Figure 2.

Genetic deficiencies in mitochondrial fusion cause UVC-induced L1 arrest and lethality in fusion-deficient fzo-1Δ worms, and fission-deficient drp-1Δ worms are sensitized to UVC-induced neurodegeneration. For experiments, synchronized L1 larvae were exposed to UVC radiation on three consecutive days and then provided with food and allowed to develop (Panel A). Neurodegeneration (as shown in Panel B) was then measured 48 h (Panel C), 96 h (Panel D), and 9 days (Panel E) following exposure. Scoring, as shown in Panel B, was performed as described in Methods: 0 represents no degeneration, while increasing numbers represent increasing severity of degeneration. Data shown are combined from three biological replicates with each treatment group comprising n > 40 worms scored for dendrites on each of 4 cephalic neurons for a total of >120 dendrites scored.