title: Conserved RNA-binding proteins required for dendrite morphogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans sensory neurons.
abstract: The regulation of dendritic branching is critical for sensory reception, cell-cell communication within the nervous system, learning, memory, and behavior. Defects in dendrite morphology are associated with several neurologic disorders; thus, an understanding of the molecular mechanisms that govern dendrite morphogenesis is important. Recent investigations of dendrite morphogenesis have highlighted the importance of gene regulation at the posttranscriptional level. Because RNA-binding proteins mediate many posttranscriptional mechanisms, we decided to investigate the extent to which conserved RNA-binding proteins contribute to dendrite morphogenesis across phyla. Here we identify a core set of RNA-binding proteins that are important for dendrite morphogenesis in the PVD multidendritic sensory neuron in Caenorhabditis elegans. Homologs of each of these genes were previously identified as important in the Drosophila melanogaster dendritic arborization sensory neurons. Our results suggest that RNA processing, mRNA localization, mRNA stability, and translational control are all important mechanisms that contribute to dendrite morphogenesis, and we present a conserved set of RNA-binding proteins that regulate these processes in diverse animal species. Furthermore, homologs of these genes are expressed in the human brain, suggesting that these RNA-binding proteins are candidate regulators of dendrite development in humans.
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.
authors: Simona
authors: S
authors: Antonacci
authors: Department of Biology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80918.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Forand
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.
authors: Margaret
authors: M
authors: Wolf
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.
authors: Courtney
authors: C
authors: Tyus
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.
authors: Julia
authors: J
authors: Barney
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.
authors: Leah
authors: L
authors: Kellogg
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.
authors: Margo A
authors: MA
authors: Simon
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.
authors: Genevieve
authors: G
authors: Kerr
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.
authors: Kristen L
authors: KL
authors: Wells
authors: Department of Biology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80918.
authors: Serena
authors: S
authors: Younes
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado 80208.
authors: Nathan T
authors: NT
authors: Mortimer
authors: Department of Biology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80918 eolesnic@uccs.edu darrell.killian@coloradocollege.edu.
authors: Eugenia C
authors: EC
authors: Olesnicky
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903 eolesnic@uccs.edu darrell.killian@coloradocollege.edu.
authors: Darrell J
authors: DJ
authors: Killian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism*; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D034622:RNA Interference; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins
keywords: Caenorhabditis elegans; PVD neurons; RNA-binding proteins; dendrite morphogenesis; posttranscriptional regulation