dentification of mRNA targets of ETR-1/CELF that regulate Q neuroblast migration in muscle cells using fluorescence-activated cell sorting and RNA-seq

A quick summary of the poster:

Migration of neuroblasts during development is an important process for function of the nervous system. The Q neuroblasts in C. elegans provide an excellent model to study the genetic mechanisms controlling migration. We show the RNA-binding molecule ETR-1/CELF is necessary for proper migration of the Q neuroblast descendants AQR and PQR, acting in the muscle cells. We identified potential targets do ETR-1 using fluorescent-activated cell sorting to sort muscle cells and then performed RNA-sequencing to identify alternatively spliced targets as well as transcripts that were deferentially expressed. Of those genes identified we screened for AQR and PQR migration defects. Our goal is to understand in more detail the mechanism in which ETR-1 acts to control AQR and PQR migration.