title: Protocadherin PAPC is expressed in the CNC and can compensate for the loss of PCNS.
abstract: Protocadherins represent the biggest subgroup within the cadherin superfamily of transmembrane glycoproteins. In contrast to classical type I cadherins, protocadherins in general exhibit only moderate adhesive activity. During embryogenesis, they are involved in cell signaling and regulate diverse morphogenetic processes, including morphogenetic movements during gastrulation and neural crest migration. The two protocadherins paraxial protocadherin (PAPC) and axial protocadherin (AXPC) are indispensable for proper gastrulation movements in Xenopus and zebrafish. The closest relative PCNS instead, is required for neural crest and somite formation. Here, we show that cranial neural crest (CNC) cells in addition to PCNS express PAPC, but not AXPC. Overexpression of PAPC resulted in comparable migration defects as knockdown of PCNS. Moreover, reconstitution experiments revealed that PAPC is able to replace PCNS in CNC cells, indicating that both protocadherins can regulate CNC migration.
authors: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, KIT, Campus South, Zoological Institute, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany.
authors: Martina
authors: M
authors: Schneider
authors: Chaolie
authors: C
authors: Huang
authors: Sarah F S
authors: SF
authors: Becker
authors: Dietmar
authors: D
authors: Gradl
authors: Doris
authors: D
authors: Wedlich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001934:Branchial Region / Q000502:physiology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002465:Cell Movement; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000091363:Protocadherins; D014981:Xenopus / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; C455359:PCDH1 protein, Xenopus; C117635:Pcdh8 protein, Xenopus; D011498:Protein Precursors; D000091363:Protocadherins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C512856:pcdh8l protein, Xenopus
keywords: PCNS; cadherins; neural crest development