IOS Proposal: Collaborative Research: RUI: The role of RNA-binding proteins in C. elegans dendrite morphogenesis

IOS 提案：合作研究：RUI：RNA 结合蛋白在秀丽隐杆线虫树突形态发生中的作用

• 批准号: 1257656
• 负责人: Eugenia Olesnicky Killian
• 金额: $ 30.24万
• 依托单位: University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-06-01 至 2017-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1257656&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: IOS; Proposal; Collaborative; Research; RUI

Nerve cells, or neurons, are specialized cells of the nervous system that receive and send signals to coordinate animal behavior. Dendrites are the highly branched structures of neurons that are used to gather sensory information from other cells or the environment. These dendritic branches are critical for the function of the nervous system because a loss of dendrites is associated with deficits in learning, motor control, and sensory perception. The goal of this project is to identify the molecular mechanisms that regulate dendrite development. Dendrite development will be investigated in the simple genetic model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, a microscopic round worm because it is completely transparent, enabling the observation of dendrite development in living animals, and because it is high amenable to genetic manipulation. The research will focus on a genetic analysis of a class of proteins called RNA-binding proteins, which are hypothesized to be important in dendrite development because they regulate genetic messages known as messenger RNAs. This research project is expected to identify several specific RNA-binding proteins, present in worms and other species including humans, which are important for regulating dendrite development. Furthermore, the research is expected to determine the molecular mechanisms for how these RNA-binding proteins regulate dendrites. This research will impact the field of developmental neuroscience because it will provide a better understanding of how the individual neurons make the connections that allow for a functional nervous system that responds to the environment and controls behavior. This project will also have an impact on student training and public awareness; Colorado College and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs will collaborate on this research project and train several undergraduates and master students, incorporate this research into undergraduate courses, and participate in community outreach programs to illustrate the importance of developmental neuroscience research.

神经细胞，或神经元，是神经系统中接收和发送信号以协调动物行为的特殊细胞。树突是神经元的高度分枝结构，用于从其他细胞或环境收集感觉信息。这些树突分支对神经系统的功能至关重要，因为树突的缺失与学习、运动控制和感觉方面的缺陷有关。该项目的目标是确定调控树突发育的分子机制。将在简单的遗传模式生物秀丽线虫中研究树突发育，因为它是一种微小的圆形蠕虫，因为它是完全透明的，能够在活着的动物中观察树突发育，而且因为它很容易受到遗传操作。这项研究将集中在对一类名为RNA结合蛋白的蛋白质的遗传分析上，这种蛋白质被认为在树突发育中很重要，因为它们调节着被称为信使RNA的遗传信息。这项研究项目有望确定几种特定的RNA结合蛋白，它们存在于蠕虫和包括人类在内的其他物种中，它们对调节树突的发育非常重要。此外，这项研究有望确定这些RNA结合蛋白如何调节树突的分子机制。这项研究将对发育神经科学领域产生影响，因为它将更好地理解单个神经元如何建立联系，从而形成对环境做出反应并控制行为的功能神经系统。该项目还将对学生培训和公众意识产生影响；科罗拉多学院和科罗拉多大学科罗拉多斯普林斯分校将在这一研究项目上合作，培训几名本科生和硕士学生，将这项研究纳入本科课程，并参与社区外联计划，以说明发展神经科学研究的重要性。