Abstract
Rac GTPases control cell shape by regulating downstream effectors that influence the actin cytoskeleton. UNC-115, a putative actin-binding protein similar to human abLIM/limatin, has previously been implicated in axon pathfinding. We have discovered the role of UNC-115 as a downstream cytoskeletal effector of Rac signaling in axon pathfinding. We show that unc-115 double mutants with ced-10 Rac, mig-2 Rac or unc-73 GEF but not with rac-2/3 Rac displayed synthetic axon pathfinding defects, and that loss of unc-115 function suppressed the formation of ectopic plasma membrane extensions induced by constitutively-active rac-2 in neurons. Furthermore, we show that UNC-115 can bind to actin filaments. Thus, UNC-115 is an actin-binding protein that acts downstream of Rac signaling in axon pathfinding.
Publication types
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Actins / metabolism*
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Animals, Genetically Modified
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Axons / physiology*
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Caenorhabditis elegans / physiology*
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism*
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Cell Membrane / metabolism
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Cell Membrane / ultrastructure
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Green Fluorescent Proteins
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Luminescent Proteins / genetics
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Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
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Microfilament Proteins / genetics
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Microfilament Proteins / metabolism*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Mutation
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
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Neurons / metabolism
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Neurons / pathology
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RAC2 GTP-Binding Protein
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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rac GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics
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rac GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
Substances
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Actins
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CED-10 protein, C elegans
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Luminescent Proteins
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Microfilament Proteins
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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UNC-115 protein, C elegans
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UNC-73 protein, C elegans
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Green Fluorescent Proteins
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Mig-2 protein, C elegans
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rac GTP-Binding Proteins