A GENETIC APPROACH TO C. ELEGANS CHOLINERGIC SIGNALING

Genes that are involved in localization or modulation of neurotransmitter receptors are difficult to identify. We generated a C. elegans strain expressing a mutated, hyperactivitied acetylcholine receptor. These animals display a dramatic movement phenotype, as well as mislocalization of a related receptor. Our genetic screen for suppressors of the movement phenotype isolated 15 suppressors, many of which would not have been isolated using traditional methods. We believe that this strategy will find novel factors that play important roles in cholinergic signaling