Document Type
Conference Paper
Publication Date
9-2-2026
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders form a major class of developmental conditions where defects in neuronal migration, axon guidance, and brain structural motifs lead to global developmental delays and systemic complications. Studying pathogenic variants in these disorders helps narrow down causative genes. One such causative gene is CLASP (Cytoplasmic Linker Associated Protein). Dysregulation of CLASP impairs microtubule stability, linking its dysfunction to neurodevelopmental disorders. These clinical insights raise a compelling question: what are the mechanistic roles of CLASP in neuronal cells, retinal cells, and signal cues? To address this, we are investigating the evolutionarily conserved Drosophila homolog of CLASP, known as chb (chromosome bows)—a microtubule plus-end tracking protein—focusing on its downstream roles during development. Drosophila serves as a genetically tractable model organism encompassing distinct developmental stages, enabling us to dissect how pathogenic variants in CLASP/chb may contribute to developmental delay. Using the UAS-Gal4 system to modulate Chb expression in the eye, we observed reduced eye size and a shift from retinal cell fate, disrupting normal ommatidial organization. These findings are critical for expanding our understanding of how microtubule regulation by CLASP impacts neuronal and retinal cell populations, with downstream implications for the global development associated phenotypes observed in human disorders.
Keywords
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), CLASP (Cytoplasmic Linker Associated Protein), chb (chromosome bows), Microtubule stability/ plus-end tracking, Neuronal migration, Axon guidance, Brain morphology, Drosophila, UAS-Gal4 system, Retinal cell fate
Disciplines
Nervous System Diseases
eCommons Citation
Tuang, Hei M., "Role of CLASP/chb in Neurodevelopmental Disorders" (2026). Research from the Berry Summer Thesis Institute, 2026. 4.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/uhp_bsti_2026/4
Comments
Acknowledgments:
I would like to thank Dr. Amit Singh for his mentorship and guidance throughout this project. I am also grateful to Sunanda Yogi and all members of the Singh Lab for their training, support, and helpful discussions.
I thank the Berry Summer Thesis Institute, the Berry family, the University of Dayton Honors Program, and Dr. Dorian Borbonus for providing the funding and resources that made this research possible. The skills and techniques I gained during BSTI will be invaluable for my future research.