Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2009-09-24 14:35:26.369 / A major challenge in neurobiology is to understand the control of behaviour at the molecular level. Neuropeptides and their receptors offer promising candidates for the regulation of various behaviours and changes in physiology. Neuropeptides act as important signaling molecules in the central and peripheral nervous system; they are involved in development, reproduction and metabolism. Most of the neuropeptides and hormone protein receptors belong to the large super family of G-protein coupled receptors.
NPR-14 is one of the GPCRs in C. elegans, similar in sequence to the mammalian orexin and cholecystokinin receptors which have a primary involvement in food stimulation, locomotion and local search behaviour on food, egg laying and stimulation of wakefulness and energy expenditure. In this study we determined the expression pattern of npr-14 and characterized the behavioural phenotypes associated with NPR-14 receptor in C. elegans included. We showed that the NPR-14 receptor exhibits the regulation of roaming behaviour and fat in the presence of food in a manner resembling that of a similar receptor NPR-9. Additionally, the NPR-14 receptor is involved in the control of some other behaviours such as: egg-laying, crawling and thrashing but not in the regulation of mechanosensation responses and defecation. In our neuronal expression studies the npr-14 promoter fused to reporter mCherry was found to be expressed in ASH or ASI sensory neurons and DD and VD motor neurons and also VC motor neurons that extend to the vulva region to modulate reproduction and egg-laying. Moreover, based on our studies of NLP-5 and NLP-6 neuropeptides we speculated that these neuropeptides and especially NLP-6 could be the putative ligand for NPR-14 receptor.
We also compared the phenotypes associated with the receptor NPR-15. NPR-15 is more similar to the Drosophila tachykinin receptor which has no known function in Drosophila. NPR-15 is unrelated in sequence to NPR-9 and NPR-14 and was thus used as a control. Indeed, we were able to show that NPR-15 appears to regulate responses to posterior mechanical stimulation and rhythmic defecation behaviour in C. elegans. These are phenotypes not associated with NPR-9 or NPR-14. / Master
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:OKQ.1974/5195 |
| Date | 24 September 2009 |
| Creators | Torki, FOROOZAN |
| Contributors | Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.). Theses (Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.)), William G. Bendena, Biology |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 4412501 bytes, application/pdf |
| Rights | This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner. |
| Relation | Canadian theses |
Page generated in 0.0026 seconds