To test whether the activity of the InsR pathway was down-regulated by miR-71, we first examined the endogenous expression of components of the InsR pathway in mir-71(lf). (C) The poor survival rate of daf-16(mu86, null) was enhanced by mir-71(lf). To identify individual miRNAs that play prominent roles in L1 diapause, we screened 72 available mutant strains of individual miRNAs and miRNA families (87 miRNAs in total) using the L1 starvation assay. (D) A representative chart of the L1 starvation survival rates of different miRNA mutants.
{To determine viability, 20-μL aliquots (60–100 worms) were placed every 3 d onto two 6-cm nematode growth medium (NGM) plates seeded with OP50, and the numbers of L1 worms were recorded as number of plated worms (Np). A total of 16–24 h later, the density of newly hatched L1 worms was adjusted to three to five worms per microliter S-basal. The eggs were transferred to plates seeded with HB101 and bleached again 3 d later. Briefly, worms were well fed for at least two generations, and gravid adults were bleached with hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide.}