RUI: Genetic Analysis of the C. elegans Tailless Gene nhr-67

瑞：线虫无尾基因NHR-67的遗传分析怀特曼实验室正在研究线虫子宫发育的分子机制。这项研究为了解所有动物物种的器官发育提供了一个模型。动物形态的进化变化在很大程度上是由生物体潜在发育程序的修改引起的。关键的发育调控基因的功能在许多门中都是保守的，但相同的途径在不同的生物体中被修改为不同的目的。怀特曼实验室正在研究进化上保守的基因NHR-67的功能如何被用于线虫子宫器官发生的新功能。大多数动物(如果不是全部的话)都有相同的基因，包括人类和苍蝇，这种基因被命名为无尾。在脊椎动物中，无尾基因在神经干细胞发育中发挥作用。与无尾巴一样，NHR-67基因的产物有望通过调节各种细胞中其他基因的转录来控制动物的发育。线虫的子宫是通过细胞-细胞信号传递过程产生的，其中锚细胞(AC)起着主要的组织功能。AC向相邻的6个子宫细胞(pi细胞)发出信号，诱导它们分裂和分化成12个特化的子宫细胞。当NHR-67基因突变导致子宫细胞发育中断时，动物就不能产卵。怀特曼实验室正在使用分子遗传学以及光学和电子显微镜方法来评估NHR-67在子宫发育中的功能性质。该研究计划有三个主要的具体目标：1)确定由于NHR-67突变引起的pi血统和子宫缺陷的性质，2)确定NHR-67基因在哪些细胞中发挥作用，以及3)了解NHR-67基因产物在AC到pi细胞信号通路中的功能。该项目还服务于主要的教育目标。大多数拟议中的工作都是在Muhlenberg学院进行的，这是一所没有研究生的文科院校。本科生和优秀高中生在三名高级人员的监督下进行了大部分研究。学生参与实验设计、执行、解释和传播的方方面面。因此，该项目有助于培养当地的“科学文化”，为慕伦堡学院的本科生科学教育注入活力。

RUI: Genetic Analysis of the C. elegans tailless Gene nhr-67The Wightman lab is studying the molecular mechanism of uterus development in the nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans. The study provides a model for understanding how organs develop in all animal species. Evolutionary changes in animal morphology are caused in large part by modifications in the underlying developmental programs of organisms. The functions of key developmental regulatory genes have been conserved over many phyla, yet the same pathways have been modified to different purposes in different organisms. The Wightman lab is studying how the function of an evolutionarily- conserved gene, nhr-67, has been adopted to a new function in uterus organogenesis in the nematode C. elegans. There are equivalent genes in most, if not all, animals, including humans and flies, where the gene is named tailless. In vertebrates, the tailless gene functions in neural stem cell development. Like tailless, the product of the nhr-67 gene is expected to control animal development by regulating the transcription of other genes in various cells. The uterus of C. elegans is created by a cell-cell signaling process in which the anchor cell (AC) plays a primary organizing function. The AC signals to six adjacent uterine cells (pi cells) to induce their division and differentiation into twelve specialized uterine cells. When development of the uterine cells is disrupted due to mutations in the nhr-67 gene, animals are unable to lay eggs. The Wightman lab is using molecular genetic, and both light and electron microscopic approaches to assess the nature of nhr-67 function in uterus development. This research program has three primary specific aims: 1) Determine the nature of pi lineage and uterine defects due to mutations in nhr-67, 2) Determine in which cells the nhr-67 gene functions, and 3) Understand the function of the nhr-67 gene product in the AC to pi cell signaling pathway. This project also serves major educational goals. Most of the proposed work is being performed at Muhlenberg College, a liberal arts institution that has no graduate students. Undergraduates and exceptional high school students, supervised by three senior personnel, perform most of the research. Students participate in all aspects of experimental design, execution, interpretation, and dissemination. Therefore, this project helps foster a local "culture of science" that enlivens undergraduate science education at Muhlenberg College.