Genome-wide studies of neuronal degeneration in dendrite arborization neurons.

Neuronal pruning is a widely observed phenomenon important for the development and refinement of neural circuits to ensure precise and functional connections. Developmental neurodegeneration, a process common to both mammals and Drosophila melanogaster resembles neuronal degeneration in states of neuronal injury and neuronal disorder morphologically. Defects in developmentally regulated neuronal pruning processes are usually the basis of numerous neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we used Drosophila melanogaster Class IV dorsal dendritic arborisation (ddaC) neurons as the model system to study the underlying mechanism behind the pruning process. Genome-wide in vivo RNA-mediated gene interference (RNAi) screen using the GAL4-Upstream Activating Sequence (UAS) system was conducted to identify potential genes involved in dendrite pruning. The screen identified 17 genes required for pruning of which 2 of them, CG10664 and E2F revealed interesting pruning mechanisms. Our study will provide a greater understanding of the complex and elusive regulatory mechanisms that drives neuronal remodelling and degenerative pathways. Hopefully, this will serve as the basis for further research to be done and new treatment to be uncovered for neurodegenerative diseases.Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science