Let's get it right: Evolution of Nodal pathway
Marta Truchado- Garcia, Project Scientist
Molecular and Cell Biology
Applications for Fall 2024 are closed for this project.
Despite dramatically different body architectures, animals share common signaling pathways and transcriptional networks that regulate their development, a core “genetic toolkit.” Asymmetries are essential for proper organization and function of organ systems, and we aim to examine the toolkit that underlies left-right asymmetry (LRA) in different animal groups. Genetic studies in bilaterians have shown signaling through the Nodal/Smad2 pathway plays a key, conserved role in the establishment of body asymmetries. Although the main molecular players in the network for the establishment of LRA have been deeply described in deuterostomes (i.e. vertebrates), little is known about the regulation of Nodal signaling in protostomes (i.e. snails) and the evolution of the pathway. From our previous work, we infer that, despite egf-cfc orthologs being present in non-deuterostomes, the Nodal pathway may have acted in an egf-cfc-independent manner in the common ancestor of all bilaterians, and this relationship persists in non-deuterostomes. Our experiments in Zebrafish suggest that the role of Nodal in LRA asymmetry is shared between deuterostomes and non-deuterostomes, although the pathway became dependent on the EGF-CFC coreceptor in some lineages of deuterostomes sometime after a single key amino acid change occurred in its protein sequence. In this project we aim to study the co-evolution of the ligand and the coreceptor.
Role: Molecular biology methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in situ hybridization, microscopy, mRNA in vitro transcription.
Microinjections, embryos culture, drug treatments
Qualifications: Undergraduates seeking to apply should be highly motivated, perseverant, with low tendency to give up or flake, engaged, and with a proactive attitude. Innate curiosity is 100% required; ability to ask questions and willing to learn, both techniques and scientific attitude. Recommended for those interested in molecular biology especially as it pertains to development and genetics. Although previous research experience is valuable, no previous research experience is necessary. Real passion for research and this topic is required. Students should be able to seriously devote 12 hours/week to laboratory experiments and discussion; please, refrain from applying if you consider that you would be overcommitting. We prefer to recruit Sophomores or Juniors, with the expectation that they will work towards an honors thesis in their senior year; but we could consider seniors with experience. We also prefer to recruit those who plan to take MCB 140 (Genetics) and MCB141 (Developmental Biology).
Hours: 12 or more hours
Related website: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9907556/
Biological & Health Sciences