Fig. 2.

Overexpression of candidate genes protects DA neurons from α-syn-induced degeneration. (A) Schematic representation of the distribution of the top 20 candidate genes, with bioinformatic associations used to select the gene for knockdown. Six genes identified from two or more categories are indicated with overlapping color. (B) Graph depicting the percentage of α-syn-expressing worms with WT DA neurons in 7-day-old adults when candidate genes are coexpressed. *, P < 0.05 (Student t test). (C–F) Worm DA neurons at low (C and E) and high (D and F) magnification. (C and D) At the 7-day stage, most worms expressing α-syn are missing anterior DA neurons (only two of four CEP DA neurons present). (E and F) Overexpression of C. elegans VPS41 protects from DA neurodegeneration, whereby worms display all four CEP neurons. Population analysis revealed that 36.7% of worms overexpressing VPS41 were WT compared with only 12.8% of α-syn only controls.