Analysis of food preference behavior of <i>C. elegans to Acinetobacter calcoaceticus</i> based on transcriptomics.

<i>C. elegans</i> is one of the most important model organisms in biological research, exhibiting distinct preferences for bacterial food sources in natural environments. <i>Acinetobacter calcoaceticus(Ac)</i> is a widely distributed Gram-negative bacterium commonly found in moist habitats. This study investigates the feeding preferences, pharyngeal pumping rates, body fat content, lifespan, and gene expression differences of <i>C. elegans</i> when fed different bacterial food sources. The results reveal that feeding on <i>Ac</i> induces lipid metabolism changes, leading to altered feeding preferences. Transcriptomic analysis was performed to compare the gene expression profiles of <i>C. elegans</i> fed on <i>Escherichia coli</i> OP50 and <i>Ac</i>, offers a novel perspective on the mechanisms underlying <i>C. elegans</i> microbe interactions.