Dynein-dynactin complex is essential for dendritic restriction of TM1-containing Drosophila Dscam.

oleh: Jacob Shun-Jen Yang, Jia-Min Bai, Tzumin Lee

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2008-01-01

Deskripsi

BACKGROUND:Many membrane proteins, including Drosophila Dscam, are enriched in dendrites or axons within neurons. However, little is known about how the differential distribution is established and maintained. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Here we investigated the mechanisms underlying the dendritic targeting of Dscam[TM1]. Through forward genetic mosaic screens and by silencing specific genes via targeted RNAi, we found that several genes, encoding various components of the dynein-dynactin complex, are required for restricting Dscam[TM1] to the mushroom body dendrites. In contrast, compromising dynein/dynactin function did not affect dendritic targeting of two other dendritic markers, Nod and Rdl. Tracing newly synthesized Dscam[TM1] further revealed that compromising dynein/dynactin function did not affect the initial dendritic targeting of Dscam[TM1], but disrupted the maintenance of its restriction to dendrites. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:The results of this study suggest multiple mechanisms of dendritic protein targeting. Notably, dynein-dynactin plays a role in excluding dendritic Dscam, but not Rdl, from axons by retrograde transport.