Gamete Interactions in Caenorhabditis elegans

相关性：受精是一个生物过程，具有重要的医学、社会意义 以及对经济的影响。从广泛的研究来看，受精事件在 一些细节。然而，这些事件的分子基础通常仍然存在。 难以捉摸。以前关于受精的大部分工作都依赖于生化和免疫学。 接近了。我们的工作是开创性地将经典的遗传分析应用于 这一至关重要的研究领域。 原理：许多为线虫开发的遗传和分子工具 是不可用的或很难在传统上用于 研究受精。线虫最显著的优势之一是能够 分离和维护影响精子或卵子而不影响其他细胞的突变株。此前， 通过对无菌突变体的研究，我们已经确定了一些第一批分子 线虫中产生配子相互作用所必需的。我们的目标是获得更好的 了解精子分子(SPE-9、SPE-38、SPE-41/Trp-3和SPE- 45/出云)和卵母细胞分子(卵-1/2)起着确保受精成功的作用。 SPE-45/Izumo基因代表了从蠕虫到人类的保守的精子功能。 此外，完全了解受精的分子机制也是不可能的。 没有更完整的分子组成清单。因此，我们的目标是 通过遗传和分子分析鉴定新的受精分子。特例 重点将放在识别卵母细胞所需的基因上。 目标：本提案的目的是加深我们对 通过执行以下实验目标在线虫中受精：1)确定 由受精缺陷决定的新配子功能基因的分子本质 突变表型。2)研究机械连接、功能和受精 先前确定的配子功能分子的途径。3)进行饱和 利用创新遗传对受精突变体进行诱变 丰富配子功能突变体的筛选策略。这项工作将是对 对其他生物体的生育能力的研究，以及对 细胞间的相互作用和生殖策略的多样性。

RELEVANCE: Fertilization is biological process with important medical, social and economic implications. From extensive study, the events of fertilization are known in some detail. However, the molecular underpinnings of these events generally remain elusive. Most previous work on fertilization has relied on biochemical and immunological approaches. Our work is groundbreaking in the application of classic gentic analsysis to this vital area of research. RATIONALE: Many of the genetic and molecular tools developed for C. elegans are not available or are very difficult to utilize in other organisms traditionally used for studying fertilization. One of the most significant advantages of C. elegans is the ability to isolate and maintain mutants that affect sperm or eggs and no other cells. Previously, through the study of sterile mutants, we have identified some of the first molecules required for productive gamete interactions in C. elegans. We aim to get a better understanding how sperm molecules (SPE-9, SPE-38, SPE-41/TRP-3 and SPE- 45/Izumo) and oocyte molecules (EGG-1/2) functions to insure successful fertilization. The SPE-45/Izumo gene represents a conserved sperm function from worms to humans. Futher, a full understanding of the molecular mechanisms of fertilization is impossible without a more complete inventory of molecular components. Therefore we aim to identify new fertilization molecules through genetic and molecular analysis. Particular emphasis will be placed on the identification of genes required in oocytes. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this proposal is to further our understanding of fertilization in C. elegans by conducting the following experimental aims: 1) Determine the molecular nature of new gamete function genes defined by a fertilization defective mutant phenotype. 2) Investigate mechanistic connections, functions and fertilization pathways of previously identified gamete function molecules. 3) Conduct a saturation mutagenesis for fertilization mutants taking advantage of an innovative genetic screening strategy that enriches for gamete function mutants. This work will complement fertility studies in other organisms as well as provide insights into the mechanisms of cell-cell interactions and the diversity of reproductive strategies.