The goal of this proposal is to understand the multiple roles that the Notch signaling pathway plays during embryogenesis in mammals. The components of this pathway are highly conserved in evolution, suggesting that this pathway is fundamentally important for cell-cell interactions and the control of differentiation in multicellular organisms. Null mutations of three Notch family genes in mice (Notch1, Notch2, and int-3) have been constructed. Two of these genes (Notch1 and Notch2) are essential for normal embryonic development, confirming the importance of the Notch signaling pathway in mammals. In this proposal, a genetic approach will be used for the functional analysis of the Notch signaling pathway. The prediction that Notch family genes in mice share substantial functional redundancy will be tested by creating three different double mutant combinations, and assessing these double mutants for dosage-sensitive genetic interactions and synergistic effects of the mutations. This proposal will also test the hypothesis that the genes encoding ligands for the Notch family of receptors, like the genes encoding the receptors themselves, are essential for normal embryonic development. This hypothesis will be tested by creating a null mutation of the Jagged gene (a mouse homolog of the Notch ligand Serrate), analyzing the phenotype of homozygous Jagged null mutant embryos and mice, and analyzing interactions between the Jagged mutations and Notch mutations. These studies may further our understanding of the roles of the Notch signaling pathway in mammalian development.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS036437-03
Application #
2735709
Study Section
Human Embryology and Development Subcommittee 1 (HED)
Program Officer
Leblanc, Gabrielle G
Project Start
1996-09-09
Project End
1999-06-30
Budget Start
1998-07-01
Budget End
1999-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Jackson Laboratory
Department
Type
DUNS #
042140483
City
Bar Harbor
State
ME
Country
United States
Zip Code
04609
Xu, Keli; Nieuwenhuis, Erica; Cohen, Brenda L et al. (2010) Lunatic Fringe-mediated Notch signaling is required for lung alveogenesis. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 298:L45-56
Li, Yuxin; Takeshita, Kyosuke; Liu, Ping-Yen et al. (2009) Smooth muscle Notch1 mediates neointimal formation after vascular injury. Circulation 119:2686-92
Lozier, Julie; McCright, Brent; Gridley, Thomas (2008) Notch signaling regulates bile duct morphogenesis in mice. PLoS One 3:e1851
Rodriguez, Steve; Sickles, Heather M; Deleonardis, Chris et al. (2008) Notch2 is required for maintaining sustentacular cell function in the adult mouse main olfactory epithelium. Dev Biol 314:40-58
Loomes, Kathleen M; Russo, Pierre; Ryan, Matthew et al. (2007) Bile duct proliferation in liver-specific Jag1 conditional knockout mice: effects of gene dosage. Hepatology 45:323-30
Amsen, Derk; Antov, Andrey; Jankovic, Dragana et al. (2007) Direct regulation of Gata3 expression determines the T helper differentiation potential of Notch. Immunity 27:89-99
Schwarting, Gerald A; Gridley, Thomas; Henion, Timothy R (2007) Notch1 expression and ligand interactions in progenitor cells of the mouse olfactory epithelium. J Mol Histol 38:543-53
Kiernan, Amy E; Li, Renhua; Hawes, Norman L et al. (2007) Genetic background modifies inner ear and eye phenotypes of jag1 heterozygous mice. Genetics 177:307-11
McCright, Brent; Lozier, Julie; Gridley, Thomas (2006) Generation of new Notch2 mutant alleles. Genesis 44:29-33
Kiernan, Amy E; Xu, Jingxia; Gridley, Thomas (2006) The Notch ligand JAG1 is required for sensory progenitor development in the mammalian inner ear. PLoS Genet 2:e4

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