Neuronal connectivity is generated by the regulated extension of growth cones during development.
To identify molecules required for growth cone migration, I am identifying new loci that are mutated to an uncoordinated phenotype. I am also developing fluorescent markers to observe growth cone migration in vivo. My goal is to observe the migration of growth cones in mutant nematodes and characterize the effect of an abnormal molecular environment on growth cone migration in vivo. Previous work by Steve McIntire correlated the kinker-uncoordinated phenotype with GABAergic outgrowth defects. Each of these are likely to be new loci based on map position and complementation analysis.