title: Wnt/PCP proteins regulate stereotyped axon branch extension in Drosophila.
abstract: Branching morphology is a hallmark feature of axons and dendrites and is essential for neuronal connectivity. To understand how this develops, I analyzed the stereotyped pattern of Drosophila mushroom body (MB) neurons, which have single axons branches that extend dorsally and medially. I found that components of the Wnt/Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) pathway control MB axon branching. frizzled mutant animals showed a predominant loss of dorsal branch extension, whereas strabismus (also known as Van Gogh) mutants preferentially lost medial branches. Further results suggest that Frizzled and Strabismus act independently. Nonetheless, branching fates are determined by complex Wnt/PCP interactions, including interactions with Dishevelled and Prickle that function in a context-dependent manner. Branching decisions are MB-autonomous but non-cell-autonomous as mutant and non-mutant neurons regulate these decisions collectively. I found that Wnt/PCP components do not need to be asymmetrically localized to distinct branches to execute branching functions. However, Prickle axonal localization depends on Frizzled and Strabismus.
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom. jng@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000072261:Dishevelled Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology*; D051157:Frizzled Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D060588:LIM Domain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D024521:Mushroom Bodies / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D000072261:Dishevelled Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051157:Frizzled Receptors; D060588:LIM Domain Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; C111638:Vang protein, Drosophila; C000606588:dsh protein, Drosophila; C058784:fz protein, Drosophila; C121600:pk protein, Drosophila