The Effects of Disabled ARR1 Gene on C. Elegans Expression of Substance Preferences

Abstract

A vital component in the mechanisms of processing addictive substances are G‐protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which function as a mediator of behavioral effects of addictive drugs. Arrestins (ARR‐1) are adaptor proteins that regulate the G protein‐coupled receptor desensitization and internalization, and are a key to the effect of dopamine, opioids, and cannabinoid receptors. The ARR‐1 gene in C. Elegans is shown to be responsible for the internalization of GPCRs. GPCRs send signals downstream to the C. Elegans chemosensory nerves, which regulates their olfactory and gustatory senses. In C. Elegans, inhibition of the ARR‐1 gene is shown to affect worms' abilities to desensitize from substances such as alcohol. Using an ethanol tolerance assay, this project aims to analyze the relationship between neural plasticity and its relationship to Arrestin. We hypothesize that ARR‐1 is integral to alcohol sensing, and to investigate this, we use the Arrestin deficient strain of C. Elegans, RB660, wtN2, and an ethanol preference assay. We examine worm behavior using camera‐tracking and represent the data using a heat map.