Stress-induced phenotypic plasticity in C. elegans

描述（由申请人提供）：环境压力对人类健康有直接而复杂的影响。对环境压力作出反应的表型可塑性可能导致生存所必需的适应，也可能导致不利于健康的病理。模式生物秀丽隐杆线虫进入一个抗压力的“水”阶段，以应对不利的环境条件。这是发育和行为可塑性的典型例子。我们之前的研究表明，在一组il - 2感觉神经元中，大鼠经历了广泛和可逆的神经元重塑，这种重塑依赖于furin同源物KPC-1。在此资助期间，我们将：1)通过确定底物来扩展我们对KPC-1在重塑中的作用的研究。此外，我们将研究KPC-1在秀丽隐杆线虫表型可塑性其他阶段的作用。2)表征从诱变筛选中分离出的IL2重塑缺陷突变体3)分析IL2的超结构特性，揭示其固有可塑性的必要条件。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Environmental stress has direct but complex effects on human health. Phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental stress may result in both adaptations necessary for survival as well as pathologies detrimental to well-being. The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans enters into a stress-resistant 'dauer' stage in response to adverse environmental conditions. The dauer is a classic example of developmental and behavioral plasticity. We previously showed that the dauers undergo extensive and reversible neuronal remodeling in a set of IL2 sensory neurons and that this remodeling is dependent on the furin homolog, KPC-1. During this grant period we will: 1) Extend our investigations into the role of KPC-1 in remodeling by identifying substrates. Furthermore, we will investigate the role of KPC-1 in additional stages of phenotype plasticity in C. elegans. 2) Characterize mutants isolated from a mutagenesis screen that are defective in IL2 remodeling 3) Analyze the ultra-structural properties of the IL2 to uncover the requirements necessary for their inherent plasticity.