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Polarity in Migrating Neurons Is Related to a Mechanism Analogous to Cytokinesis
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Polarity in Migrating Neurons Is Related to a Mechanism Analogous to Cytokinesis

Aditi Falnikar, Shubha Tole, Mei Liu, Judy S Liu and Peter W Baas
Current biology, v 23(13), pp 1215-1220
08 Jul 2013
PMID: 23791725
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2013.05.027View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Migrating neurons are bipolar, with a leading process and a trailing process [1]. The proximal region of the leading process displays a concentration of F-actin that contributes to the advance of the soma and the centrosome [2–7]. Here, we show that kinesin-6, a microtubule-based motor protein best known for its role in cytokinesis, also concentrates in this region. Depletion of kinesin-6 results in multipolar neurons that either are stationary or continuously change their direction of movement. In such neurons, F-actin no longer concentrates in a single process. During cytokinesis, kinesin-6 forms a complex with a Rho-family GTPase-activating protein called MgcRacGAP to signal to the actin cytoskeleton so that cortical movements are concentrated in the cleavage furrow [8–13]. During neuronal migration, MgcRacGap also concentrates in the proximal region of the leading process, and inhibition of its activity results in a phenotype similar to kinesin-6 depletion. We conclude that neuronal migration utilizes a cytoskeletal pathway analogous to cytokinesis, with kinesin-6 signaling through MgcRacGap to the actin cytoskeleton to constrain process number and restrict protrusive activity to a single leading process, thus resulting in a bipolar neuron able to move in a directed fashion. [Display omitted] •Depletion of kinesin-6 perturbs directed neuronal migration•Kinesin-6 localizes in and directs actin filaments to the proximal leading process•Depletion of kinesin-6 results in a multipolar neuron with no leading process•Mechanisms that regulate cytokinesis are repurposed for neuronal migration

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
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Web of Science research areas
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Biology
Cell Biology
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