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C. elegans

C. elegans video provided by the Goldstein Lab

Evolutionary conservation of the Ras superfamily – the strong structural and biochemical conservation of Ras and Rho small GTPases in invertebrate animals has allowed the study of these small GTPases in C. elegans and other genetic models. Numbers indicate total members per family. We are utilizing C. elegans to study Ras (Let-60) and Rac (CED-10) small GTPase function.  For example, components of the epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway are conserved in C. elegans, leading to activation of Let-60) and the Raf (Lin-45)-MEK (Mek-2)-ERK (MPK-1) MAPK cascade and regulation of vulva development.