Work

Coupled local translation and degradation regulate growth cone collapse

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: Local translation mediates axonal responses to Semaphorin3A (Sema3A) and other guidance cues. However, only a subset of the axonal proteome is locally synthesized, whereas most proteins are trafficked from the soma. The reason why only specific proteins are locally synthesized is unknown. Here we show that local protein synthesis and degradation are linked events in growth cones. We find that growth cones exhibit high levels of ubiquitination and that local signalling pathways trigger the ubiquitination and degradation of RhoA, a mediator of Sema3A-induced growth cone collapse. Inhibition of RhoA degradation is sufficient to remove the protein-synthesis requirement for Sema3A-induced growth cone collapse. In addition to RhoA, we find that locally translated proteins are the main targets of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in growth cones. Thus, local protein degradation is a major feature of growth cones and creates a requirement for local translation to replenish proteins needed to maintain growth cone responses. Local protein translation regulates growth cone dynamics in response to guidance cues. Here the authors show that locally translated proteins are the main targets of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and that local signalling promotes the ubiquitination and degradation of RhoA, leading to growth cone collapse.

Source: Nature Communications

DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7888

Authors: Alessia Deglincerti, Yaobin Liu, Dilek Colak, Ulrich Hengst, Guoqiang Xu, Samie R. Jaffrey

Institutions: Cornell University, Weill Cornell Medicine, Soochow University

Language: English

Topic: Axon Guidance and Neuronal Signaling

Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $6,990