Function of Protocadherin.e (Pcdh.e) in Cell-Cell Adhesion in Oral Siphon Placode (OSP) and Role of GAD in Metamorphosis of Ciona Robusta
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Vedurupaka, Sriikhar
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Abstract
Tunicates are the closest living relative to vertebrates and their simple embryos and compact genomes make them prime model organisms to study molecular mechanisms that may underlie human neurodevelopment. The oral siphon of Ciona robusta, also known as the “mouth”, is a structure that allows water to enter the animal and originates from the anterior neuropore known as the Oral Siphon Placode (OSP). Interestingly, the OSP also gives rise to sensory cells in the Ciona nervous system, much like cranial placodes that give rise to various sensory ganglia and the pituitary gland in vertebrates. Protocadherins are cell adhesion molecules that represent the largest group within the cadherin superfamily. It has been recently revealed that there is high expression of a protocadherin, Protocadherin.e (Pcdh.e), in the OSP using in-situ hybridization. Manipulation of Pcdh.e in OSP and examining the effects on its characteristic “rosette” structure have never been considered. We hypothesize that Pcdh.e mediates homotypic adhesion between the cells in the OSP such that they form these rosettes. Using tissue-specific CRISPR/Cas-9-mediated mutagenesis and gene overexpression, we elucidate the role of Protocadherin.e (Pcdh.e) in maintaining the structural integrity of the OSP and the epidermis in the tunicate Ciona. With this study, we work towards understanding the function of protocadherins in the development of the tunicate nervous system. Metamorphosis is a key process that contributes to the biphasic lifecycle of Ciona that involves the transition from a swimming larva and a sessile adult. It has been recently revealed that the GABA neurotransmitter is necessary to regulate Ciona metamorphosis. Here, we investigate a perturbation of Glutamate Decarboxylase (GAD), a GABA synthase, in the Ciona central nervous system.
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