The Effect of Exogenous Melatonin on Matricidal Hatching in Caenorhabditis elegans
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Physiology and Health
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Oral Presentation Award
2nd Place
Written Paper Award
1st Place
Abstract
Aging of the reproductive system and the myometrium in humans is a major cause of birth and gestational complications including cesarean sections and post term pregnancies. This research was aimed at determining the effect that melatonin has on matricidal hatching, a homologous age-related reproductive issue in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. It was hypothesized that if exogenous melatonin were introduced to C. elegans, then the number of cases of matricidal hatching in C. elegans would be reduced because melatonin possesses anti-aging properties. The melatonin was incorporated at different concentrations into the nematode growth medium. A control and ethanol control were also studied. For statistical analysis, the alternative hypothesis was that at least one of the means was different, and for the Tukey at least one of the means of the proportion of healthy C. elegans was statistically greater than the control. The proportion of healthy C. elegans was calculated and it was shown that there was a difference between at least one of the treatments; F (4, 99) = 2.53, p < 0.05, and a Tukey determined that the significant differences were between pairs nematode growth medium (NGM) versus NGM with ethanol, NGM versus 1.0 x 102 pM melatonin treatment, and NGM versus 1.0 x 108 pM melatonin treatment. The greatest statistical difference was between the pair NGM and 1.0 x 102 pM melatonin treatment, with the 1.0 x 102 pM melatonin treatment having the greatest proportion of healthy C. elegans. The hypothesis was supported for the 1.0 x 102 pM melatonin treatment and the 1.0 x 108 pM melatonin treatment. These two treatments did show a significant decrease in matricidal hatching, which indicated the prevention or reversal of age-related degeneration in the reproductive systems of adult C. elegans.
Recommended Citation
Mehta, Tanvi M., "The Effect of Exogenous Melatonin on Matricidal Hatching in Caenorhabditis elegans" (2015). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 221.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2015/all/221
Start Date
4-11-2015 10:00 AM
End Date
4-11-2015 10:15 AM
The Effect of Exogenous Melatonin on Matricidal Hatching in Caenorhabditis elegans
Aging of the reproductive system and the myometrium in humans is a major cause of birth and gestational complications including cesarean sections and post term pregnancies. This research was aimed at determining the effect that melatonin has on matricidal hatching, a homologous age-related reproductive issue in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. It was hypothesized that if exogenous melatonin were introduced to C. elegans, then the number of cases of matricidal hatching in C. elegans would be reduced because melatonin possesses anti-aging properties. The melatonin was incorporated at different concentrations into the nematode growth medium. A control and ethanol control were also studied. For statistical analysis, the alternative hypothesis was that at least one of the means was different, and for the Tukey at least one of the means of the proportion of healthy C. elegans was statistically greater than the control. The proportion of healthy C. elegans was calculated and it was shown that there was a difference between at least one of the treatments; F (4, 99) = 2.53, p < 0.05, and a Tukey determined that the significant differences were between pairs nematode growth medium (NGM) versus NGM with ethanol, NGM versus 1.0 x 102 pM melatonin treatment, and NGM versus 1.0 x 108 pM melatonin treatment. The greatest statistical difference was between the pair NGM and 1.0 x 102 pM melatonin treatment, with the 1.0 x 102 pM melatonin treatment having the greatest proportion of healthy C. elegans. The hypothesis was supported for the 1.0 x 102 pM melatonin treatment and the 1.0 x 108 pM melatonin treatment. These two treatments did show a significant decrease in matricidal hatching, which indicated the prevention or reversal of age-related degeneration in the reproductive systems of adult C. elegans.
