title: The doublecortin-related gene zyg-8 is a microtubule organizer in Caenorhabditis elegans neurons.
abstract: Doublecortin-domain containing (DCDC) genes play key roles in the normal and pathological development of the human brain cortex. The origin of the cellular specialisation and the functional redundancy of these microtubule (MT)-associated proteins (MAPs), especially those of Doublecortin (DCX) and Doublecortin-like kinase (DCLKs) genes, is still unclear. The DCX domain has the ability to control MT architecture and bundling. However, the physiological significance of such properties is not fully understood. To address these issues, we sought post-mitotic roles for zyg-8, the sole representative of the DCX-DCLK subfamily of genes in C. elegans. Previously, zyg-8 has been shown to control anaphase-spindle positioning in one-cell stage embryos, but functions of the gene later in development have not been investigated. Here we show that wild-type zyg-8 is required beyond early embryonic divisions for proper development, spontaneous locomotion and touch sensitivity of adult worms. Consistently, we find zyg-8 expression in the six touch receptor neurons (TRNs), as well as in a subset of other neuronal and non-neuronal cells. In TRNs and motoneurons, zyg-8 controls cell body shape/polarity and process outgrowth and morphology. Ultrastructural analysis of mutant animals reveals that zyg-8 promotes structural integrity, length and number of individual MTs, as well as their bundled organisation in TRNs, with no impact on MT architecture.
authors.affiliation: CRBM-CNRS, Université Montpellier 2, 1919, route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France. jean-michel.bellanger@crbm.cnrs.fr
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bellanger
authors.forename: Juan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Cueva
authors.forename: Renee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baran
authors.forename: Garland
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Miriam B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Debant
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003078:Colchicine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000089622:Doublecortin Domain Proteins; D000089662:Doublecortin Protein; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017238:Genes, Helminth / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D022101:Microtubule-Organizing Center / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D058105:Polymerization / Q000187:drug effects; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014110:Touch
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C000714328:DCX protein, human; D000089622:Doublecortin Domain Proteins; D000089662:Doublecortin Protein; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C439929:zyg-8 protein, C elegans; D003078:Colchicine