title: A morphometric screen identifies specific roles for microtubule-regulating genes in neuronal development of P19 stem cells.
abstract: The first morphological change after neuronal differentiation is the microtubule-dependent initiation of thin cell protrusions called neurites. Here we performed a siRNA-based morphometric screen in P19 stem cells to evaluate the role of 408 microtubule-regulating genes during this early neuromorphogenesis step. This screen uncovered several novel regulatory factors, including specific complex subunits of the microtubule motor dynein involved in neurite initiation and a novel role for the microtubule end-binding protein EB2 in attenuation of neurite outgrowth. Epistasis analysis suggests that competition between EB1 and EB2 regulates neurite length, which links its expression to neurite outgrowth. We propose a model that explains how microtubule regulators can mediate cellular morphogenesis during the early steps of neuronal development by controlling microtubule stabilization and organizing dynein-generated forces.
authors.affiliation: Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molekular Physiology, and Fachbereich Chemische Biologie, Dortmund University of Technology, Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arens
authors.forename: Thanh-Thuy
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Duong
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dehmelt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000072159:Dynactin Complex; D004398:Dyneins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000235:genetics; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000072159:Dynactin Complex; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D004398:Dyneins