| Abstract No.: | 308 |
| Country: | Canada |
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| Title: | NEURONAL ACTIVITY: WHEN THE GOOD TURNS UGLY |
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| Authors/Affiliations: | 1 Minh Dang Nguyen*;
1 University of Calgary, AB, Canada
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| Content: | There is an increasing body of literature pointing to cytoskeletal proteins as spatial organizers and interactors of organelles. Recently, we have identified p600 as a novel Microtubule-associated protein (MAP) developmentally regulated in neurons (Shim et al., J Neurosci, in press 2008). P600 exhibits the unique feature to interact with the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER). Silencing of p600 by RNAi destabilizes neuronal processes in young primary neurons undergoing neurite extension and containing scarce staining of the ER marker Bip. Furthermore, in utero electroporation of p600 RNAi alters neuronal migration, a process that depends on synergistic actions of MT dynamics and ER functions. P600-depleted migrating neurons display thin, crooked and “zigzag” leading process with very few ER membranes. Thus, p600 constitutes the only known MAP to associate with the ER in neurons and this interaction may impact on multiple cellular processes ranging from neuronal development to neuronal maturation and plasticity. In my talk, I will address the novel roles of p600 in the activity-dependent stabilization of dendrites and neuronal survival (unpublished). Our study provides a molecular basis to understand neurodegenerative disorders featuring disturbance in neuronal activity. |
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