Meeting Abstract

S5.10  Tuesday, Jan. 5  Exploring Hydra regeneration and budding with genomics, transgenics, and chemical genetics STEELE, Rob; University of California, Irvine resteele@uci.edu

Hydra was first described in 1702 by van Leeuwenhoek, who noted the presence of buds on the animal. In 1744, Trembley published his memoirs, in which he described Hydra’s ability to reproduce asexually by budding and its remarkable ability to regenerate. Efforts to understand the molecules and mechanisms underlying budding and regeneration in Hydra can now be pursued using the recently completed Hydra genome sequence and the ability to make stably transgenic animals. We have generated transgenic Hydra with altered expression of genes encoding proteins in the insulin and hippo signaling pathways. These animals show alterations in budding rates. Using a chemical genetic screen, we have identified small molecules that affect regeneration.