Nematode gonad development and the evolution of organs

描述（由申请人提供）： 这项研究的长期目标是了解生物体如何在分子水平上进化。短期目标是了解太平洋棱纹线虫的性腺发育。线虫性腺由体细胞和生殖细胞组成。为了形成一个功能器官，必须制造正确数量的细胞，指定正确的细胞类型，并且细胞必须重新排列以在正确的位置形成功能组织。太平洋对虾的性腺在形态上与中国对虾有很大差异。秀丽隐翅虫性腺 因此，太平洋对虾性腺发育的研究提供了研究许多过程变化的机会。在接下来的三年里，太平洋对虾的性腺将被鉴定，与性腺发育有关的基因将被分离出来。经典的谱系技术和激光消融被证明是有用的命运地图的性腺。电池接触正在使用电子显微照片进行描述。与此同时，基因筛选正在揭示涉及性腺发育的基因座。对一类影响性腺发育的异时基因的深入研究已经开始。与同源C.线虫基因将开始剖析线虫性腺形成过程的变化。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term objective of this research is to understand how organisms evolve at a molecular level. The short-term goal is to understand gonad development in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus. The nematode gonad is composed of somatic and germline tissues. To form a functional organ, the right number of cells must be made, the right cell types specified, and the cells must rearrange to form functional tissues in the correct location. The P. pacificus gonad has many morphological differences in comparison to the C. elegans gonad. Thus, investigation of P. pacificus gonad development offers the chance to study change in many processes. Over the next three years, the P. pacificus gonad will be characterized, and genes involved in gonad development will be isolated. Classical lineaging techniques and laser ablations are proving useful to fate map the gonad. Cell contacts are being described using electron micrographs. Concurrently, genetic screens are uncovering loci involved in gonad development. In depth study of a class of putative heterochronic genes that affect gonad developmental programs has begun. Comparisons with homologous C. elegans genes will begin to dissect how the processes that form the nematode gonad have changed.