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SUMMARY:Regulators of synapse formation in C. elegans - Professor Kang She
 n
DTSTART:20090313T140000Z
DTEND:20090313T173000Z
UID:TALK16516@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Scientific Meetings Co-ordinator
DESCRIPTION:The general wiring of the nervous system is achieved through a
  sequence of developmental events that include neuronal migration\, axon g
 uidance\, axonal layer specificity\, synaptic specificity and activity-dep
 endent modification of nascent synaptic circuits.  Both anatomical and ele
 ctrophysiological data suggest that certain synaptic connections form betw
 een specific synaptic partners at particular subcellular locations from th
 e outset of synaptogenesis.  We are exploring the molecular mechanisms tha
 t specify synaptic connectivity in C. elegans.   To study this question\, 
 we have labeled the synapses of 6 different classes of C. elegans neurons 
 with single-cell resolution in vivo and performed genetic analysis on them
 .  These works have led to the identification of two Wnt family proteins t
 hat act as negative regulators of synapse formation\; a E3 ubiquitin ligas
 e complex that is required for selective synapse elimination\; a Netrin/UN
 C-6--DCC/UNC-40 pathway that coordinates axon guidance and synapse formati
 on in two synaptic partners\, thus resulting in the proper formation of a 
 neural circuit and a Netrin/UNC-6--UNC-5 pathway that direct intracellular
  trafficking of axonal proteins and inhibit synapse formation.      \n\n  
  Our data suggest that diverse mechanisms can modulate connectivity and ge
 nerate specificity at the level of synapse formation.  Synaptic connection
 s can be specified by both positive and negative regulators of synaptogene
 sis\, which can act either via contact-dependent mechanisms or as diffusib
 le molecules. Furthermore\, non-neuronal cells such as glial cells play im
 portant roles in the assembly of neural circuits. Molecules that appears t
 o pattern synaptic connections are also key molecular cues for axon guidan
 ce and morphogenetic cell fate determination. 
LOCATION:Max Perutz Lecture Theatre\, Medical Research Council (MRC) (MRC 
 Laboratory of Molecular Biol
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