Molecular identification of let-336 and analysis of ionizing radiation induced lethal mutations within caenorhabditis elegans eT1(III;V)

let-336 was one of 194 EMS induced lethal mutations generated within the eT1(III;V) balanced region on the left arm of Caenorhabditis elegans LGV. Using data obtained from complementation tests with the deficiency strain hDf36, sequencing candidate genes within this region, as well as performing a fosmid rescue, I determined the molecular identity of let-336 to be F56E10.4 (rps-27). Using eT1(III;V) as a mutational capture system, I screened 13,218 individuals and determined the spontaneous lethal mutation rate within the balanced region to be 0.03%. Furthermore, I analyzed the lethal mutation response of C. elegans when exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation. Exposure to a cumulative low dose of X-ray radiation was shown to produce less mutations when compared to an equivalent single high dose exposure. Increasing the time between exposures, irradiating dauers, as well as administering a low dose before a second high dose resulted in less lethals being produced.