Nedd4 branches out.
The branching of dendrites and axons is a key determinant of neural circuit formation. In this issue of Neuron, Kawabe et al. demonstrate that the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4 promotes the branching of developing dendrites by targeting the small G protein Rap2. In a complementary study, Drinjakovic et al. show that Nedd4 promotes the branching of developing axons by ubiquitinating a different target, the phosphatase PTEN.
Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. diantonio@wustl.edu
Aaron
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DiAntonio
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016501:Neurites / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000378:metabolism; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase