AXON MIGRATION AND TERMINATION IN C ELEGANS

突触连接的精确模式是如何形成的 神经系统的发展？建立这些模式需要 神经元活动依赖性和活动非依赖性机制。它 很明显，轴突停止生长是为了响应来自目标的信号， (and有时是其他细胞），但尚不清楚这些信号是什么， 它们是如何产生的。秀丽隐杆线虫是一种模式生物 这种现象是因为它强大的遗传学和非常好的 以神经系统为特征。最近，克隆了三个基因， 特异性影响轴突迁移和终止一个化学感受 神经元，ASJ。这些基因的同一性导致了cGMP 信令在正确引导和终止中起着重要作用 这个轴突。本提案的第一个目的是确定 电活动，突触传递，和ASJ的目标有 轴突的迁移和终止，以及调查 cGMP信号在轴突迁移中的功能重要性。第二 该建议的目的是分离和表征所需的新基因， 通过视觉遗传筛选来指导ASJ

How are precise patterns of synaptic connections formed during the development of a nervous system? Establishment of these patterns require both neuronal activity-dependent and activity-independent mechanisms. It is clear that axons stop growing in response to signals from their targets (and sometimes other cells), but it is not clear what those signals are or how they are generated. C.elegans is a model organism in which to study this phenomenon because of its powerful genetics and extremely well characterized nervous system. Recently, three genes were cloned which specifically affect the axon migration and termination of one chemosensory neuron, ASJ. The identity of these genes led to the proposal that cGMP signalling plays an important role in the proper guidance and termination of this axon. The first aim of this proposal is to determine what role electrical activity, synaptic transmission, , and the targets of ASJ have on the migration and termination of its axon, as well as to investigate the functional importance of cGMP signalling in axon migration. The second aim of this proposal is to isolate and characterize novel genes required for ASJ guidance through a visual genetic screen.