CELL BIOLOGY OF THE NEURON Polarity ... - Tavernarakis Lab

Cell Biology of the Neuron: Polarity, Plasticity and Regeneration, Crete 2011
The srGAP Family Proteins Play Distinct Roles in
Neuronal Development
Jaeda Coutinho-Budd 1 , Takayuki Sassa 1 , Vladimir Ghukasyan 1 , Sabrice
Guerrier 1 , Franck Polleux 2
1 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2 The Scripps Research Institute
During cortical development, glutamatergic neurons migrate to the outermost
layer of the cortex, and subsequently form a single axon and a complex dendritic
arbor in order to establish proper connections. Both neuronal migration and
morphogenesis require extensive coordination of membrane remodeling and
cytoskeletal dynamics. Most studies of the mechanisms underlying neuronal
migration and differentiation have focused on signaling pathways regulating the
cytoskeleton. However, over the past decade, a paradigm shift has occurred that
strongly suggests that the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton are not playing an
instructive role with regard to membrane deformation involved in cell shape
changes. Rather membrane-deforming proteins of the BAR-superfamily
(subdivided into BAR/N-BAR, F-BAR, and I-BAR) have been shown to interface
membrane deformation with cytoskeletal dynamics, though little is known about
the importance of these proteins during brain development. We have previously
shown that srGAP2 acts as a non-canonical F-BAR domain to induce filopodialike
protrusions, rather than membrane invaginations. In this study, we have
conducted a deeper investigation into this non-canonical family of F-BAR
proteins. Our results explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the
unexpected degree of functional diversity among members of the srGAP protein
family.
Presented by: Coutinho-Budd, Jaeda
Poster No 024
Blue Session
106