title: Dendrite arborization requires the dynein cofactor NudE.
abstract: The microtubule-based molecular motor dynein is essential for proper neuronal morphogenesis. Dynein activity is regulated by cofactors, and the role(s) of these cofactors in shaping neuronal structure are still being elucidated. Using Drosophila melanogaster, we reveal that the loss of the dynein cofactor NudE results in abnormal dendrite arborization. Our data show that NudE associates with Golgi outposts, which mediate dendrite branching, suggesting that NudE normally influences dendrite patterning by regulating Golgi outpost transport. Neurons lacking NudE also have increased microtubule dynamics, reflecting a change in microtubule stability that is likely to also contribute to abnormal dendrite growth and branching. These defects in dendritogenesis are rescued by elevating levels of Lis1, another dynein cofactor that interacts with NudE as part of a tripartite complex. Our data further show that the NudE C-terminus is dispensable for dendrite morphogenesis and is likely to modulate NudE activity. We propose that a key function of NudE is to enhance an interaction between Lis1 and dynein that is crucial for motor activity and dendrite architecture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Ashley L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Arthur
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Sihui Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA Biochemistry Scholars Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Allison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abellaneda
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA wildonger@wisc.edu.
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wildonger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000378:metabolism; D004398:Dyneins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; C543399:NudE protein, Drosophila; D004398:Dyneins
keywords: Dendrite patterning; Drosophila; Dynein; Microtubules; Nde1; Ndel1; NudE