RUI: Analysis of LIN-31, a transcription factor with multiple roles in C. elegans development

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。细胞命运的准确选择对多细胞生物的正常发育至关重要。本项目的总体目标是研究土壤线虫秀丽隐杆线虫的细胞命运是如何被指定的。了解细胞如何在这个简单的模型系统中选择自己的命运，可能有助于了解包括人类在内的更复杂生物体的发育过程。林-31是一种翅螺旋转录因子，是土壤线虫正常外阴发育所必需的。该蛋白被认为在外阴细胞命运的规范过程中起两个作用：(1)促进非外阴细胞命运（当与另一个转录因子LIN-1结合时），(2)促进外阴细胞命运（当不与LIN-1结合时）。本项目将采用遗传学、分子生物学和生物化学方法研究LIN-31在外阴细胞命运规范中的作用。其中一组实验将侧重于更好地了解LIN-31蛋白不同区域的功能。其他实验将集中在蛋白质相互作用上，首先继续分析已知的LIN-31/LIN-1相互作用，然后在酵母中进行强大的高通量遗传筛选，以确定可能与LIN-31相互作用的其他蛋白质。这个项目将允许更好地理解细胞规范发生的途径。它有可能揭示细胞如何相互作用以产生复杂的表型。此外，该项目将同时对教学、培训和学习做出重大贡献。本科生将成为该项目不可或缺的一部分，并将提高他们的批判性思维、分析和解决问题的能力。此外，接触真实的研究经验将鼓励学生对科学的兴趣，并给予他们追求科学事业的技能和动力。最后，这些本科生中有许多将是女性和/或代表性不足的少数民族。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Accurate choice of cell fate is crucial for the proper development of multicellular organisms. The overall objective of this project is to study how cell fates are specified in the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. An understanding of how cells choose their fates in this simple model system may provide insight into the developmental processes of more complex organisms, including humans. LIN-31, a winged-helix transcription factor, is required for proper vulval development in the soil nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. This protein is believed to play two roles during specification of vulval cell fates: (1) to promote non-vulval cell fates (when bound to another transcription factor, LIN-1), and (2) to promote vulval cell fates (when not bound to LIN-1). This project will use genetic, molecular, and biochemical approaches to study LIN-31's role in vulval cell fate specification. One set of experiments will focus on obtaining a better functional understanding of different regions in the LIN-31 protein. Other experiments will focus on protein interactions, first by continuing an analysis of the known LIN-31/LIN-1 interaction, followed by a powerful, high-throughput genetic screen in yeast in order to identify other proteins that may interact with LIN-31.This project will allow a better understanding of the pathways by which cell specification occurs. It has the potential to shed light on how cells interact to create a complex phenotype. In addition, this project will simultaneously make significant contributions to teaching, training and learning. Undergraduate students will be an integral part of the project and will improve their critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills. In addition, exposure to an authentic research experience will encourage students' interest in science and give them the skills and motivation to pursue a science career. Finally, many of these undergraduate students will be women and/or underrepresented minorities.