Rac GTPases control axon growth, guidance and branching

Nature
Julian NgLiqun Luo

Abstract

Growth, guidance and branching of axons are all essential processes for the precise wiring of the nervous system. Rho family GTPases transduce extracellular signals to regulate the actin cytoskeleton. In particular, Rac has been implicated in axon growth and guidance. Here we analyse the loss-of-function phenotypes of three Rac GTPases in Drosophila mushroom body neurons. We show that progressive loss of combined Rac1, Rac2 and Mtl activity leads first to defects in axon branching, then guidance, and finally growth. Expression of a Rac1 effector domain mutant that does not bind Pak rescues growth, partially rescues guidance, but does not rescue branching defects of Rac mutant neurons. Mosaic analysis reveals both cell autonomous and non-autonomous functions for Rac GTPases, the latter manifesting itself as a strong community effect in axon guidance and branching. These results demonstrate the central role of Rac GTPases in multiple aspects of axon development in vivo, and suggest that axon growth, guidance and branching could be controlled by differential activation of Rac signalling pathways.

References

Aug 1, 1970·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·K M YamadaN K Wessells
Dec 1, 1984·The Journal of Cell Biology·L Marsh, P C Letourneau
Feb 7, 1998·Science·A Hall
May 10, 2000·Nature Structural Biology·A MorrealeE D Laue
Feb 17, 2001·Current Opinion in Neurobiology·B J Dickson
Mar 22, 2001·Nature Reviews. Neuroscience·L Luo
Mar 29, 2001·Nature Neuroscience·E K Scott, L Luo
Mar 29, 2002·Nature·Satoko Hakeda-SuzukiBarry J Dickson

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 5, 2002·BioEssays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology·Hwan Tae ParkYi Rao
Mar 23, 2010·Development Genes and Evolution·Shana R Spindler, Volker Hartenstein
May 17, 2007·Invertebrate Neuroscience : in·Melissa C GarciaQi He
Oct 6, 2007·Molecular Neurobiology·Evgeni PonimaskinAlexander Dityatev
Sep 30, 2010·Molecular Neurobiology·Filsy Samuel, DiAnna L Hynds
Mar 31, 2005·Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences·María José Martínez-LópezCarlos Buesa
Oct 11, 2003·Developmental Biology·Michael D KimAkira Chiba
Jun 7, 2002·Current Opinion in Neurobiology·Ilona C Grunwald, Rüdiger Klein
Oct 9, 2002·Current Opinion in Neurobiology·Valérie Castellani, Geneviève Rougon
Oct 9, 2002·Current Opinion in Neurobiology·Annette MarkusWilliam D Snider
Jul 10, 2003·Current Opinion in Neurobiology·Erik A Lundquist
Aug 23, 2002·Trends in Cell Biology·Karin Reif, Jason Cyster
Mar 9, 2012·Journal of Proteome Research·Daniel B McClatchyJohn R Yates
Dec 13, 2002·Nature·Sandrine Etienne-Manneville, Alan Hall
Jul 20, 2004·Nature Cell Biology·Vassilios J BezzeridesDavid E Clapham
Jan 3, 2003·Nature Cell Biology·Xiao-bing YuanShumin Duan
Jun 19, 2012·Nature Neuroscience·Jennifer S ZiegenfussMarc R Freeman
Aug 3, 2004·Nature Neuroscience·Jens C Schwamborn, Andreas W Püschel
Nov 1, 2007·Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology·Mark R MorganMark D Bass
Apr 21, 2010·Nature Reviews. Neuroscience·Yuh-Nung Jan, Lily Yeh Jan
Sep 21, 2010·Nature Reviews. Neuroscience·Liqun LuoA D Craig
Feb 14, 2006·IEE Proceedings. Nanobiotechnology·P D Chantler, S R Wylie
Feb 24, 2010·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Rebecca ElsaesserCraig Montell
Aug 20, 2010·Molecular Biology of the Cell·Carolina Montenegro-VenegasChristian Gonzalez-Billault
Oct 13, 2006·Molecular Biology and Evolution·Anthony BoureuxPhilippe Fort
Aug 31, 2006·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Feng-Quan Zhou, William D Snider
Aug 31, 2006·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Lawrence K Low, Hwai-Jong Cheng
Jan 13, 2010·Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology·Sabina Tahirovic, Frank Bradke
Feb 26, 2010·Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology·Alan Hall, Giovanna Lalli
Aug 3, 2012·Genes & Development·Sergi Simó, Jonathan A Cooper
Sep 3, 2004·Genes & Development·Annika LundströmChristos Samakovlis
Jan 28, 2005·Biochemistry and Cell Biology = Biochimie Et Biologie Cellulaire·James E JohndrowSusan M Parkhurst
Jul 27, 2002·Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology·Liqun Luo
Apr 30, 2009·Annual Review of Neuroscience·Michael O'DonnellGreg J Bashaw
Apr 5, 2003·Annual Review of Neuroscience·Andrea B HuberJean-François Cloutier
Apr 30, 2009·Annual Review of Neuroscience·Anthony P Barnes, Franck Polleux
Dec 20, 2011·The Neuroscientist : a Review Journal Bringing Neurobiology, Neurology and Psychiatry·Parizad M Bilimoria, Azad Bonni
Apr 6, 2013·Biology Direct·Katarína VaškovičováJan Brábek
May 4, 2007·Neural Development·Natalia Sánchez-SorianoAndreas Prokop

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Axon Guidance

Axon guidance is a complex neural developmental field that investigates mechanisms through which neurons send out axons to reach its target. Here is the latest research in this domain.