Grant: Project Grant

In animals, cells exchange information with neighboring cells in order to coordinate numerous biological and cellular processes. This exchange occurs at multiple sites between the cells, including at 'gap junctions'. Gap junctions are composed of a group of proteins called connexins in vertebrates and innexins in invertebrates; these proteins form a channel through which cells can exchange small molecules to communicate information. We recently discovered a new function for gap junction proteins in nerve cells that is independent of their role as channels. Nerve cells need to make specialized connections called synapses at very specific locations, to communicate properly with their target cells, such as muscle and nerve cells. We found that one function of gap junction proteins and their associated protein called Zonula occludens (ZO) protein is to control the position of these synapses. This is important because abnormal synapse positioning, resulting from a defective gap junction protein, could lead to serious neurological conditions. We aim to understand how gap junction and ZO proteins control the position of synapses using nerve cells in a model organism, the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans. We also test our findings using roundworms can be applicable to mammals using mice. From our research, we will learn novel mechanisms by which nerve cells communicate, forming a neurocircuit to control the body.