Meeting Abstract
Trichoplax adhaerens is an early-diverging animal that, despite lacking synaptically connected neurons and muscle, is able to carry out motile behavior such as feeding. Our lab has produced a high quality T. adhaerens transcriptome, in which a majority of assembled gene sequences are complete (>85% bear both start and stop codons), with 2,483 novel genes previously missed in the genome sequencing effort. A major objective of this project is to identify T. adhaerens genes homologous to human/vertebrate nervous system genes (e.g. those involved in neuronal signaling, neuromodulation, and disease). Using various in silico prediction algorithms we have identified numerous genes including neuropeptides, GPCRs, ligand-gated ion channels, and synaptic scaffolding proteins. Using our data, we are conducting a phylogenetic analysis of key synaptic scaffolding proteins, and evaluating expansion/loss of PDZ and SH3 protein scaffolding domains, to gain insights into evolution of the synapse. Our work provides a foundation for molecular studies centered on understanding the evolution of neuromodulatory and synaptic cell-cell signaling.
