Catálogo de Investigaciones 2017-2018

50 CIENCIAS The Effects of Steviol Glycosides on The Development and Memory of C. Elegans The purpose of this study is to observe and quantify the differences in development latency and memory of C. elegans after exposure to different concentration of stevia glycosides. This study revealed differences in lifespan between the groups. Each experimental group consisted of 3 plates in which the NGM had 0.1%, 1% and 2% treatment of either stevia glycoside, commercial stevia or glucose. The control group was only expose to its normal NGM. To quantify development latency, egg hatching assay was performed, eggs were placed on plate containing the treatment and quantified the time from day 0 up to hatch. To measure the effect of stevia glycoside on memory, adults were exposed to stevia glycosides since egg stage. Then they were transferred to a maze made of NGM, barrier with cooper sulfate and a chemoattractant (diacetyl), following a previous protocol elsewhere. The time for the nematodes to cross the maze was recorded and analyzed. The assays were replicated for statistical analysis purposes. Preliminary results on egg hatching assays showed that adults exposed since egg stage to 0.1% and 1% of glucose, commercial stevia and steviol glycosides were not different from control. At 2% the number of adults decreased in all treatments in comparison to control. Furthermore, preliminary results on memory assay, adults C. elegans treated with glucose at 0.1% and 1% seem to perform better at memory task than control. In addition, nematodes treated at 1% and 2% to stevia glycosides performed slightly better in memory tasks. Preliminary results using proportion test α =.05, z=1.65 shows significant difference among some of the treatments. However, more experiments need to be done in order to be certain of the meaning of the differences observed. These assays might help to determine that steviol glycoside exposure may influence changes in latency development and memory. This early stage study may serve to provide a better understanding of the effects of natural sweeteners on the metabolism and memory of C. elegans . gina torres matias investigación especial en ciencias mentor: dra. zaira mateo mayol c. elegans steviol glycosides nematodes natural sweeteners