Mentor: Ahmed Elewa, Ph.D.

Research into epigenetic and non-genetic inheritance has benefited tremendously from the model nematode C. elegans. However, for historical reasons, most discoveries were made in the context of studying RNA and its role in regulating gene expression. Recent publications indicate that non-genetic inheritance may be influenced by environmental factors and variables. One such variation, starvation-induced developmental arrest in C. elegans, has been shown to result in transgenerational genetic changes inherited over three consecutive generations [Rechavi et al., 2014]. Furthermore, new evidence suggests that proposed adaptive and deleterious intergenerational effects are molecularly related at the level of gene expression [Burton et al., 2021].

This project investigates non-genetic inheritance by altering various parameters associated with C. elegans maintenance, aiming to identify unique generational proteins that act as transduction factors relaying signals from parent to offspring. Protein identification will be based on the presence of post-translational modifications associated with unique parameters, such as variations in diet, temperature, the presence of male worms, and exposure to pathogenic bacteria. Identified pathways will be assessed for inter-generational and trans-generational properties. One proposed mechanism for non-genetic inheritance is signaling between parental and embryonic yolk proteins. Profiling of post-translational modifications (PTMs) will be performed using mass spectrometry to further investigate this hypothesis.

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