C. elegans ctl-2 Functional Gene Editing Service

Service Overview Precision editing of CTL-2 in a premier genetic model for oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, and aging research

ctl-2 encodes the predominantly peroxisomal catalase of Caenorhabditis elegans, a heme-containing enzyme that converts hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Peroxisomes generate peroxide continuously through their oxidases, so a dedicated catalase is required to keep the organelle — and the cytoplasm around it — below the threshold where peroxide starts damaging lipids, proteins, and DNA.

What makes ctl-2 stand out is the phenotype of its loss: animals age prematurely, with shortened lifespan, poor peroxide tolerance, and visible tissue deterioration. That is a direct, single-gene link between peroxide clearance and the rate of aging. CD BioSciences delivers custom ctl-2 alleles — knockouts, peroxisomal-targeting and heme-site point mutants, conditional configurations, and fluorescent tag knockins — with full genotype verification.

About the Target Gene: ctl-2 Key biological and practical facts to inform your edit design

Gene symbol	ctl-2 (Peroxisomal catalase (hydrogen-peroxide-degrading enzyme))
Protein product	CTL-2 — peroxisomal catalase
Mammalian homolog	CAT (catalase)
Biological role	The predominantly peroxisomal catalase of C. elegans, a heme enzyme that clears hydrogen peroxide generated by peroxisomal oxidases and by the dismutation of cytosolic superoxide. It protects peroxisome integrity and the surrounding cytoplasm from peroxide-driven damage.
Loss-of-function phenotype	Loss of ctl-2 produces a progeric (premature-aging) phenotype: shortened lifespan, reduced peroxide tolerance, accelerated tissue deterioration, and altered peroxisomal morphology — one of the clearest links between a single antioxidant enzyme and the pace of aging.
Why edit it	ctl-2 is the strongest single-gene demonstration in C. elegans that failing peroxide clearance accelerates aging: loss produces a progeric phenotype rather than a subtle stress defect. Because peroxisomal catalase is central to human peroxide handling, and peroxisome dysfunction underlies Zellweger-spectrum disorders, the model has direct translational relevance.
Recommended background	N2 (wild type). Deletion alleles are viable but show premature aging; we recommend scoring lifespan, peroxide survival, peroxisome morphology, and age-related tissue deterioration together.
Representative allele	Deletion alleles from the C. elegans knockout collections; custom CRISPR nulls, peroxisomal-targeting and heme-site point mutants, and tag knockins available on request.

Fig. 1 Catalase-mediated hydrogen peroxide clearance and its contribution to redox balance in C. elegans. The highlighted (amber) node marks the editing target.

ctl-2 at a glance: loss of ctl-2 causes a progeric phenotype: short lifespan, poor peroxide tolerance, premature tissue decline. Editing ctl-2 alone is a powerful way to dissect CTL-2 function in vivo, with conserved relevance to human CAT biology.

Our ctl-2 Editing Strategies Choose the allele that matches your experimental question

Gene Knockout

gRNA-guided Cas9 cutting with NHEJ repair to introduce frameshift indels, generating premature stop codons and null / strong-loss-of-function ctl-2 alleles.

Knockin & Tagging

Homology-directed repair (HDR) inserts GFP / HA / FLAG or other tags at the ctl-2 locus for endogenous expression and subcellular localization studies.

Point Mutation

Introduce specific amino-acid substitutions to dissect functional domains and separate catalytic from scaffolding roles of CTL-2.

Conditional & Reporter Alleles

Build tissue-specific, inducible, or temperature-sensitive configurations and reporter lines for spatiotemporal analysis of CTL-2 function.

Workflow of Our ctl-2 Editing Service From sequence to validated strain in a streamlined pipeline

Strategy Design

Define target (knockout / knockin / point mutation), select gRNA(s) and HDR template, confirm against the latest genome build.

gRNA Synthesis

Design, validate, and synthesize high-specificity guide RNAs targeting the ctl-2 locus.

Vector & Template Construction

Build Cas9 / gRNA delivery construct and, for knockin, the homology-arm repair template.

Microinjection

Perform gonadal microinjection of N2 animals with CRISPR components and co-CRISPR selection markers.

Screening & Verification

PCR, Sanger / sequencing, and phenotype confirmation to isolate edited animals and verify alleles.

Delivery & Report

Provide homozygous / balanced ctl-2 strains plus a full genotype and methods report.

Key Features Why researchers choose CD BioSciences for C. elegans editing

High-efficiency, optimized CRISPR / Cas9 platform for C. elegans.
Whole-process technical traceability and transparent timelines.
Flexible editing: knockout, knockin, tagging, and point mutation.
Full genotype verification before strain delivery.
One-stop model development integrated with our C. elegans portfolio.
Competitive pricing and short turnaround.
Direct access to scientists and prompt inquiry response.
Reliable, convenient global shipping of frozen stocks.

Applications Where a custom ctl-2 model adds value

Peroxisomal hydrogen peroxide clearance and organelle redox balance.
Premature-aging (progeric) phenotypes and age-related tissue deterioration.
Peroxisome biology and Zellweger-spectrum disorder relevance.
Human catalase (CAT) and peroxisomal disease modeling.
Peroxide challenge and oxidative-stress survival assays.
Lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, and damage-marker profiling.
Peroxisome-targeted antioxidant and prolongevity compound screening.

Deliverables What you receive with every project

Genetically verified ctl-2 edited strain(s) (homozygous or balanced).
Detailed genotyping report (editing strategy, allele sequence, verification data).
Methods summary and rearing / storage recommendations.
Optional: crosses into reporter, stress-assay, or co-CRISPR selection backgrounds.
Optional: phenotype confirmation, stress assay setup, and imaging support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of ctl-2 allele will I get from a knockout project?

Standard knockout projects deliver a frameshift indel allele predicted to produce a premature stop and a loss-of-function phenotype. We confirm the edit by sequencing and, where relevant, by characteristic phenotype assays.

Can you add a GFP or epitope tag to endogenous ctl-2?

Yes. Using HDR with a designed repair template, we can insert GFP, HA, or FLAG tags at the C- or N-terminus while preserving endogenous promoter and regulation.

How long does a typical ctl-2 editing project take?

Timelines vary with editing type and validation needs, but our optimized pipeline and co-CRISPR selection typically shorten turnaround versus conventional approaches. Contact us with your design for a project-specific estimate.

Is a ctl-2 knockout a good premature-aging model?

Yes — it is one of the most direct ones available in C. elegans. Animals lacking CTL-2 show shortened lifespan, reduced peroxide tolerance, and accelerated tissue deterioration without any additional insult, so the aging phenotype is intrinsic rather than induced by a toxin. If you want to separate peroxisomal from cytosolic peroxide handling, we can build peroxisomal-targeting mutants or combine ctl-2 edits with ctl-1 or ctl-3 deletions.

Start Your ctl-2 Editing Project

CD BioSciences is committed to convenient, efficient, and cost-effective C. elegans model customization. Tell us your target design — knockout, knockin, tagging, or point mutation — and our scientists will respond with a tailored plan and quote.

References
1. Kim H. M., Colaiácovo M. P. CRISPR-Cas9-guided genome engineering in C. elegans. Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, 2016, 115(1): 31.7.1–31.7.18.
2. Petriv O. I., Rachubinski R. A. Lack of peroxisomal catalase causes a progeric phenotype in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Biol Chem, 2004, 279(29): 30633–30639.

For research use only.