In this resource-building proposal, we follow the map-building tradition of the Caenorhadbitis elegans field, aiming to generate an extensive expression atlas of sensory receptors of the G-protein- coupled receptor family. We predict that such an expression pattern will reveal: (a) patterns of left/right asymmetric gene expression, pointing to functional lateralization of neuron pairs; (b) patterns of sexually dimorphic gene expression, pointing to neurons involved in sexually dimorphic behaviors; (c) temporally controlled patterns of gene expression, pointing to neurons that alter their function over time. The genetic programs that instruct left-right asymmetric, sexually dimorphic and temporally controlled features of the nervous system are poorly understood and we anticipate that our identification of gene expression patterns that display such features will provide powerful entry points into studying how these features are programmed.

Public Health Relevance

To understand how a nervous system develops and functions properly, it is important to develop molecular maps that precisely define unique features of particular components of a nervous system. We propose here to build a map of sensory receptor expression in an invertebrate model system and anticipate that such a map will help us understand how specific, unusual features of a nervous system (e.g. features that differ between different sexes) are genetically programmed.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
5R21NS096343-02
Application #
9222812
Study Section
Neurogenesis and Cell Fate Study Section (NCF)
Program Officer
Riddle, Robert D
Project Start
2016-04-01
Project End
2018-03-31
Budget Start
2017-04-01
Budget End
2018-03-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
$174,378
Indirect Cost
$61,878
Name
Columbia University (N.Y.)
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
621889815
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10032
Vidal, Berta; Aghayeva, Ulkar; Sun, Haosheng et al. (2018) An atlas of Caenorhabditis elegans chemoreceptor expression. PLoS Biol 16:e2004218