title: Role of Drosophila gene dunc-115 in nervous system.
abstract: Axonal guidance signals are transduced through growth cone surface receptors to the interior leading to changes of actin dynamics and actin binding proteins, which are critical in determining the outcome of actin cytoskeleton reorganization. We report here the characterization of the Drosophila actin binding protein abLIM/Unc-115 homolog Dunc-115 and its role in the nervous system. Three Dunc-115 isoforms are identified as Dunc-115L, M and S, respectively. While Dunc-115L is a canonical homolog of Unc-115 with four LIM domains and one villin headpiece domain, Dunc-115M and S are novel isoforms without counterparts in other species. Our molecular modeling shows Dunc-115L is likely to bind to actin. Mutant analysis reveals that Dunc-115 is involved in axonal projection in both the visual and central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Biology Doctoral Program, The Graduate Center, Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abbasi
authors.forename: Shaneen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D020033:Protein Isoforms