Identity of the neurotransmitter at a fast chemical synapse in a cnidarian

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Abstract

Members of the Phylum Cnidaria (sea anemones, corals, jellyfish) represent one of the earliest groups of animals to possess a nervous system. As such, they provide a baseline from which to track the evolution of nervous systems as a whole, and of the molecular building blocks of the nervous system. Despite considerable knowledge about the capabilities of the nervous systems of these animals, very little is known about one of the most fundamental aspects of the neurobiology of these animals, specifically the identity of the neurotransmitters used by these animals at the fast chemical synapses that are so prevalent in their nervous systems. To address this question the researchers will employ a combination of electrophysiological and cell and molecular biological techniques to identify the neurotransmitter at synapses within the nervous system of the jellyfish Cyanea capillata. This project will contribute enormously to understanding of nervous system evolution and will provide important information about the evolutionary lineages of the neurotransmitters used by higher nervous systems, including that of humans. The broader impacts of this project promise to be considerable inasmuch as undergraduates participating in the Whitney Laboratory's REU program will be included in the work. Furthermore, the Whitney Laboratory has an extensive program of educational outreach to diverse sectors of the local community, including grade schools. The results from this project will be conveyed to these audiences by displays and other forms of communication, thereby contributing to their training and their appreciation and understanding of science.