Dscam and neuronal uniqueness.
In the fruit fly Drosophila the gene encoding the cell adhesion molecule Dscam generates alternatively spliced mRNAs that can be translated into thousands of different protein isoforms. Three recent papers show that isoform-specific homophilic Dscam interactions cause dendritic branches of the same neuron to avoid each other (Hughes et al., 2007; Soba et al., 2007; Matthews et al., 2007). This process ensures the correct patterning of dendrites in the peripheral nervous system.
Zinn
Kai
K
Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA. zinnk@caltech.edu <zinnk@caltech.edu>
D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D020033:Protein Isoforms
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C491736:Dscam1 protein, Drosophila; D020033:Protein Isoforms