While common, evolutionarily conserved themes of early neuronal patterning in the developing embryo have emerged over the years, there are, as of now, no common organizational themes for how neuron acquire and maintain their terminally differentiated state. We propose to test here the hypothesis that each neuron class of the nematode C.elegans is uniquely defined ? and functionally specified ? by a neuron class-specific combination of transcription factors, with at least one of the transcription factors being a homeodomain-type transcription factor. The finding that homeodomain transcription factors control the identity of all neurons in a simple nervous system would have wide- ranging implications for our understanding of evolution of the nervous system and may provide means to classify (and then functionally study) neuron classes in mammalian nervous systems.

Public Health Relevance

Our aim is to explore unitary principles of nervous system development. Using a simple invertebrate model system as a test case, we propose that an evolutionarily conserved class of transcription factors, called homeobox genes, are key players that specify the identity of all neurons in a nervous system.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
1R21NS106843-01
Application #
9545254
Study Section
Neurogenesis and Cell Fate Study Section (NCF)
Program Officer
Riddle, Robert D
Project Start
2018-02-01
Project End
2020-01-31
Budget Start
2018-02-01
Budget End
2019-01-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2018
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Columbia University (N.Y.)
Department
Biology
Type
Graduate Schools
DUNS #
049179401
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10027