The Drosophila receptor guanylyl cyclase Gyc76C is required for semaphorin-1a-plexin A-mediated axonal repulsion.
Cyclic nucleotide levels within extending growth cones influence how navigating axons respond to guidance cues. Pharmacological alteration of cAMP or cGMP signaling in vitro dramatically modulates how growth cones respond to attractants and repellents, although how these second messengers function in the context of guidance cue signaling cascades in vivo is poorly understood. We report here that the Drosophila receptor-type guanylyl cyclase Gyc76C is required for semaphorin-1a (Sema-1a)-plexin A repulsive axon guidance of motor axons in vivo. Our genetic analyses define a neuronal requirement for Gyc76C in axonal repulsion. Additionally, we find that the integrity of the Gyc76C catalytic cyclase domain is critical for Gyc76C function in Sema-1a axon repulsion. Our results support a model in which cGMP production by Gyc76C facilitates Sema-1a-plexin A-mediated defasciculation of motor axons, allowing for the generation of neuromuscular connectivity in the developing Drosophila embryo.
Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
Joseph C
JC
Ayoob
Hung-Hsiang
HH
Yu
Jonathan R
JR
Terman
Alex L
AL
Kolodkin
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000294:innervation; D005260:Female; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015290:Second Messenger Systems / Q000502:physiology*; D039961:Semaphorins / Q000502:physiology*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C496247:MICAL protein, Drosophila; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D039961:Semaphorins; C116483:plexA protein, Drosophila; C477531:semaphorin 1a, Drosophila; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; C092949:Gyc76C protein, Drosophila; D006152:Cyclic GMP