Overview
Molecular, developmental and behavioral genetics of the nematode Caenorhabditis
elegans. Use of genetics, molecular biology, cell biology,
biochemistry and electrophysiology to analyze C. elegans
development and behavior. Human molecular genetics, with a focus on the
neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Research Summary
How does the genome control animal
development and behavior? To answer this question, we
isolate and characterize developmental and behavioral mutants of C.
elegans. Because the complete cellular anatomy (including
the complete wiring diagram of the nervous system) and the complete
cell lineage of C. elegans are known, mutant
animals can be studied at the level of single cells and even single
synapses. Because the complete DNA sequence of the C. elegans
genome is available, genes defined by mutations can be rapidly cloned
and analyzed. In addition, genes defined by sequence similarity to
known genes can be easily identified and mutated. We have studied many
genes that play specific roles in development and behavior.
Selected
Publications
Reddien, P., Cameron, S. and Horvitz, H.R. Phagocytosis promotes
programmed cell death in C. elegans. Nature
412: 198-202 (2001).
Ceol, C. and Horvitz, H.R. A new class of C.
elegans synMuv genes implicates a Tip60/NuA4-like HAT
complex as a negative regulator of Ras signaling. Developmental
Cell 6: 563-576 (2004).
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