Neurofilament phosphorylation.
Neurofilament proteins (NFPs) are highly phosphorylated molecules in the axonal compartment of the adult nervous system. The phosphorylation of NFP is considered an important determinant of filament caliber, plasticity, and stability. This process reflects the function of NFs during the lifetime of a neuron from differentiation in the embryo through long-term activity in the adult until aging and environmental insult leads to pathology and ultimately death. NF function is modulated by phosphorylation-dephosphorylation in each of these diverse neuronal states. In this review, we have summarized some of these properties of NFP in adult nervous tissue, mostly from work in our own laboratory. Identification of sites phosphorylated in vivo in high molecular weight NFP (NF-H) and properties of NF-associated and neural-specific kinases phosphorylating specific sites in NFP are described. A model to explain the role of NF phosphorylation in determining filament caliber, plasticity, and stability is proposed.
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Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health,
Veeranna
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011494:Protein Kinases