Department Cell Biology 
Principal investigator Gert Jansen
E-mail address g.jansen@erasmusmc.nl
Website –
Molecular mechanism of neuronal cell fate maintenance
Suitable as a BEP? Yes
Suitable as a MEP? Yes
Suitable as an Academic Research Project? Yes
Techniques:
- CRISPR-Cas9
- C. elegans culture
- Crosses and transgenesis
- Microscopy
- PCR
- Bioinformatics
Neuronal cell fate is often maintained for weeks, months or even years. Despite its importance, the molecular mechanisms that govern cell fate maintenance are poorly understood. We study cell fate maintenance in the nematode C. elegans, focusing on cells that mediate a behavioral response: salt taste, olfaction or touch response. Transcription factors (TFs) have been identified that determine the fate of these cells. We use CRISPR/Cas9 to mutate genes, transcription factor binding sites or introduce tags to study whether these TFs also maintain cell fate. We use e.g. auxin mediated protein depletion to inactivate a TF and analyze quantitatively how cell fate is affected at the molecular, cellular and organism level using smFISH, fluorescence microscopy, RNAseq, Cut&Tag and behavioral assay.
Further reading
Traets, J.J.H., et al. (2021). eLife, 10, e66955. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.66955.