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SUMMARY:Evolution of neurons and neuropeptides in early animal lineages - 
 Maria Sachkova\; University of Bristol\, UK
DTSTART:20231024T150000Z
DTEND:20231024T160000Z
UID:TALK205600@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Nadine Randel
DESCRIPTION:I recently joined the University of Bristol as a lecturer. I a
 m broadly interested in the evolution and biochemistry of biological syste
 ms based on peptide-receptor interactions such as neuropeptide signalling 
 and venoms. In this talk\, I will present my recent projects on ctenophore
  and cnidarian neuropeptides\, key regulators in the nervous systems.\n\nA
 ncestors of the modern ctenophores (or comb jellies) and cnidarians (e.g.\
 , sea anemones\, jellyfish and corals) were the first animals to acquire n
 eurons\, however\, evolutionary origin of neurons is still unclear. To und
 erstand fundamental mechanisms of the nervous system evolution in the whol
 e animal kingdom\, it is necessary to study molecular machinery of the neu
 rons in these ancient lineages. Our recent work revealed a new class of se
 a anemone neuropeptides and a peculiar evolutionary pathway of peptide rec
 ruitment from nervous to venom system in these animals. Further\, for the 
 first time\, we managed to identify the unique ctenophore neuropeptides pr
 oduced by their peculiar syncytial nerve net. With the new neuropeptides a
 s molecular markers\, we were also able to reveal the so-far unknown neuro
 nal transcriptome in the published single cell RNAseq data. This work unco
 vered ctenophore neuronal machinery and represents a significant step forw
 ard towards understanding the evolution of the first neurons. We plan to f
 urther characterise mechanisms of neuropeptide signalling in comb jellies 
 by identifying receptors targeted by neuropeptides
LOCATION:Part II Lecture Theatre\, Department of Zoology
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