Fig. 4. Response to DNA damage in lin-35, dpl-1, efl-1 and efl-2 mutants. (A) Analysis of DNA-damage-induced germ cell apoptosis. For the data represented by the black bars, hermaphrodites were synchronized and irradiated at the L4 stage and germ cell apoptosis analyzed 24 hours post-irradiation. For the data represented by the gray bars, hermaphrodites were synchronized at the L4 stage, irradiated 12 hours post the L4 stage, and germ cell apoptosis analyzed 24 hours post-irradiation. Average numbers of apoptotic germ cells per gonad arm of four (black bars; n=61-79) or three (gray bars; n=38-54) independent experiments are shown. Error bars represent standard deviations. Strains were scored blind. m⁺z^- indicates that animals analyzed were homozygous mutant progeny of heterozygous animals. (B) Semi-quantitative egl-1 RT-PCR experiments using cDNAs isolated from unirradiated (0 Gy) or irradiated (100 Gy) wild-type (+/+), lin-35(n745) [lin-35(lf)], dpl-1(n3643) or efl-2(tm2359) animals. Purified cDNA was used as positive control (+), water as negative control (-). tbg-1 RT-PCR was performed as the control. Representative experiments of three [lin-35(n745)] and two [dpl-1(n3643), efl-2(tm2359)] independent experiments are shown. (C) Quantitative egl-1 RT-PCR experiments using cDNAs isolated from unirradiated (0 Gy) or irradiated (100 Gy) wild-type (+/+) or lin-35(n745) gonads. Average relative mRNA abundances of two or three independent experiments, each performed in triplicates, are shown. Error bars represent standard deviations.