Total Triglyceride Quantification in Caenorhabditis elegans

Several studies suggest an important role of lipid metabolism in regulating longevity of Caenorhabditis elegans. Therefore, assays to quantify lipids have enormous value in understanding aging and pathologies associated with it. Approximately 70% of lipid metabolism genes in the nematode have orthologs in humans. Amenability of C. elegans to genetic manipulations has allowed investigations into the role of specific genetic factors in lipid metabolism. Here, we describe a protocol to quantify total triglycerides in C. elegans, which can be extended to studies of the effects of altered environmental and genetic factors on stored fats. This protocol quantifies the picomoles of the triglycerides, in whole worm lysate. Due to the sensitivity of the assay, it could help in identifying subtle changes in the total stored fat which are not discernible with microscopy techniques.