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Fawcett JP, Georgiou J, Ruston J, Bladt F, Sherman A, Warner N, Saab BJ, Scott R, Roder JC, Pawson T. Nck adaptor proteins control the organization of neuronal circuits important for walking. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007; 104:20973-8. [PMID: 18093944 PMCID: PMC2409251 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0710316105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2007] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The intracellular signaling targets used by mammalian axon guidance receptors to organize the nervous system in vivo are unclear. The Nck1 and Nck2 SH2/SH3 adaptors (collectively Nck) can couple phosphotyrosine (pTyr) signals to reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and are therefore candidates for linking guidance cues to the regulatory machinery of the cytoskeleton. We find that selective inactivation of Nck in the murine nervous system causes a hopping gait and a defect in the spinal central pattern generator, which is characterized by synchronous firing of bilateral ventral motor neurons. Nck-deficient mice also show abnormal projections of corticospinal tract axons and defective development of the posterior tract of the anterior commissure. These phenotypes are consistent with a role for Nck in signaling initiated by different classes of guidance receptors, including the EphA4 receptor tyrosine kinase. Our data indicate that Nck adaptors couple pTyr guidance signals to cytoskeletal events required for the ipsilateral projections of spinal cord neurons and thus for normal limb movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P. Fawcett
- *Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5
- Departments of Pharmacology and Surgery, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 1X5
| | - John Georgiou
- *Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5
| | - Julie Ruston
- *Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5
| | - Friedhelm Bladt
- *Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5
| | - Andrew Sherman
- *Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5
- Department of Medical Genetics and Microbiology, University of Toronto, 1 Kings College Circle, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A8; and
| | - Neil Warner
- *Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5
- Department of Medical Genetics and Microbiology, University of Toronto, 1 Kings College Circle, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A8; and
| | - Bechara J. Saab
- *Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5
- Department of Medical Genetics and Microbiology, University of Toronto, 1 Kings College Circle, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A8; and
| | - Rizaldy Scott
- *Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5
| | - John C. Roder
- *Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5
- Department of Medical Genetics and Microbiology, University of Toronto, 1 Kings College Circle, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A8; and
| | - Tony Pawson
- *Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5
- Department of Medical Genetics and Microbiology, University of Toronto, 1 Kings College Circle, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A8; and
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