Copper Conditioning in C. elegans
We have devised a new associative learning paradigm based on the aversive nature of CuSO4. In this paradigm, Na+ and Cl- are used as the conditioned stimuli (CS) while copper (CuSO4) (which is aversive) is used as the unconditioned stimulus (US). Non-food deprived worms are washed onto a fine wire filter and exposed to copper followed by a brief exposure to Na+ or Cl-. After six rounds of conditioning, individual worms are tested for their latency to leave a plug of the CS. Almost all naive worms have a latency of around 50 sec in leaving the plug of the CS. However, after conditioning a significant percentage of worms leave the CS in around 15 seconds, suggesting that they no longer find it attractive. lrn-1 and lrn-2 mutants are impaired in this task, and following conditioning they have naive-like latencies in leaving the CS plug.
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