Abstract

GABAergic neurons are a prominent class of neurons whose dysfunction can results in various disease states. The developmental mechanisms that result in terminal differentiation of GABAergic neurons and the functional properties of many GABAergic neurons are incompletely understood. We propose here to use the experimental advantages of the nematode C.elegans to decipher the gene regulatory events - both on the level of cis-regulatory elements and trans-acting factors - that induce the expression of terminal identity markers of a single GABAergic interneuron (Aim #1) and we propose to study a potential role of this GABAergic interneuron in controlling metabolic states and life span of C. elegans (Aim #2).

Public Health Relevance

We propose to study development and function of a single GABAergic interneuron in the nematode C. elegans using a combination of genetic, molecular and physiological approaches.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS039996-12
Application #
8298644
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-MDCN-N (02))
Program Officer
Morris, Jill A
Project Start
2000-04-01
Project End
2015-06-30
Budget Start
2012-07-01
Budget End
2013-06-30
Support Year
12
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$340,923
Indirect Cost
$126,548

  Institution

Name
Columbia University (N.Y.)
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
621889815
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10032

  Publications

Doitsidou, Maria; Minevich, Gregory; Kroll, Jason R et al. (2018) A Caenorhabditis elegans Zinc Finger Transcription Factor, ztf-6, Required for the Specification of a Dopamine Neuron-Producing Lineage. G3 (Bethesda) 8:17-26
Bayer, Emily A; Hobert, Oliver (2018) Past experience shapes sexually dimorphic neuronal wiring through monoaminergic signalling. Nature 561:117-121
Weinberg, Peter; Berkseth, Matthew; Zarkower, David et al. (2018) Sexually Dimorphic unc-6/Netrin Expression Controls Sex-Specific Maintenance of Synaptic Connectivity. Curr Biol 28:623-629.e3
Gendrel, Marie; Atlas, Emily G; Hobert, Oliver (2016) A cellular and regulatory map of the GABAergic nervous system of C. elegans. Elife 5:
Alqadah, Amel; Hsieh, Yi-Wen; Vidal, Berta et al. (2015) Postmitotic diversification of olfactory neuron types is mediated by differential activities of the HMG-box transcription factor SOX-2. EMBO J 34:2574-89
Murgan, Sabrina; Kari, Willi; Rothbächer, Ute et al. (2015) Atypical Transcriptional Activation by TCF via a Zic Transcription Factor in C. elegans Neuronal Precursors. Dev Cell 33:737-45
Kratsios, Paschalis; Pinan-Lucarré, Bérangère; Kerk, Sze Yen et al. (2015) Transcriptional coordination of synaptogenesis and neurotransmitter signaling. Curr Biol 25:1282-95
Howell, Kelly; White, John G; Hobert, Oliver (2015) Spatiotemporal control of a novel synaptic organizer molecule. Nature 523:83-7
Stefanakis, Nikolaos; Carrera, Ines; Hobert, Oliver (2015) Regulatory Logic of Pan-Neuronal Gene Expression in C. elegans. Neuron 87:733-50
Vidal, Berta; Santella, Anthony; Serrano-Saiz, Esther et al. (2015) C. elegans SoxB genes are dispensable for embryonic neurogenesis but required for terminal differentiation of specific neuron types. Development 142:2464-77

Showing the most recent 10 out of 63 publications