Studying the Role of a Claudin Like Molecule in C. elegans Nervous System

Abstract

Claudin-5 is an important component of tight junction which is expressed in the brain of mouse and human and plays role in making blood brain barrier. T28B4.4 is a Claudin homolog and expressed in C. elegans nervous system. We wanted to see if mouse claudin-5 rescues function of T28B4.4 in C. elegans. We expressed Claudin-5 from mouse in C.elegans and performed Aldicarb assay. Our results show that it is not able to rescue the function of T28B4.4 in C. elegans. The t28b4.4 mutant worms show locomotory defects. We wanted to quantify and study the locomotory behaviour by Thrashing Assay and Body Bends. The Results show that there is a significant defect in the locomotory behaviour in t28b4.4 worms compared to wild type.