Caenorhabditis elegans and Serratia marcescens host-parasite coevolution model strains derived through mutagenesis and experimental evolution

Samuel Preston Slowinski, Levi T. Morran

Here we present a detailed description of the derivation of a collection of Caenorhabditis elegans and Serratia marcescens strains and populations that have been mutagenized and passaged in a series of experimental evolution projects over the past two decades. These experimental strains and populations provide a powerful resource for the study of host-parasite coevolution and have so far been used to demonstrate (among other things) that coevolutionary interactions with a virulent parasite can select for biparental sex in host populations (Morran et al. 2011, Slowinski et al. 2016, 2023); that local adaptation by parasites depends on host mating system (Morran et al. 2014), and that gene flow can accelerate adaptation to parasites (Lewis et al. 2023). We hope this paper clarifies the history and context of these strains and populations, and standardizes the nomenclature used to describe them by researchers who use them in the future.