title: PTRN-1, a microtubule minus end-binding CAMSAP homolog, promotes microtubule function in Caenorhabditis elegans neurons.
abstract: In neuronal processes, microtubules (MTs) provide structural support and serve as tracks for molecular motors. While it is known that neuronal MTs are more stable than MTs in non-neuronal cells, the molecular mechanisms underlying this stability are not fully understood. In this study, we used live fluorescence microscopy to show that the C. elegans CAMSAP protein PTRN-1 localizes to puncta along neuronal processes, stabilizes MT foci, and promotes MT polymerization in neurites. Electron microscopy revealed that ptrn-1 null mutants have fewer MTs and abnormal MT organization in the PLM neuron. Animals grown with a MT depolymerizing drug caused synthetic defects in neurite branching in the absence of ptrn-1 function, indicating that PTRN-1 promotes MT stability. Further, ptrn-1 null mutants exhibited aberrant neurite morphology and synaptic vesicle localization that is partially dependent on dlk-1. Our results suggest that PTRN-1 represents an important mechanism for promoting MT stability in neurons. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01498.001.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.
authors.forename: Claire E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: Kerri A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Spilker
authors.forename: Juan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Cueva
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perrino
authors.forename: Miriam B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005838:Genotype; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism; D050257:Tubulin Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; C000599463:PTRN-1 protein, C elegans; D050257:Tubulin Modulators; C498050:DLK-1 protein, C elegans; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases
keywords: development; microtubules; neurons