Germline genomics.

The completion of the C. elegans genome sequence permits the comprehensive examination of the expression and function of genes. Annotation of virtually every encoded gene in the genome allows systematic analysis of those genes using high-throughput assays, such as microarrays and RNAi. This chapter will center on the use of microarrays to comprehensively identify genes with enriched expression in the germ line during development. This knowledge provides a database for further studies that focus on gene function during germline development or early embryogenesis. Additionally, a comprehensive overview of germline gene expression can uncover striking biases in how genes expressed in the germ line are distributed in the genome, leading to new discoveries of global regulatory mechanisms in the germ line.