The Caenorhabditis Genetics Center Curated Special Collections: a guide to protein degradation systems

The Caenorhabditis Genetics Center is launching a new website feature—“Curated Special Collections”—designed to help researchers navigate the ever-evolving lists of strains harboring specialized genetic tools. Each collection will be assembled by experts who provide an overview of the system and curate the strains and their associated information as the collection expands. A companion review article will provide an in-depth analysis of each tool collection, including comparisons of different methods and modifications, discussion of their advantages and limitations, and practical guidance for getting started. The first collection in this series, Protein Degradation Systems, focuses on 2 protein depletion methods: (i) the auxin-inducible and (ii) ZIF-1/ZF1 degradation systems. Both methods are increasingly popular in Caenorhabditis elegans research because they allow rapid and precise temporal and spatial control over protein depletion. The inaugural collection and this companion review, together with additional collections forthcoming, will help researchers identify the most suitable approaches and strains for their experiments. Importantly, these collections will also lower the barrier for investigators primarily working in other model organisms to gain entry to the worm as a system for testing their ideas.