title: DISCO interacting protein 2 determines direction of axon projection under the regulation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase in the Drosophila mushroom body.
abstract: Precisely controlled axon guidance for complex neuronal wiring is essential for appropriate neuronal function. c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) was found to play a role in axon guidance recently as well as in cell proliferation, protection and apoptosis. In spite of many genetic and molecular studies on these biological processes regulated by JNK, how JNK regulates axon guidance accurately has not been fully explained thus far. To address this question, we use the Drosophila mushroom body (MB) as a model since the α/β axons project in two distinct directions. Here we show that DISCO interacting protein 2 (DIP2) is required for the accurate direction of axonal guidance. DIP2 expression is under the regulation of Basket (Bsk), the Drosophila homologue of JNK. We additionally found that the Bsk/DIP2 pathway is independent from the AP-1 transcriptional factor complex pathway, which is directly activated by Bsk. In conclusion, our findings revealed DIP2 as a novel effector downstream of Bsk modulating the direction of axon projection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience of Disease, Center for Transdisciplinary Research, Niigata University, Japan; Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Japan. Electronic address: ynitta@bri.niigata-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nitta
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience of Disease, Center for Transdisciplinary Research, Niigata University, Japan; Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Japan. Electronic address: atsushi.sugie@bri.niigata-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sugie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000071437:Axon Guidance / Q000502:physiology*; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004330:Drosophila / Q000502:physiology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D024521:Mushroom Bodies / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C465507:disco-interacting protein 2, Drosophila; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
keywords: Axonal guidance; DIP2; Drosophila; JNK; Mushroom body