title: MTM-6, a phosphoinositide phosphatase, is required to promote synapse formation in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Forming the proper number of synapses is crucial for normal neuronal development. We found that loss of function of the phosphoinositide phosphatase mtm-6 results in a reduction in the number of synaptic puncta. The reduction in synapses is partially the result of MTM-6 regulation of the secretion of the Wnt ligand EGL-20 from cells in the tail and partially the result of neuronal action. MTM-6 shows relative specificity for EGL-20 over the other Wnt ligands. We suggest that the ability of MTM-6 to regulate EGL-20 secretion is a function of its expression pattern. We conclude that regulation of secretion of different Wnt ligands can use different components. Additionally, we present a novel neuronal function for MTM-6.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Vivian R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Ericson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kerri A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Spilker
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Madina S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Tugizova
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D054558:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Non-Receptor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C117259:Egl-20 protein, C elegans; D006023:Glycoproteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; C501072:MTM-6 protein, C elegans; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D054558:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Non-Receptor