title: A peripheral nervous system actin-binding protein regulates neurite outgrowth.
abstract: Difference cloning has identified a Villin-like mRNA transcript expressed selectively in peripheral sensory and sympathetic neurons. Pervin, the encoded 820-amino acid protein, has 60% identity with Villin and is the rat homologue of Advillin. Coimmunoprecipitation studies demonstrate that Pervin and actin interact in vivo. Transfection of COS-7 epithelial cell lines demonstrates colocalization of epitope-tagged Pervin with green fluorescent protein-actin and results in an increase in process formation. This effect is abolished when the putative actin-bundling headpiece of Pervin is deleted. Biolistic transfection of primary cultures of rat dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons also results in increased neurite outgrowth with FLAG-tagged Pervin. Deletion of the actin-bundling headpiece inhibits normal neurite growth. These data suggest that Pervin may play a significant role in regulating process outgrowth in peripheral neurons through a mechanism that involves the activity of an actin-bundling domain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University College, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Samantha J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ravenall
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gavazzi
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Armen N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Akopian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000378:metabolism; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016501:Neurites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D051381:Rats; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: C114228:AVIL protein, human; C454664:Avil protein, rat; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; C026615:villin; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins