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| Faculty
Profile |
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| Christopher
Rongo |
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| Assistant Professor Ph
D 1996, MIT
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| Dept. of Genetics Tel:732 445-0955 |
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| Research Interests | Research Techniques | |
| Synapse formation; glutamate receptor localization within neurons |
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| Research Summary |
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| The brain is an extremely complex circuit. For example, a single neuron can receive over 10,000 synaptic inputs and express multiple neurotransmitter receptor types that must be segregated to appropriate synaptic sites. While complex, the nervous system also must remain malleable. Understanding how the nervous system forms synapses and regulates their composition is key to understanding the basis for learning and memory. Our work is focused on two primary questions. First, how are different receptor types sorted to the appropriate synapses in a neuron? Second, how do synapses in the central nervous system change in the growing animal? We have taken advantage of the simple anatomy and well-characterized genetics of C. elegans to address these questions. By using genetic screens, behavioral analysis, and molecular and cell biological techniques in living animals, we hope to identify the proteins that build and regulate synapses. |
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| Key References |
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| For complete list: PubMed Rongo, C. (2002) A fresh look at the role of CaM Kinase II in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory. BioEssays 24:223-233. Firestein, B.L. and Rongo, C. (2001) DLG-1 is a MAGUK similar to SAP97 and is required for adherens junction formation. Molecular Biology of the Cell: 12:3465-3475. Köppen, M., Simske, J., Sims, P., Firestein, B., Hall, D., Radice, G., Rongo, C., and Hardin, J. (2001) Cooperative regulation of JAM-1 by DLG-1 and LET-413 controls junctional tightness of C. elegans epithelia. Nature Cell Biology 3:983-991. Rongo, C. (2001) Disparate cell types use a shared complex of PDZ proteins for polarized protein localization. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews 12:349-359. Rongo, C. and Kaplan, J.M. (1999) CaMKII regulates the density of central glutamatergic synapses in vivo. Nature 402:195-199. Rongo, C., Whitfield, C.W., Rodal, A., Kim, S.K., and Kaplan, J.M. (1998) LIN-10 is a shared component of the polarized protein localization pathways in neurons and epithelia. Cell 94:751-759.
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