# Improvements of Paraquat Treatment in Liquid Media for Behavior and Neurodegenerative Tests

## TL;DR

This study shows that using Paraquat in liquid media improves testing for motor and neurodegenerative effects in worms linked to ALS.

## Contribution

A more cost-effective and rapid method for behavior and neurodegenerative assays in worms using Paraquat in liquid media.

## Key findings

- 2.5 mM Paraquat in liquid M9 buffer increased locomotion defects and neurodegeneration in C. elegans.
- Paraquat treatment in liquid media is more rapid and reproducible than solid NGM media for these assays.

## Abstract

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a disease characterized by misfolded and aggregated proteins that have toxic effects on motor neurons. The missense mutation, G85R, of the

sod-1

gene associated with ALS displays locomotor impairments in
Caenorhadbitis elegans
(

C. elegans

). We treated the

sod-1
(G85R)

strain with 0 and 2.5 mM Paraquat treatments in a liquid M9 buffer for 4 hours and in solid NGM media for 18 hours. In both methodologies, the locomotion defects and neurodegeneration were significantly increased with 2.5 mM Paraquat. Our work provides evidence of methodology that is more cost effective, rapid and reproducible to perform behavior and neurodegenerative assay in worms.