Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

In multicellular organisms, tissue and organ development involves changes of cell size, shape and organization. This requires a high level of communication between cells. Rho GTPases are key signaling proteins controlling these events. However, to date, the way these proteins are regulated and control tissue formation is barely understood. We use the microscopic hearth worm, Caenorhabditis elegans, as a model system to study the regulation of Rho GTPase during a specific stage of embryonic development called elongation. This developmental stage enables transformation of the spherical embryo into a vermiform larva. Elongation of the embryo requires communication between muscles and epidermal cells and may involve five different Rho GTPases. We recently identified two novel genes controlling the function of these GTPases during elongation. Our data suggest data these proteins would control changes of cell shape and size, the traffic of intracellular membranes and the modulation of cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction. Our research program uses computer sciences and biostatistics to test these hypotheses and to identify new genes controlling elongation. It also uses genetics and cell biology approaches to validate these hypotheses. Our research program will provide a better understanding of tissue development in multicellular organisms. This will constitute a major contribution to cell and developmental biology. This work will also lead to the development of novel bioinformatics methods to identify functional relationship between genes. Our work will then significantly contribute to the advancement of systems biology in Canada.