Objective Basic knowledge of how nerve connections are established during development is essential for the development of clinical therapies in nerve repair. The correct wiring of the nervous system relies on the ability of axons and dendrites to locate and recognize their appropriate synaptic targets during development.Pathfinding by growing axons is guided by extracelluar guidance factors. Recently, it has become clear that guidance cues can trigger rapid and local synthesis, degradation and endocytosis of protein s, providing a fast and flexible way for growth cones to respond to cues in their microenvironment and adapt their responses to changing conditions.Key questions raised by these data are- what particular proteins are translated in response to axon guidance cues- do different guidance cues elicit dynamic changes in different sets of proteins- how do these proteins control the chemotactic turning behaviour of a growth coneThe present proposal addresses these questions using a comparative proteomic app roach involving C-terminal puromycyl-tagging of newly synthesized proteins in developing chick retinal growth cones. Once identified, the function of the cue-induced nascent protein(s), will be approached using gene manipulations and protein knock-down experiments in vitro and in vivo in the Xenopus retinotectal system.Prof. Holts laboratory provides an excellent environment to study all of these aspects of axon guidance both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, moving to the host institute will complement my scientific training and is essential to achieve my goal of becoming an independent researcher in neurobiology. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesneurobiologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteins Keywords Developmental neurobiology Axon pathfinding Protein projection synthesis Retinotectal system Programme(s) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Topic(s) MOBILITY-2.1 - Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships (EIF) Call for proposal FP6-2004-MOBILITY-5 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships Coordinator CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE EU contribution No data Address Trinity LaneThe Old Scholls CAMBRIDGE United Kingdom See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
