The SINTN seminar series proudly presents

Franck Polleux

Membrane-deforming proteins, neuronal migration and morphogenesis

Franck Polleux PhD
Associate Professor
Neuroscience Center
Department of Pharmacology

Website: Polleux lab Web Site

Abstract:

During brain development, proper neuronal migration and morphogenesis is critical for the establishment of functional circuits. Both neuronal migration as well as axon and dendrite differentiation requires extensive membrane remodeling and cytoskeleton dynamics. Until recently, most studies in this field have focused on proteins directly regulating microtubules and actin cytoskeletal dynamics. However, recent evidence suggests that a new class of molecules directly controlling membrane deformation and dynamics (BAR-like superfamily subdivided into BAR / N-BAR, F-BAR, and I-BAR domains) regulate important cell biological processes ranging from membrane invagination (endocytosis) to membrane protrusion (filopodia formation). The most recently identified, the F-BAR subfamily, has mostly been studied in cell lines or more reductionist in vitro systems and the 23 human genes of this sub-family have poorly characterized functions in vivo.
We recently found that srGAP2 negatively regulates neuronal migration and induces neurite outgrowth and branching through the ability of its F-BAR domain to induce filopodia-like membrane protrusions resembling those induced by I-BAR domains in vivo and in vitro. These results (1) suggest that F-BAR domains are functionally diverse and (2) highlight the functional importance of proteins directly regulating membrane deformation for proper neuronal migration and morphogenesis.

Recent Papers:

[1] Guerrier, S. Coutinho-Budd J., Sassa T., Vincent-Jordan N., Frost A., and Polleux F. (2009) srGAP2 regulates neuronal migration through the ability of its F-BAR domain to induce filopodia-like membrane protrusions. Cell In press (publication Aug 23 2009).

[2] Barnes A.P., Lilley B., Pan, A. Plummer L, Powell A., Raines, A, Sanes J.R., Polleux F. (2007) LKB1 and SAD kinases define a pathway required for the polarization of cortical neurons. Cell 129 :549-563.

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