Dema, A. ; Charafeddine, R.A.* ; van Haren, J.* ; Rahgozar, S.* ; Viola, G.* ; Jacobs, K.A.* ; Kutys, M.L.* ; Wittmann, T.*
Doublecortin reinforces microtubules to promote growth cone advance in soft environments.
Curr. Biol. 34, 5822-5832.e5 (2024)
Doublecortin (DCX) is a microtubule (MT)-associated protein in immature neurons. DCX is essential for early brain development,1 and DCX mutations account for nearly a quarter of all cases of lissencephaly-spectrum brain malformations2,3 that arise from a neuronal migration failure through the developing cortex.4 By analyzing pathogenic DCX missense mutations in non-neuronal cells, we show that disruption of MT binding is central to DCX pathology. In human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cortical i3Neurons, genome edited to express DCX-mEmerald from the endogenous locus, DCX-MT interactions polarize very early during neuron morphogenesis. DCX interacts with MTs through two conserved DCX domains5,6 that bind between protofilaments and adjacent tubulin dimers,7 a site that changes conformation during guano- sine triphosphate (GTP) hydrolysis.8 Consequently and consistent with our previous results,5 DCX specifically binds straight growth cone MTs and is excluded from the GTP/guanosine diphosphate (GDP)-inorganic phosphate (Pi) cap recognized by end-binding proteins (EBs). Comparing MT-bound DCX fluorescence to mEmerald-tagged nanocage standards, we measure approximately one hundred DCX molecules per micrometer growth cone MT. DCX is required for i3Neuron growth cone advance in soft microenvironments that mimic the viscoelasticity of brain tissue, and using high-resolution traction force microscopy, we find that growth cones produce comparatively small and transient traction forces. Given our finding that DCX stabilizes MTs in the growth cone periphery by inhibiting MT depolymerization, we propose that DCX contributes to growth cone biomechanics and reinforces the growth cone cytoskeleton to counteract actomyosin-generated contractile forces in soft physiological environments in which weak and transient adhesion-mediated traction may be insufficient for productive growth cone advance.
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Publikationstyp
Artikel: Journalartikel
Dokumenttyp
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel
Typ der Hochschulschrift
Herausgeber
Schlagwörter
Mutations; Dynamics; Kinase; Heterotopia; Recognizes; Protein
Keywords plus
Sprache
englisch
Veröffentlichungsjahr
2024
Prepublished im Jahr
0
HGF-Berichtsjahr
2024
ISSN (print) / ISBN
0960-9822
e-ISSN
1879-0445
ISBN
Bandtitel
Konferenztitel
Konferzenzdatum
Konferenzort
Konferenzband
Quellenangaben
Band: 34,
Heft: 24,
Seiten: 5822-5832.e5
Artikelnummer: ,
Supplement: ,
Reihe
Verlag
Elsevier
Verlagsort
50 Hampshire St, Floor 5, Cambridge, Ma 02139 Usa
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0000-00-00
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Gutachter
Prüfer
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Hochschule
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Veröffentlichungsdatum
0000-00-00
Anmeldedatum
0000-00-00
Anmelder/Inhaber
weitere Inhaber
Anmeldeland
Priorität
Begutachtungsstatus
Peer reviewed
POF Topic(s)
30201 - Metabolic Health
Forschungsfeld(er)
Helmholtz Diabetes Center
PSP-Element(e)
G-502301-001
Förderungen
UCSF Research Allocation Program
Copyright
Erfassungsdatum
2025-01-16