31st Annual Student Research Conference
The role of UNC-33/CRMP in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryonic epidermis
Rachel Prins* and Peter K. Windsor
Dr. Stephanie Maiden and Dr. Bill R. Miller, Faculty Mentors
UNC-33 is a homolog of the mammalian collapsin response mediator protein (CRMP) in Caenorhabditis elegans with a known role in neuronal development. Mutations in the unc-33 gene of C. elegans have been proposed present severely uncoordinated movement and abnormalities in the dynamic process of microtubule formation. We identify how changes in amino acid sequences alter the function of CRMP homologs, how that leads to structural defects in microtubule formation, and the affects on cellular function and physical development of C. elegans. Using DIC microscopy analysis of the major developmental stages we were able to show that epidermal morphogenesis exhibited developmental delays in mutant strains indicating defects in the interactions of CRMP mediator proteins with microtubule formation in the embryonic epidermis. The second level of analysis involved identifying the DNA defect in two mutant variants that have observable physical defects but unknown ‘lesions’ in the unc-33 gene through TOPO-TA sequencing.
Keywords: unc-33, C. elegans
Topic(s):Biology
Chemistry
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 103-4
Location: MG 1096
Time: 8:45