title: Dscam and neuronal uniqueness.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA. zinnk@caltech.edu <zinnk@caltech.edu>
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zinn
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C491736:Dscam1 protein, Drosophila; D020033:Protein Isoforms