title: GSK-3beta and alpha-catenin binding regions of beta-catenin exert opposing effects on the terminal ventral optic axonal projection.
abstract: We overexpressed two deletion mutants of the N-terminal domain of beta-catenin in ventral optic axons in living Xenopus tadpoles. One deletion mutant contained both the alpha-catenin and the GSK-3beta binding sites of the N-terminal domain of beta-catenin (NTERM), and the second deletion mutant contained only the GSK-3beta binding site (beta-cat107). Expression of NTERM in ventral optic axons dispersed and induced anterior and lateral shifts in their targeting locations in the dorsal tectum. In contrast, beta-cat107 compressed and shifted the synaptic targeting locations of ventral optic axons medially and posteriorly. In addition, NTERM-expressing ventral optic axons formed arbors that were wider than controls whereas beta-cat107 axonal arbors were narrower compared with controls. These data suggest that the interactions of beta-catenin with alpha-catenin and GSK-3beta exert opposing effects on the terminal projections of ventral optic axons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Touro Univerisity-California, Vallejo, California 94592, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wiley
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Edalat
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mora
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mirro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Muhr
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Elul
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology*; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D051178:alpha Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3