The long-term goal of our project is to determine the role of Hox genes in the developing nervous system at the single-cell level. Ten leech Hox genes (called Lox genes) have been cloned and partially characterized. The Lox genes are homologous to genes of the vertebrate Hox complexes and of the insect homeotie complexes. These genes code for transcription factors that have a main site of expression in the central nervous system. Preliminary results showed that Lox genes are expressed in repeated sets of central neurons present in specific anterior-posterior domains. Within theft domains, they are expressed also in neurons that are not present in every ganglion, suggesting a role for Lox genes in the differentiation of these neurons. Central neurons and their target organs often express the same Lox genes. This observation suggests that Lox genes may play an important role in axonal guidance or target recognition. Our project seeks to address the following hypotheses: 1. Lox genes play a role in the determination of specific properties of central neurons. 2. Lox gene expression in central neurons is necessary for the normal innervation of their target organs. 3. Lox genes direct the expression of genes that control cell adhesion, axon guidance, and target recognition.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Minority Biomedical Research Support - MBRS (S06)
Project #
5S06GM008225-20
Application #
6943154
Study Section
Minority Programs Review Committee (MPRC)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2004-09-01
Budget End
2005-08-31
Support Year
20
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$125,000
Indirect Cost
Name
Herbert H. Lehman College
Department
Type
DUNS #
620128301
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10468
Zheng, Zhi-Liang (2017) Ras and Rho GTPase regulation of Pol II transcription: A shortcut model revisited. Transcription 8:268-274
Zhang, Bo; Yang, Guohua; Chen, Yu et al. (2016) C-terminal domain (CTD) phosphatase links Rho GTPase signaling to Pol II CTD phosphorylation in Arabidopsis and yeast. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 113:E8197-E8206
Guerrero-Berroa, Elizabeth; Kluger, Alan; Schmeidler, James et al. (2014) Neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric prediction of global cognitive status among older Spanish-speaking Hispanics and English-speaking whites. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 27:266-75
Zhang, Bo; Pasini, Rita; Dan, Hanbin et al. (2014) Aberrant gene expression in the Arabidopsis SULTR1;2 mutants suggests a possible regulatory role for this sulfate transporter in response to sulfur nutrient status. Plant J 77:185-97
Sailor, Kevin; Brooks, Patricia J (2014) Do part-whole relations produce facilitation in the picture-word interference task? Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 67:1768-85
Gharbaran, Rajendra; Alvarado, Susana; Aisemberg, Gabriel O (2014) Regional and segmental differences in the embryonic expression of a putative leech Hox gene, Lox2, by central neurons immunoreactive to FMRFamide-like neuropeptides. Invert Neurosci 14:51-8
Gharbaran, Rajendra; Aisemberg, Gabriel O (2013) Identification of leech embryonic neurons that express a Hox gene required for the differentiation of a paired, segment-specific motor neuron. Int J Dev Neurosci 31:105-15
Gharbaran, Rajendra; Aisemberg, Gabriel O; Alvarado, Susana (2012) Segmental and regional differences in neuronal expression of the leech Hox genes Lox1 and Lox2 during embryogenesis. Cell Mol Neurobiol 32:1243-53
Yang, Hui; Figueroa, Mario; To, Satoshi et al. (2010) Benzophenones and biflavonoids from Garcinia livingstonei fruits. J Agric Food Chem 58:4749-55
Vallabhaneni, Ratnakar; Bradbury, Louis M T; Wurtzel, Eleanore T (2010) The carotenoid dioxygenase gene family in maize, sorghum, and rice. Arch Biochem Biophys 504:104-11

Showing the most recent 10 out of 67 publications