NCA-1 (putative nematode calcium channel) and NCA-2 are two cation channel-like proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans that function redundantly to regulate locomotion through unknown mechanisms. A recent study from our lab showed that in vivo Ca2+ imaging analyses of egg-laying neurons in nca-1 loss- and gain-of-function mutants implicate that NCA channels regulate Ca2+ flux at synapses, without affecting Ca2+ dynamics in neuron somas. Furthermore, we observed that NCA-1 localizes to non-synaptic region along axons, strongly suggesting that NCA channels propagate electrical signals from cell bodies to synapses. To identify molecular components that function in the nca-1 genetic pathway, I performed a genetic suppressor screen that led to the identification of behavioral suppressors of nca-1 gain-of-function mutant. Possible NCA auxiliary subunits, UNC-79 (uncoordinated) and UNC-80, were identified from this screen. Molecular characterization of other suppressors will help to identify other regulators and downstream signaling components through which NCA channels transmit electrical signals.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/10438 |
| Date | 25 July 2008 |
| Creators | Ng, Sharon Yin Ping |
| Contributors | Zhen, Mei |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 6354923 bytes, application/pdf |
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