Spine-shaped structures along the C. elegans motor neuron DDD dendrite. Dendritic spines are indicated by white arrows.

Dendritic spines are key structural features required for neurons to communicate and to function. Despite their importance, how dendritic spines develop and are modulated over time remains poorly understood. We propose to study evolutionarily conserved mechanisms driving the development and plasticity of dendritic spines using C. elegans. This powerful model system allows molecular genetic analysis to be done in vivo with single-neuron and single-dendrite resolution at any point of the animal’s life. We will address how the regulation messenger RNAs stability impacts dendritic spines development and plasticity. Indeed, our results indicate that mRNAs stability in neurons is key for the development of dendritic spines in the brain. Very rare neurological conditions are affected by such mechanisms, including the Al-Raqad Syndrome (also called “autosomal recessive rare non-syndromic intellectual disability”) and early-onset schizophrenia. Given the high evolutionary conservation of neuronal development and function, as well as of the mRNA stability machineries between C. elegans and humans, elucidating relationships between mRNA stability and dendritic spines formation and plasticity is expected to provide key insights for the development of strategies to diagnose and treat these rare neurological conditions.

Name: Victoria Cerdeira, B.Sc.
Supervisor: Claire Bénard (UQAM)
Laureate: Master fellowship 2019