Title page for ETD etd-010908-103637

Document Type thesis

Author Name Ficociello, Laura Faraco

URN etd-010908-103637

Title Neuronal Migration: Investigating Interactions of the Cytoplasmic Adaptor Protein MIG-10 in C. elegans

Degree MS

Department Biology & Biotechnology

Advisors
Dr. Elizabeth Ryder, Advisor
Dr. Jill Rulfs, Committee Member
Dr. Reeta Prusty Rao, Committee Member

Keywords
Neuroscience
migration
yeast two-hybrid
MIG-10

Date of Presentation/Defense 2008-01-09

Availability unrestricted

Abstract
Neuronal migration is an essential aspect of nervous system development; improper or incomplete neuronal migration can lead to debilitating disorders. The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans has 302 neurons and is ideal for studying nervous system development. The cytoplasmic adaptor protein, MIG-10, is necessary for the long range anteroposterior migration during embryogenesis of the neurons CAN, ALM, and HSN. Mutations in the mig-10 gene result in incomplete migrations of all three neurons. MIG-10 is a homologue of the vertebrate proteins lamellipodin and RIAM-1, which are involved in directing actin polymerization during axon outgrowth and guidance. RIAM-1 is known to interact with proteins from the Ras GTPase family. The MIG-10 protein has a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, a Ras-associating (RA) domain, and a proline-rich region. We used a yeast two-hybrid system to investigate which Ras family proteins MIG-10 interacts with. Three isoforms of MIG-10, MIG-10A, MIG-10B, and MIG-10C, as well as the RAPH domain alone, were used as baits. No evidence of interaction was observed for any of the baits used. These results do not reject our hypothesis as the constitutively active Ras clones may need to be used or there may not be a direct interaction between MIG-10 and the Ras family members. We are currently screening a C. elegans cDNA library for interactions with all three isoforms of MIG-10. In the future we plan to investigate how MIG-10 may be involved in the WAVE/SCAR actin nucleation pathway.

Files
THESIS.pdf

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Document Type	thesis
Author Name	Ficociello, Laura Faraco
URN	etd-010908-103637
Title	Neuronal Migration: Investigating Interactions of the Cytoplasmic Adaptor Protein MIG-10 in C. elegans
Degree	MS
Department	Biology & Biotechnology
Advisors	Dr. Elizabeth Ryder, Advisor Dr. Jill Rulfs, Committee Member Dr. Reeta Prusty Rao, Committee Member
Keywords	Neuroscience migration yeast two-hybrid MIG-10
Date of Presentation/Defense	2008-01-09
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract Neuronal migration is an essential aspect of nervous system development; improper or incomplete neuronal migration can lead to debilitating disorders. The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans has 302 neurons and is ideal for studying nervous system development. The cytoplasmic adaptor protein, MIG-10, is necessary for the long range anteroposterior migration during embryogenesis of the neurons CAN, ALM, and HSN. Mutations in the mig-10 gene result in incomplete migrations of all three neurons. MIG-10 is a homologue of the vertebrate proteins lamellipodin and RIAM-1, which are involved in directing actin polymerization during axon outgrowth and guidance. RIAM-1 is known to interact with proteins from the Ras GTPase family. The MIG-10 protein has a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, a Ras-associating (RA) domain, and a proline-rich region. We used a yeast two-hybrid system to investigate which Ras family proteins MIG-10 interacts with. Three isoforms of MIG-10, MIG-10A, MIG-10B, and MIG-10C, as well as the RAPH domain alone, were used as baits. No evidence of interaction was observed for any of the baits used. These results do not reject our hypothesis as the constitutively active Ras clones may need to be used or there may not be a direct interaction between MIG-10 and the Ras family members. We are currently screening a C. elegans cDNA library for interactions with all three isoforms of MIG-10. In the future we plan to investigate how MIG-10 may be involved in the WAVE/SCAR actin nucleation pathway.
Files	THESIS.pdf