Synapses are specialized sub-cellular junctions that transmit signals between neurons and their targets. In Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) the F-box protein FSN-1 and the PHR family member RPM-1 form the SCFFSN-1 E3 ubiquitin ligase, which plays an important role in regulating synaptic growth factors. This SCF complex is evolutionarily conserved across species, and regulates many cellular processes including axon outgrowth, apoptosis and synaptogenesis. This thesis focuses on identifying targets of SCFFSN-1 that contribute to synaptogenesis. Forward genetics was employed to screens and isolate mutants that exhibit genetic interactions with fsn-1. I have identified an allele of the MAPK pmk-3(hp246) and three alleles of the MAPKKK dlk-1(hp180, hp192, hp195) that suppress fsn-1 defects. In addition, I have isolated five fsn-1 suppressing alleles and evidence suggests that these suppressors are likely novel fsn-1 suppressors.

Synapses are specialized sub-cellular junctions that transmit signals between neurons and their targets. In Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) the F-box protein FSN-1 and the PHR family member RPM-1 form the SCFFSN-1 E3 ubiquitin ligase, which plays an important role in regulating synaptic growth factors. This SCF complex is evolutionarily conserved across species, and regulates many cellular processes including axon outgrowth, apoptosis and synaptogenesis. This thesis focuses on identifying targets of SCFFSN-1 that contribute to synaptogenesis. Forward genetics was employed to screens and isolate mutants that exhibit genetic interactions with fsn-1. I have identified an allele of the MAPK pmk-3(hp246) and three alleles of the MAPKKK dlk-1(hp180, hp192, hp195) that suppress fsn-1 defects. In addition, I have isolated five fsn-1 suppressing alleles and evidence suggests that these suppressors are likely novel fsn-1 suppressors.