calcoaceticus based on transcriptomics

C. elegans is one of the most important model organisms in biological research, exhibiting distinct preferences for bacterial food sources in natural environments. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus(Ac) is a widely distributed Gram-negative bacterium commonly found in moist habitats. This study investigates the feeding preferences, pharyngeal pumping rates, body fat content, lifespan, and gene expression differences of C. elegans when fed different bacterial food sources. The results reveal that feeding on Ac induces lipid metabolism changes, leading to altered feeding preferences. Transcriptomic analysis was performed to compare the gene expression profiles of C. elegans fed on Escherichia coli OP50 and Ac, offers a novel perspective on the mechanisms underlying C. elegans microbe interactions.