Caenorhabditis elegans and the study of gene function in parasites

The free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a tractable experimental model system for the study of both vertebrate and invertebrate biology. It s most significant advantages are its simplicity, both in anatomy and in ge nomic organization, and the elaborate methods that have been developed to a ttribute function to previously uncharacterized genes. Importantly, > 40% o f parasitic nematode genes exhibit high levels of homology to genes within the C. elegans genome. Studying such genes using the C. elegans model shoul d yield new insights into key molecules and their possible implications in parasite survival, leading to the discovery of new drug targets and vaccine candidates.