An increase in phosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein 2 accompanies dendrite extension during the differentiation of cultured hippocampal neurones.
Hippocampal neurones, from embryonic rats, were cultured for different times and the extension of dendrite-like processes was analysed morphologically and by immunofluorescence, using microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) as a marker. Simultaneously, the changes in phosphorylation in MAP2 were analyzed and a correlation between dendrite sprouting and an increase in MAP2 phosphorylation was found. Phospho-MAP2 was cleaved by Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease limited proteolysis and its phosphopeptide pattern was compared to that obtained with two protein kinases (calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase and protein kinase C) in vitro. An involvement of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase in the phosphorylation of MAP2, occurring simultaneously with dendrite extension during neuronal differentiation in vitro, is suggested.
Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Spain.
F J
FJ
Díez-Guerra
J
J
Avila
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003712:Dendrites; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010449:Peptide Mapping; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases
D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C028344:glutamyl endopeptidase