title: Boc is a receptor for sonic hedgehog in the guidance of commissural axons.
abstract: In the spinal cord, sonic hedgehog (Shh) is secreted by the floor plate to control the generation of distinct classes of ventral neurons along the dorsoventral axis. Genetic and in vitro studies have shown that Shh also later acts as a midline-derived chemoattractant for commissural axons. However, the receptor(s) responsible for Shh attraction remain unknown. Here we show that two Robo-related proteins, Boc and Cdon, bind specifically to Shh and are therefore candidate receptors for the action of Shh as an axon guidance ligand. Boc is expressed by commissural neurons, and targeted disruption of Boc in mouse results in the misguidance of commissural axons towards the floor plate. RNA-interference-mediated knockdown of Boc impairs the ability of rat commissural axons to turn towards an ectopic source of Shh in vitro. Taken together, these data suggest that Boc is essential as a receptor for Shh in commissural axon guidance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA. amio@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Ami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Charron
authors.forename: Steves
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Pierre J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Fabre
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tessier-Lavigne
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: McConnell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D019556:COS Cells; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D011485:Protein Binding; D034622:RNA Interference; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C510745:Boc protein, mouse; C510744:Cdon protein, mouse; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface