*2.2. Strains and Maintenance Conditions*

The wild-type strain N2 and the mutant strains VC475, *hsp-16.2(gk249)* V; CB1270, *daf-2 (e1370)* III; TJ1052, *age-1(hx546)* II; CF1038, *daf-16(mu86)* I; CB1375, *daf-18(e1375)* IV; BQ1, *akt-1(mg306)* V; KQ1323, *akt-2(tm812) sgk-1(ft15)* X; PS3551, *hsf-1(sy441)* I; EU1, *skn-1(zu67)* IV/*nT1(unc-?(n754)let-?)* (IV;V); CF1553, *muls84 ((Psod-3::gfp))*; TJ356, *zIs356 (Pdaf-16::daf-16::gfp; rol-6 (su1006))* IV; CL2166, *dvIs19 ((Pgst-4::gfp::NLS; rol-6 (su1006))* III; AM446, *rmIs223 (Phsp70::gfp; rol-6(su1006))*; CL2070, *dvIs70 (Phsp-16.2::gfp; rol-6 (su1006))*, as well as the *E. coli* OP50 bacterial strain, were obtained from

the *Caenorhabditis* Genetics Center (CGC) at the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN, USA). Worms were routinely propagated at 20 ◦C on nematode growth medium (NGM) plates with *E. coli* OP50 as a food source.

Synchronization of worm cultures was achieved by treating gravid hermaphrodites with bleach: 5N NaOH (2:1). Eggs are resistant whereas worms are dissolved in the bleach solution. The suspension was shaken with a vortex mixer during 1 min and kept for a further minute on rest, this process was repeated five times. The suspension was centrifuged (2 min, 9500 *g*). The pellet containing the eggs was washed six times with an equal volume of buffer M9 (3 g KH2PO4, 6 g Na2HPO4, 5 g NaCl, 1 mL 1M MgSO4, H2O to 1 L). Quercetin solution (200 mM) in DMSO was added to the nematode growth medium during its preparation to get a 200 μM final concentration on the plates. Control plates were also prepared without the flavonoid but containing the same volume of DMSO (0.1% DMSO, *v*/*v*). Around 100 to 300 μL of the M9 with eggs (depending on eggs Øconcentration) were transferred and incubated on NGM agar plates with or without Q. When the worms reached the L4 stage, they were transferred to new plates with or without Q but also containing FUdR at a concentration of 150 μM to prevent reproduction and progeny overgrowth. The worms were transferred every 2 days to fresh plates with FUdR for the different treatments (with or without Q) until they reached the day of the assay.
