DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/1BWQ-JF90
Defense Date
2011
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Pharmacology & Toxicology
First Advisor
Jill Bettinger
Abstract
Alcohol abuse is a problem in our society. There are few treatments available, in part due to the unclear molecular mechanisms of ethanol’s effects. Human studies indicate that there is a genetic component influencing disease susceptibility, and that an individual’s initial response to alcohol can predict their development of addiction. We have taken a forward genetics approach to study one component of initial response, acute functional tolerance (AFT), in Caenorhabditis elegans. We identified bet11, a mutation that causes animals to be defective in the development of AFT. Genetic analysis suggested that the gene that bet11 disrupts participates in a synthetic genetic interaction with an unlinked natural allelic variant in another gene that alters ethanol response. We also examined the role of lipid membrane composition in the response to ethanol. Identification of modulators that are responsible for alcohol-induced responses will provide a greater understanding of the mechanisms that cause alcohol-related diseases.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
December 2011