Genetic analysis of the adenylate forming domain protein DIP-2 in C. elegans neuronal development

线虫神经元发育中腺苷酸形成域蛋白 DIP-2 的遗传分析

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-06790
• 负责人: Colavita, Antonio
• 金额: $ 2.62万
• 依托单位: University of Ottawa
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=714446
• 关键词: Genetic; analysis; adenylate; forming; domain

Neurons exhibit a diverse array of morphologies that contribute to both connectivity and function. Neuronal morphology is established during critical developmental periods when cytoskeletal structures and rearrangements mediate the specification of axon and dendritic processes, wiring of neuronal connections and the activity-dependent and independent elaboration of dendritic arbours. Post-developmentally, neurons are very long lived and, while shown to be capable of plasticity-promoting remodeling of dendritic structures, are thought to maintain relatively stable morphologies over adulthood. The molecular mechanisms that maintain neuronal morphology remain poorly understood. My lab is interested in how neuronal morphology is established and maintained using the anatomically simple nervous system of C. elegans, a microscopic worm, as a model system. We have recently found that mutations in dip-2, the worm orthologue of Disco Interacting Protein-2 (DIP2), display strong neuronal morphology defects in multiple types of neurons suggesting a central role in both nervous system development and maintenance. DIP2 proteins belong to a highly conserved but poorly understood family of adenylate forming domain proteins. Our objective with this Discovery Grant is to understand how the adenylate forming domain protein DIP-2 acts to maintain neuronal morphology. First, we propose to undertake unbiased gene/protein discovery' approaches to identify mutations in genes that display dip-2-like neuronal morphology defects or aberrant DIP-2 protein localization (Aim 1A) and new components of DIP-2 protein complexes in neurons (Aim 1B) and second, characterize the resulting genes/protein candidates for direct roles in DIP-2 mediated neuronal maintenance (Aim 2). Successful completion of these aims should lead to fundamental insight into how neurons maintain their morphology during the normal aging process.

神经元表现出多种形态，有助于连接和功能。神经元形态是在细胞骨架结构和重排介导轴突和树突过程的规范、神经元连接的连接以及树突乔木的活动依赖和独立加工的关键发育时期建立的。发育后，神经元的寿命很长，虽然显示出能够促进树突结构的可塑性重塑，但被认为在成年期保持相对稳定的形态。维持神经元形态的分子机制仍然知之甚少。