Figure 5.

Automated forward genetic screening based on behavioral phenotype. (a) Screen protocol. Off-chip, a mock mutagenized population is created by mixing a WT background strain and mutant animals. On-chip, an automated routine stimulates every animal, analyzes each animal’s response in situ, takes a picture in fluorescence imaging modality, and selectively recovers the animal if a pre-determined behavioral phenotype is flagged. Fluorescence images are used to establish ground truth. (b) Screening criteria based on the animal’s activity in response to 10 mM levamisole drug treatment: raw behavior integrated over 60 s exposure is chosen to target abnormal responses. Traces correspond to the individuals circled in (c) and are representative of a paralyzed animal and drug-resistant animal. (c) Results of the mock screen highlighting the ability to recover all mutants of interest.