Two-parameter logistic and Weibull equations provide better fits to survival data from isogenic populations of Caenorhabditis elegans in axenic culture than does the Gompertz model.

We have fitted Gompertz, Weibull, and two- and three-parameter logistic equations to survival data obtained from 77 cohorts of Caenorhabditis elegans in axenic culture. Statistical analysis showed that the fitting ability was in the order: three-parameter logistic > two-parameter logistic = Weibull > Gompertz. Pooled data were better fit by the logistic equations, which tended to perform equally well as population size increased, suggesting that the third parameter is likely to be biologically irrelevant. Considering restraints imposed by the small population sizes used, we simply conclude that the two-parameter logistic and Weibull mortality models for axenically grown C. elegans generally provided good fits to the data, whereas the Gompertz model was inappropriate in many cases. The survival curves of several short- and long-lived mutant strains could be predicted by adjusting only the logistic curve parameter that defines mean life span. We conclude that life expectancy is genetically determined; the life span-altering mutations reported in this study define a novel mean life span, but do not appear to fundamentally alter the aging process.