Functions of Toll family proteins in synaptic development and maintenance

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23500405
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neuroscience in general
• Research Institution: National Institute of Genetics
• Principal Investigator: SUZUKI Emiko 国立遺伝学研究所, 構造遺伝学研究センター, 准教授 (20173891)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KURUSU Mitsuhiko 国立遺伝学研究所, 構造遺伝学研究センター, 助教 (50413985)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ショウジョウバエ / 神経筋接合 / シナプス / Toll

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Various plasma membrane proteins play important roles in the processes of synaptogenesis, as well as synaptic maintenance and plasticity. We are exploring the key functions of such proteins using Drosophila neuromuscular junctions (NMJ). In the present study, we focused on Toll family proteins. By the phenotype analyses of genetic overexpression or loss-of-function mutation, we found that Toll-7 functions as a negative regulator of NMJ development and maintenance. On the other hand, we have not observed the impairment of synaptic morphology by genetic RNAi of Spz family proteins, the putative ligand of Toll family proteins.

Free Research Field

神経組織学