C. elegans daf-2 Functional Gene Editing Service

Service Overview Precision editing of DAF-2 in a premier genetic model for aging and longevity research

daf-2 encodes the sole insulin / IGF-1-like receptor tyrosine kinase in C. elegans and sits at the head of the insulin/IGF signaling (IIS) cascade. When insulin-like peptides engage DAF-2, the receptor activates the PI3K AGE-1, generating PIP3 that recruits PDK-1 and AKT-1/2. AKT in turn phosphorylates the FOXO transcription factor DAF-16, retaining it in the cytoplasm and repressing longevity, stress-resistance, and dauer programs.

Reduced daf-2 signaling produces the most famous phenotype in aging biology: a roughly two-fold extension of adult lifespan together with enhanced oxidative, thermal, and pathogen stress resistance. Because the INSR/IGF1R → PI3K → AKT → FOXO axis is deeply conserved, daf-2 models speak directly to mammalian metabolic disease, cancer, and lifespan regulation. CD BioSciences designs and delivers custom daf-2 alleles — clean knockouts, kinase-domain point mutants, conditional or temperature-sensitive configurations, and fluorescent or epitope-tag knockins — with full genotype verification.

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

Gene symbol	daf-2 (Insulin/IGF-1 receptor tyrosine kinase)
Protein product	DAF-2 — insulin / IGF-1 receptor (receptor tyrosine kinase)
Mammalian homolog	INSR / IGF1R (insulin receptor family)
Biological role	Receptor at the top of the C. elegans IIS cascade. Insulin-like peptide engagement activates DAF-2, which engages the PI3K AGE-1 and ultimately drives AKT-mediated phosphorylation and cytoplasmic retention of DAF-16/FOXO.
Loss-of-function phenotype	Reduced signaling gives constitutive dauer formation at 25 °C and roughly doubles adult lifespan, with strongly enhanced oxidative and thermal stress resistance. Null alleles are dauer-constitutive; partial loss-of-function alleles (e.g. e1370) give a clean, temperature-tunable longevity phenotype.
Why edit it	The founding longevity gene. daf-2 was the first single-gene mutation shown to double animal lifespan, and it established the IIS → PI3K → AKT → FOXO axis as a conserved controller of aging, metabolism, and developmental arrest.
Recommended background	N2 (wild type). Temperature-sensitive alleles are maintained at 15–20 °C and shifted as required; class-1 and class-2 alleles differ in dauer versus longevity bias.
Representative allele	e1370 (canonical temperature-sensitive reference allele); additional class-1 / class-2 alleles widely available.

Fig. 1 Conserved insulin/IGF signaling (IIS) cascade in C. elegans. The highlighted (amber) node marks the editing target.

daf-2 at a glance: reduced signaling roughly doubles adult lifespan and confers strong stress resistance; the founding longevity gene. Editing daf-2 alone is a powerful way to dissect DAF-2 function in vivo, with conserved relevance to human INSR biology.

Our daf-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 daf-2 alleles.

Knockin & Tagging

Homology-directed repair (HDR) inserts GFP / HA / FLAG or other tags at the daf-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 DAF-2.

Conditional & Reporter Alleles

Build tissue-specific or inducible configurations and reporter lines for spatiotemporal analysis of DAF-2 function.

Workflow of Our daf-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 daf-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 daf-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 daf-2 model adds value

Conserved IIS → PI3K → AKT → FOXO control of lifespan.
Insulin / IGF-1 receptor biology, diabetes, and insulin resistance.
Dauer diapause and developmental arrest decision-making.
Stress resistance: oxidative, thermal, osmotic, and pathogen stress.
Kinase-domain and receptor-processing point-mutant dissection.
Epistasis with daf-16, age-1, akt-1 / akt-2, and daf-18.
Longevity compound and drug screening in a whole-animal model.

Deliverables What you receive with every project

Genetically verified daf-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, longevity-assay, or co-CRISPR selection backgrounds.
Optional: phenotype confirmation, lifespan assay setup, and imaging support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of daf-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 daf-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 daf-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.

Why is daf-2 usually edited as a partial loss-of-function or temperature-sensitive allele?

Complete loss of daf-2 drives constitutive dauer formation, which arrests development and complicates lifespan assays. Partial reduction-of-function alleles (notably e1370) and conditional configurations retain adult animals while still producing a robust, reproducible longevity phenotype. We will recommend the design that best fits your endpoint.

Start Your daf-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. Kenyon C., Chang J., Gensch E., Rudner A., Tabtiang R. A C. elegans mutant that lives twice as long as wild type. Nature, 1993, 366(6454): 461–464.

For research use only.