Periodic actin structures in neuronal axons are required to maintain microtubules

Actomyosin-II protects axons from degeneration induced by mild mechanical stress

Whether, to what extent, and how the axons in the central nervous system (CNS) can withstand sudden mechanical impacts remain unclear. By using a microfluidic device to apply controlled transverse mechanical stress to axons, we determined the stress levels that most axons can withstand and explored their instant responses at nanoscale resolution. We found mild stress triggers a highly reversible, rapid axon beading response, driven by actomyosin-II-dependent dynamic diameter modulations. This mechanism contributes to hindering the long-range spread of stress-induced Ca2+ elevations into non-stressed neuronal regions. Through pharmacological and molecular manipulations in vitro, we found that actomyosin-II inactivation diminishes the reversible beading process, fostering progressive Ca2+ spreading and thereby increasing acute axonal degeneration in stressed axons. Conversely, upregulating actomyosin-II activity prevents the progression of initial injury, protecting stressed axons from acute degeneration both in vitro and in vivo. Our study unveils the periodic actomyosin-II in axon shafts cortex as a novel protective mechanism, shielding neurons from detrimental effects caused by mechanical stress.

The Axonal Actin Filament Cytoskeleton: Structure, Function, and Relevance to Injury and Degeneration

Early investigations of the neuronal actin filament cytoskeleton gave rise to the notion that, although growth cones exhibit high levels of actin filaments, the axon shaft exhibits low levels of actin filaments. With the development of new tools and imaging techniques, the axonal actin filament cytoskeleton has undergone a renaissance and is now an active field of research. This article reviews the current state of knowledge about the actin cytoskeleton of the axon shaft. The best understood forms of actin filament organization along axons are axonal actin patches and a submembranous system of rings that endow the axon with protrusive competency and structural integrity, respectively. Additional forms of actin filament organization along the axon have also been described and their roles are being elucidated. Extracellular signals regulate the axonal actin filament cytoskeleton and our understanding of the signaling mechanisms involved is being elaborated. Finally, recent years have seen advances in our perspective on how the axonal actin cytoskeleton is impacted by, and contributes to, axon injury and degeneration. The work to date has opened new venues and future research will undoubtedly continue to provide a richer understanding of the axonal actin filament cytoskeleton.

Using ALS to understand profilin 1's diverse roles in cellular physiology

Profilin is an actin monomer-binding protein whose role in actin polymerization has been studied for nearly 50 years. While its principal biochemical features are now well understood, many questions remain about how profilin controls diverse processes within the cell. Dysregulation of profilin has been implicated in a broad range of human diseases, including neurodegeneration, inflammatory disorders, cardiac disease, and cancer. For example, mutations in the profilin 1 gene (PFN1) can cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), although the precise mechanisms that drive neurodegeneration remain unclear. While initial work suggested proteostasis and actin cytoskeleton defects as the main pathological pathways, multiple novel functions for PFN1 have since been discovered that may also contribute to ALS, including the regulation of nucleocytoplasmic transport, stress granules, mitochondria, and microtubules. Here, we will review these newly discovered roles for PFN1, speculate on their contribution to ALS, and discuss how defects in actin can contribute to these processes. By understanding profilin 1's involvement in ALS pathogenesis, we hope to gain insight into this functionally complex protein with significant influence over cellular physiology.

Cell adhesion and actin dynamics factors promote axonal extension and synapse formation in transplanted Drosophila photoreceptor cells

Vision is formed by the transmission of light stimuli to the brain through axons extending from photoreceptor cells. Damage to these axons leads to loss of vision. Despite research on neural circuit regeneration through transplantation, achieving precise axon projection remains challenging. To achieve optic nerve regeneration by transplantation, we employed the Drosophila visual system. We previously established a transplantation method for Drosophila utilizing photoreceptor precursor cells extracted from the eye disc. However, little axonal elongation of transplanted cells into the brain, the lamina, was observed. We verified axonal elongation to the lamina by modifying the selection process for transplanted cells. Moreover, we focused on N-cadherin (Ncad), a cell adhesion factor, and Twinstar (Tsr), which has been shown to promote actin reorganization and induce axon elongation in damaged nerves. Overexpression of Ncad and tsr promoted axon elongation to the lamina, along with presynaptic structure formation in the elongating axons. Furthermore, overexpression of Neurexin-1 (Nrx-1), encoding a protein identified as a synaptic organizer, was found to not only promote presynapse formation but also enhance axon elongation. By introducing Ncad, tsr, and Nrx-1, we not only successfully achieved axonal projection of transplanted cells to the brain beyond the retina, but also confirmed the projection of transplanted cells into a deeper ganglion, the medulla. The present study offers valuable insights to realize regeneration through transplantation in a more complex nervous system.

Neuronal ageing is promoted by the decay of the microtubule cytoskeleton

Natural ageing is accompanied by a decline in motor, sensory, and cognitive functions, all impacting quality of life. Ageing is also the predominant risk factor for many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. We need to therefore gain a better understanding of the cellular and physiological processes underlying age-related neuronal decay. However, gaining this understanding is a slow process due to the large amount of time required to age mammalian or vertebrate animal models. Here, we introduce a new cellular model within the Drosophila brain, in which we report classical ageing hallmarks previously observed in the primate brain. These hallmarks include axonal swellings, cytoskeletal decay, a reduction in axonal calibre, and morphological changes arising at synaptic terminals. In the fly brain, these changes begin to occur within a few weeks, ideal to study the underlying mechanisms of ageing. We discovered that the decay of the neuronal microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton precedes the onset of other ageing hallmarks. We showed that the MT-binding factors Tau, EB1, and Shot/MACF1, are necessary for MT maintenance in axons and synapses, and that their functional loss during ageing triggers MT bundle decay, followed by a decline in axons and synaptic terminals. Furthermore, genetic manipulations that improve MT networks slowed down the onset of neuronal ageing hallmarks and confer aged specimens the ability to outperform age-matched controls. Our work suggests that MT networks are a key lesion site in ageing neurons and therefore the MT cytoskeleton offers a promising target to improve neuronal decay in advanced age.

Microtubules as a signal hub for axon growth in response to mechanical force

Microtubules are highly polar structures and are characterized by high anisotropy and stiffness. In neurons, they play a key role in the directional transport of vesicles and organelles. In the neuronal projections called axons, they form parallel bundles, mostly oriented with the plus-end towards the axonal termination. Their physico-chemical properties have recently attracted attention as a potential candidate in sensing, processing and transducing physical signals generated by mechanical forces. Here, we discuss the main evidence supporting the role of microtubules as a signal hub for axon growth in response to a traction force. Applying a tension to the axon appears to stabilize the microtubules, which, in turn, coordinate a modulation of axonal transport, local translation and their cross-talk. We speculate on the possible mechanisms modulating microtubule dynamics under tension, based on evidence collected in neuronal and non-neuronal cell types. However, the fundamental question of the causal relationship between these mechanisms is still elusive because the mechano-sensitive element in this chain has not yet been identified.

The response of Dual-Leucine Zipper Kinase (DLK) to nocodazole: evidence for a homeostatic cytoskeletal repair mechanism

Genetic and pharmacological perturbation of the cytoskeleton enhances the regenerative potential of neurons. This response requires Dual-leucine Zipper Kinase (DLK), a neuronal stress sensor that is a central regulator of axon regeneration and degeneration. The damage and repair aspects of this response are reminiscent of other cellular homeostatic systems, suggesting that a cytoskeletal homeostatic response exists. In this study, we propose a framework for understanding DLK mediated neuronal cytoskeletal homeostasis. We demonstrate that a) low dose nocodazole treatment activates DLK signaling and b) DLK signaling mitigates the microtubule damage caused by the cytoskeletal perturbation. We also perform RNA-seq to discover a DLK-dependent transcriptional signature. This signature includes genes likely to attenuate DLK signaling while simultaneously inducing actin regulating genes and promoting actin-based morphological changes to the axon. These results are consistent with the model that cytoskeletal disruption in the neuron induces a DLK-dependent homeostatic mechanism, which we term the Cytoskeletal Stress Response (CSR) pathway.

How neurons maintain their axons long-term: an integrated view of axon biology and pathology

Axons are processes of neurons, up to a metre long, that form the essential biological cables wiring nervous systems. They must survive, often far away from their cell bodies and up to a century in humans. This requires self-sufficient cell biology including structural proteins, organelles, and membrane trafficking, metabolic, signalling, translational, chaperone, and degradation machinery-all maintaining the homeostasis of energy, lipids, proteins, and signalling networks including reactive oxygen species and calcium. Axon maintenance also involves specialised cytoskeleton including the cortical actin-spectrin corset, and bundles of microtubules that provide the highways for motor-driven transport of components and organelles for virtually all the above-mentioned processes. Here, we aim to provide a conceptual overview of key aspects of axon biology and physiology, and the homeostatic networks they form. This homeostasis can be derailed, causing axonopathies through processes of ageing, trauma, poisoning, inflammation or genetic mutations. To illustrate which malfunctions of organelles or cell biological processes can lead to axonopathies, we focus on axonopathy-linked subcellular defects caused by genetic mutations. Based on these descriptions and backed up by our comprehensive data mining of genes linked to neural disorders, we describe the 'dependency cycle of local axon homeostasis' as an integrative model to explain why very different causes can trigger very similar axonopathies, providing new ideas that can drive the quest for strategies able to battle these devastating diseases.

Dynamics of the axon plasma membrane skeleton

It was recently revealed via super-resolution microscopy experiments that the axon plasma membrane skeleton (APMS) comprises a series of periodically arranged azimuthal actin rings connected via longitudinal spectrin filaments forming an orthotropic network. The common perception is that APMS enhances structural stability of the axon but its impact on axon deformation is unknown. To investigate the response of the APMS to extension, we introduce a coarse-grain molecular dynamics model consisting of actin particles forming rings and chains of particles representing spectrin tetramers with repeats than can unfold. We observe that the shape of force-extension curve is initially linear and the force level depends on the extension rate. Even during the initial deformation stage, unfolding of spectrin repeats occurs, but the saw-tooth shape of the corresponding force-extension curve observed in the case of one spectrin tetramer does not appear in the case of the entire APMS. The reason is that spectrin unfolding is not synchronized across filaments during extension. If actin-spectrin associations remain intact, the force-extension response reaches a perfectly plastic region because of increased spectrin unfolding frequency. However, when actin-spectrin links dissociate, which can happen at moderate and high extension rates, APMS softens and the resistance force decreases linearly as the axon elongates until it reaches a point where the APMS is completely severed. Furthermore, when the ring-to-ring distance is maintained fixed under stretch, the resistance force relaxes exponentially as a function of time due to additional unfolding of spectrin tetramers following the Kelvin-Voigt representation of the Zener model.

Spectrins: molecular organizers and targets of neurological disorders

Spectrins are cytoskeletal proteins that are expressed ubiquitously in the mammalian nervous system. Pathogenic variants in SPTAN1, SPTBN1, SPTBN2 and SPTBN4, four of the six genes encoding neuronal spectrins, cause neurological disorders. Despite their structural similarity and shared role as molecular organizers at the cell membrane, spectrins vary in expression, subcellular localization and specialization in neurons, and this variation partly underlies non-overlapping disease presentations across spectrinopathies. Here, we summarize recent progress in discerning the local and long-range organization and diverse functions of neuronal spectrins. We provide an overview of functional studies using mouse models, which, together with growing human genetic and clinical data, are helping to illuminate the aetiology of neurological spectrinopathies. These approaches are all critical on the path to plausible therapeutic solutions.

Pathology of Initial Axon Segments in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy and Related Disorders

The diagnosis of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is based on a combination of clinical, electrodiagnostic and laboratory features. The different entities of the disease include chronic immune sensory polyradiculopathy (CISP) and autoimmune nodopathies. It is debatable whether CIDP occurring in the course of other conditions, i.e., monoclonal IgG or IgA gammopathy, should be treated as a separate disease entity from idiopathic CIDP. This study aims to evaluate the molecular differences of the nodes of Ranvier and the initial axon segment (AIS) and juxtaparanode region (JXP) as the potential cause of phenotypic variation of CIDP while also seeking new pathomechanisms since JXP is sequestered behind the paranode and autoantibodies may not access the site easily. The authors initially present the structure of the different parts of the neuron and its functional significance, then discuss the problem of whether damage to the juxtaparanodal region, Schwann cells and axons could cause CIDP or if these damages should be separated as separate disease entities. In particular, AIS's importance for modulating neural excitability and carrying out transport along the axon is highlighted. The disclosure of specific pathomechanisms, including novel target antigens, in the heterogeneous CIDP syndrome is important for diagnosing and treating these patients.

TIAM-1 differentially regulates dendritic and axonal microtubule organization in patterning neuronal development through its multiple domains

Axon and dendrite development require the cooperation of actin and microtubule cytoskeletons. Microtubules form a well-organized network to direct polarized trafficking and support neuronal processes formation with distinct actin structures. However, it is largely unknown how cytoskeleton regulators differentially regulate microtubule organization in axon and dendrite development. Here, we characterize the role of actin regulators in axon and dendrite development and show that the RacGEF TIAM-1 regulates dendritic patterns through its N-terminal domains and suppresses axon growth through its C-terminal domains. TIAM-1 maintains plus-end-out microtubule orientation in posterior dendrites and prevents the accumulation of microtubules in the axon. In somatodendritic regions, TIAM-1 interacts with UNC-119 and stabilizes the organization between actin filaments and microtubules. UNC-119 is required for TIAM-1 to control axon growth, and its expression levels determine axon length. Taken together, TIAM-1 regulates neuronal microtubule organization and patterns axon and dendrite development respectively through its different domains.

The cell cortex-localized protein CHDP-1 is required for dendritic development and transport in C. elegans neurons

Cortical actin, a thin layer of actin network underneath the plasma membranes, plays critical roles in numerous processes, such as cell morphogenesis and migration. Neurons often grow highly branched dendrite morphologies, which is crucial for neural circuit assembly. It is still poorly understood how cortical actin assembly is controlled in dendrites and whether it is critical for dendrite development, maintenance and function. In the present study, we find that knock-out of C. elegans chdp-1, which encodes a cell cortex-localized protein, causes dendrite formation defects in the larval stages and spontaneous dendrite degeneration in adults. Actin assembly in the dendritic growth cones is significantly reduced in the chdp-1 mutants. PVD neurons sense muscle contraction and act as proprioceptors. Loss of chdp-1 abolishes proprioception, which can be rescued by expressing CHDP-1 in the PVD neurons. In the high-ordered branches, loss of chdp-1 also severely affects the microtubule cytoskeleton assembly, intracellular organelle transport and neuropeptide secretion. Interestingly, knock-out of sax-1, which encodes an evolutionary conserved serine/threonine protein kinase, suppresses the defects mentioned above in chdp-1 mutants. Thus, our findings suggest that CHDP-1 and SAX-1 function in an opposing manner in the multi-dendritic neurons to modulate cortical actin assembly, which is critical for dendrite development, maintenance and function.

Neurons often grow highly-branched cell protrusions called “dendrites” to receive signals from the environment or other neurons. Inside these cells, two types of cytoskeletons, known as the actin cytoskeleton and microtubule cytoskeleton, play essential roles during dendritic branching, growth and function. However, it is not fully understood how the dynamics of the neuronal cytoskeletons are controlled. Using the nematode C. elegans (a tiny roundworm found in the soil) as a research model, we found that CHDP-1, a protein localized on the cell cortex, plays a vital role in the formation of actin and microtubule cytoskeleton in the dendrites. Mutations in chdp-1 cause defective dendrite branching and transport of intracellular organelles. chdp-1 mutants cannot secrete neuropeptides from the PVD dendrites to module the muscle contraction. Surprisingly, mutating a gene called sax-1, which encodes a protein kinase, restores dendrite formation and organelle transport. Our findings reveal novel regulatory mechanisms for dendritic cytoskeleton assembly and intracellular transport.

The core PCP protein Prickle2 regulates axon number and AIS maturation by binding to AnkG and modulating microtubule bundling

Core planar cell polarity (PCP) genes, which are involved in various neurodevelopmental disorders such as neural tube closure, epilepsy, and autism spectrum disorder, have poorly defined molecular signatures in neurons, mostly synapse-centric. Here, we show that the core PCP protein Prickle-like protein 2 (Prickle2) controls neuronal polarity and is a previously unidentified member of the axonal initial segment (AIS) proteome. We found that Prickle2 is present and colocalizes with AnkG480, the AIS master organizer, in the earliest stages of axonal specification and AIS formation. Furthermore, by binding to and regulating AnkG480, Prickle2 modulates its ability to bundle microtubules, a crucial mechanism for establishing neuronal polarity and AIS formation. Prickle2 depletion alters cytoskeleton organization, and Prickle2 levels determine both axon number and AIS maturation. Last, early Prickle2 depletion produces impaired action potential firing.

Revealing nanostructures in brain tissue via protein decrowding by iterative expansion microscopy

Many crowded biomolecular structures in cells and tissues are inaccessible to labelling antibodies. To understand how proteins within these structures are arranged with nanoscale precision therefore requires that these structures be decrowded before labelling. Here we show that an iterative variant of expansion microscopy (the permeation of cells and tissues by a swellable hydrogel followed by isotropic hydrogel expansion, to allow for enhanced imaging resolution with ordinary microscopes) enables the imaging of nanostructures in expanded yet otherwise intact tissues at a resolution of about 20 nm. The method, which we named 'expansion revealing' and validated with DNA-probe-based super-resolution microscopy, involves gel-anchoring reagents and the embedding, expansion and re-embedding of the sample in homogeneous swellable hydrogels. Expansion revealing enabled us to use confocal microscopy to image the alignment of pre-synaptic calcium channels with post-synaptic scaffolding proteins in intact brain circuits, and to uncover periodic amyloid nanoclusters containing ion-channel proteins in brain tissue from a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Expansion revealing will enable the further discovery of previously unseen nanostructures within cells and tissues.

Mechanical role of the submembrane spectrin scaffold in red blood cells and neurons

Spectrins are large, evolutionarily well-conserved proteins that form highly organized scaffolds on the inner surface of eukaryotic cells. Their organization in different cell types or cellular compartments helps cells withstand mechanical challenges with unique strategies depending on the cell type. This Review discusses our understanding of the mechanical properties of spectrins, their very distinct organization in red blood cells and neurons as two examples, and the contribution of the scaffolds they form to the mechanical properties of these cells.

Chitin deacetylases are necessary for insect femur muscle attachment and mobility

We show that interfering with insect chitin deacetylation by down-regulation of specific chitin deacetylase (CDA) isoforms, belonging to subfamily group I, causes breakage of the chitinous internal tendon cuticle at the femur–tibia joint, muscle detachment from both internal and external tendon cells, and defective locomotion. Our studies reveal a previously unrecognized role of CDA-like proteins in cooperation with zona pellucida domain-containing proteins in musculoskeletal connectivity, maintenance of tendon cell microtubule integrity, muscle force transmission, limb movement, and locomotion. We propose an essential function for group I CDAs, which are highly conserved among insect and other arthropod species, in invertebrate musculoskeletal connectivity involving partially deacetylated chitin in the extracellular matrix overlying the tendon cells.

Muscle attachment sites (MASs, apodemes) in insects and other arthropods involve specialized epithelial cells, called tendon cells or tenocytes, that adhere to apical extracellular matrices containing chitin. Here, we have uncovered a function for chitin deacetylases (CDAs) in arthropod locomotion and muscle attachment using a double-stranded RNA-mediated gene-silencing approach targeted toward specific CDA isoforms in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Tc). Depletion of TcCDA1 or the alternatively spliced TcCDA2 isoform, TcCDA2a, resulted in internal tendon cuticle breakage at the femur–tibia joint, muscle detachment from both internal and external tendon cells, and defective locomotion. TcCDA deficiency did not affect early muscle development and myofiber growth toward the cuticular MASs but instead resulted in aborted microtubule development, loss of hemiadherens junctions, and abnormal morphology of tendon cells, all features consistent with a loss of tension within and between cells. Moreover, simultaneous depletion of TcCDA1 or TcCDA2a and the zona pellucida domain protein, TcDumpy, prevented the internal tendon cuticle break, further supporting a role for force-dependent interactions between muscle and tendon cells. We propose that in T. castaneum, the absence of N-acetylglucosamine deacetylation within chitin leads to a loss of microtubule organization and reduced membrane contacts at MASs in the femur, which adversely affect musculoskeletal connectivity, force transmission, and physical mobility.

Proteomic and functional analyses of the periodic membrane skeleton in neurons

Actin, spectrin, and associated molecules form a membrane-associated periodic skeleton (MPS) in neurons. The molecular composition and functions of the MPS remain incompletely understood. Here, using co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, we identified hundreds of potential candidate MPS-interacting proteins that span diverse functional categories. We examined representative proteins in several of these categories using super-resolution imaging, including previously unknown MPS structural components, as well as motor proteins, cell adhesion molecules, ion channels, and signaling proteins, and observed periodic distributions characteristic of the MPS along the neurites for ~20 proteins. Genetic perturbations of the MPS and its interacting proteins further suggested functional roles of the MPS in axon-axon and axon-dendrite interactions and in axon diameter regulation, and implicated the involvement of MPS interactions with cell adhesion molecules and non-muscle myosin in these roles. These results provide insights into the interactome of the MPS and suggest previously unknown functions of the MPS in neurons.

Re-evaluating the actin-dependence of spectraplakin functions during axon growth and maintenance

Axons are the long and slender processes of neurons constituting the biological cables that wire the nervous system. The growth and maintenance of axons require loose microtubule bundles that extend through their entire length. Understanding microtubule regulation is therefore an essential aspect of axon biology. Key regulators of neuronal microtubules are the spectraplakins, a well-conserved family of cytoskeletal cross-linkers that underlie neuropathies in mouse and humans. Spectraplakin deficiency in mouse or Drosophila causes severe decay of microtubule bundles and reduced axon growth. The underlying mechanisms are best understood for Drosophila's spectraplakin Short stop (Shot) and believed to involve cytoskeletal cross-linkage: Shot's binding to microtubules and Eb1 via its C-terminus has been thoroughly investigated, whereas its F-actin interaction via N-terminal calponin homology (CH) domains is little understood. Here, we have gained new understanding by showing that the F-actin interaction must be finely balanced: altering the properties of F-actin networks or deleting/exchanging Shot's CH domains induces changes in Shot function-with a Lifeact-containing Shot variant causing remarkable remodeling of neuronal microtubules. In addition to actin-microtubule (MT) cross-linkage, we find strong indications that Shot executes redundant MT bundle-promoting roles that are F-actin-independent. We argue that these likely involve the neuronal Shot-PH isoform, which is characterized by a large, unexplored central plakin repeat region (PRR) similarly existing also in mammalian spectraplakins.

β-III-spectrin N-terminus is required for high-affinity actin binding and SCA5 neurotoxicity

Recent structural studies of β-III-spectrin and related cytoskeletal proteins revealed N-terminal sequences that directly bind actin. These sequences are variable in structure, and immediately precede a conserved actin-binding domain composed of tandem calponin homology domains (CH1 and CH2). Here we investigated in Drosophila the significance of the β-spectrin N-terminus, and explored its functional interaction with a CH2-localized L253P mutation that underlies the neurodegenerative disease spinocerebellar ataxia type 5 (SCA5). We report that pan-neuronal expression of an N-terminally truncated β-spectrin fails to rescue lethality resulting from a β-spectrin loss-of-function allele, indicating that the N-terminus is essential to β-spectrin function in vivo. Significantly, N-terminal truncation rescues neurotoxicity and defects in dendritic arborization caused by L253P. In vitro studies show that N-terminal truncation eliminates L253P-induced high-affinity actin binding, providing a mechanistic basis for rescue. These data suggest that N-terminal sequences may be useful therapeutic targets for small molecule modulation of the aberrant actin binding associated with SCA5 β-spectrin and spectrin-related disease proteins.

JIP3 links lysosome transport to regulation of multiple components of the axonal cytoskeleton

Lysosome axonal transport is important for the clearance of cargoes sequestered by the endocytic and autophagic pathways. Building on observations that mutations in the JIP3 (MAPK8IP3) gene result in lysosome-filled axonal swellings, we analyzed the impact of JIP3 depletion on the cytoskeleton of human neurons. Dynamic focal lysosome accumulations were accompanied by disruption of the axonal periodic scaffold (spectrin, F-actin and myosin II) throughout each affected axon. Additionally, axonal microtubule organization was locally disrupted at each lysosome-filled swelling. This local axonal microtubule disorganization was accompanied by accumulations of both F-actin and myosin II. These results indicate that transport of axonal lysosomes is functionally interconnected with mechanisms that control the organization and maintenance of the axonal cytoskeleton. They have potential relevance to human neurological disease arising from JIP3 mutations as well as for neurodegenerative diseases associated with the focal accumulations of lysosomes within axonal swellings such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Rafiq et al. report that disruption of JIP3-dependent control of axonal lysosome transport in human neurons results in unexpected changes to the organization of multiple cytoskeletal proteins. This study provides new insights that improve our understanding of intellectual disabilities caused by mutations in JIP3, and are relevant for neurodegenerative diseases associated with accumulations of lysosomes such as the Alzheimer’s disease

Drosophila Primary Neuronal Cultures as a Useful Cellular Model to Study and Image Axonal Transport

The use of primary neuronal cultures generated from Drosophila tissue provides a powerful model for studies of transport mechanisms. Cultured fly neurons provide similarly detailed subcellular resolution and applicability of pharmacology or fluorescent dyes as mammalian primary neurons. As an experimental advantage for the mechanistic dissection of transport, fly primary neurons can be combined with the fast and highly efficient combinatorial genetics of Drosophila, and genetic tools for the manipulation of virtually every fly gene are readily available. This strategy can be performed in parallel to in vivo transport studies to address relevance of any findings. Here we will describe the generation of primary neuronal cultures from Drosophila embryos and larvae, the use of external fluorescent dyes and genetic tools to label cargo, and the key strategies for live imaging and subsequent analysis.

With the Permission of Microtubules: An Updated Overview on Microtubule Function During Axon Pathfinding

During the establishment of neural circuitry axons often need to cover long distances to reach remote targets. The stereotyped navigation of these axons defines the connectivity between brain regions and cellular subtypes. This chemotrophic guidance process mostly relies on the spatio-temporal expression patterns of extracellular proteins and the selective expression of their receptors in projection neurons. Axon guidance is stimulated by guidance proteins and implemented by neuronal traction forces at the growth cones, which engage local cytoskeleton regulators and cell adhesion proteins. Different layers of guidance signaling regulation, such as the cleavage and processing of receptors, the expression of co-receptors and a wide variety of intracellular cascades downstream of receptors activation, have been progressively unveiled. Also, in the last decades, the regulation of microtubule (MT) assembly, stability and interactions with the submembranous actin network in the growth cone have emerged as crucial effector mechanisms in axon pathfinding. In this review, we will delve into the intracellular signaling cascades downstream of guidance receptors that converge on the MT cytoskeleton of the growing axon. In particular, we will focus on the microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) network responsible of MT dynamics in the axon and growth cone. Complementarily, we will discuss new evidences that connect defects in MT scaffold proteins, MAPs or MT-based motors and axon misrouting during brain development.

Formin Activity and mDia1 Contribute to Maintain Axon Initial Segment Composition and Structure

The axon initial segment (AIS) is essential for maintaining neuronal polarity, modulating protein transport into the axon, and action potential generation. These functions are supported by a distinctive actin and microtubule cytoskeleton that controls axonal trafficking and maintains a high density of voltage-gated ion channels linked by scaffold proteins to the AIS cytoskeleton. However, our knowledge of the mechanisms and proteins involved in AIS cytoskeleton regulation to maintain or modulate AIS structure is limited. In this context, formins play a significant role in the modulation of actin and microtubules. We show that pharmacological inhibition of formins modifies AIS actin and microtubule characteristics in cultured hippocampal neurons, reducing F-actin density and decreasing microtubule acetylation. Moreover, formin inhibition diminishes sodium channels, ankyrinG and βIV-spectrin AIS density, and AIS length, in cultured neurons and brain slices, accompanied by decreased neuronal excitability. We show that genetic downregulation of the mDia1 formin by interference RNAs also decreases AIS protein density and shortens AIS length. The ankyrinG decrease and AIS shortening observed in pharmacologically inhibited neurons and neuron-expressing mDia1 shRNAs were impaired by HDAC6 downregulation or EB1-GFP expression, known to increase microtubule acetylation or stability. However, actin stabilization only partially prevented AIS shortening without affecting AIS protein density loss. These results suggest that mDia1 maintain AIS composition and length contributing to the stability of AIS microtubules.

Drosophila Dendritic Arborisation Neurons: Fantastic Actin Dynamics and Where to Find Them

Neuronal dendrites receive, integrate, and process numerous inputs and therefore serve as the neuron's "antennae". Dendrites display extreme morphological diversity across different neuronal classes to match the neuron's specific functional requirements. Understanding how this structural diversity is specified is therefore important for shedding light on information processing in the healthy and diseased nervous system. Popular models for in vivo studies of dendrite differentiation are the four classes of dendritic arborization (c1da-c4da) neurons of Drosophila larvae with their class-specific dendritic morphologies. Using da neurons, a combination of live-cell imaging and computational approaches have delivered information on the distinct phases and the time course of dendrite development from embryonic stages to the fully developed dendritic tree. With these data, we can start approaching the basic logic behind differential dendrite development. A major role in the definition of neuron-type specific morphologies is played by dynamic actin-rich processes and the regulation of their properties. This review presents the differences in the growth programs leading to morphologically different dendritic trees, with a focus on the key role of actin modulatory proteins. In addition, we summarize requirements and technological progress towards the visualization and manipulation of such actin regulators in vivo.

Drosophila Models Rediscovered with Super-Resolution Microscopy

With the advent of super-resolution microscopy, we gained a powerful toolbox to bridge the gap between the cellular- and molecular-level analysis of living organisms. Although nanoscopy is broadly applicable, classical model organisms, such as fruit flies, worms and mice, remained the leading subjects because combining the strength of sophisticated genetics, biochemistry and electrophysiology with the unparalleled resolution provided by super-resolution imaging appears as one of the most efficient approaches to understanding the basic cell biological questions and the molecular complexity of life. Here, we summarize the major nanoscopic techniques and illustrate how these approaches were used in Drosophila model systems to revisit a series of well-known cell biological phenomena. These investigations clearly demonstrate that instead of simply achieving an improvement in image quality, nanoscopy goes far beyond with its immense potential to discover novel structural and mechanistic aspects. With the examples of synaptic active zones, centrosomes and sarcomeres, we will explain the instrumental role of super-resolution imaging pioneered in Drosophila in understanding fundamental subcellular constituents.

Tau, XMAP215/Msps and Eb1 co-operate interdependently to regulate microtubule polymerisation and bundle formation in axons

The formation and maintenance of microtubules requires their polymerisation, but little is known about how this polymerisation is regulated in cells. Focussing on the essential microtubule bundles in axons of Drosophila and Xenopus neurons, we show that the plus-end scaffold Eb1, the polymerase XMAP215/Msps and the lattice-binder Tau co-operate interdependently to promote microtubule polymerisation and bundle organisation during axon development and maintenance. Eb1 and XMAP215/Msps promote each other's localisation at polymerising microtubule plus-ends. Tau outcompetes Eb1-binding along microtubule lattices, thus preventing depletion of Eb1 tip pools. The three factors genetically interact and show shared mutant phenotypes: reductions in axon growth, comet sizes, comet numbers and comet velocities, as well as prominent deterioration of parallel microtubule bundles into disorganised curled conformations. This microtubule curling is caused by Eb1 plus-end depletion which impairs spectraplakin-mediated guidance of extending microtubules into parallel bundles. Our demonstration that Eb1, XMAP215/Msps and Tau co-operate during the regulation of microtubule polymerisation and bundle organisation, offers new conceptual explanations for developmental and degenerative axon pathologies.

The role of the membrane-associated periodic skeleton in axons

The identification of the membrane periodic skeleton (MPS), composed of a periodic lattice of actin rings interconnected by spectrin tetramers, was enabled by the development of super-resolution microscopy, and brought a new exciting perspective to our view of neuronal biology. This exquisite cytoskeleton arrangement plays an important role on mechanisms regulating neuronal (dys)function. The MPS was initially thought to provide mainly for axonal mechanical stability. Since its discovery, the importance of the MPS in multiple aspects of neuronal biology has, however, emerged. These comprise its capacity to act as a signaling platform, regulate axon diameter-with important consequences on the efficiency of axonal transport and electrophysiological properties- participate in the assembly and function of the axon initial segment, and control axon microtubule stability. Recently, MPS disassembly has also surfaced as an early player in the course of axon degeneration. Here, we will discuss the current knowledge on the role of the MPS in axonal physiology and disease.

Multiple layers of spatial regulation coordinate axonal cargo transport

Nerve axons are shaped similar to long electric wires to quickly transmit information from one end of the body to the other. To remain healthy and functional, axons depend on a wide range of cellular cargos to be transported from the neuronal cell body to its distal processes. Because of the extended distance, a sophisticated and well-organized trafficking network is required to move cargos up and down the axon. Besides motor proteins driving cargo transport, recent data revealed that subcellular membrane specializations, including the axon initial segment at the beginning of the axon and the membrane-associated periodic skeleton, which extends throughout the axonal length, are important spatial regulators of cargo traffic. In addition, tubulin modifications and microtubule-associated proteins present along the axonal cytoskeleton have been proposed to bias cargo movements. Here, we discuss the recent advances in understanding these multiple layers of regulatory mechanisms controlling axonal transport.

The axonal radial contractility: Structural basis underlying a new form of neural plasticity

Axons are the longest cellular structure reaching over a meter in the case of human motor axons. They have a relatively small diameter and contain several cytoskeletal elements that mediate both material and information exchange within neurons. Recently, a novel type of axonal plasticity, termed axonal radial contractility, has been unveiled. It is represented by dynamic and transient diameter changes of the axon shaft to accommodate the passages of large organelles. Mechanisms underpinning this plasticity are not fully understood. Here, we first summarised recent evidence of the functional relevance for axon radial contractility, then discussed the underlying structural basis, reviewing nanoscopic evidence of the subtle changes. Two models are proposed to explain how actomyosin rings are organised. Possible roles of non-muscle myosin II (NM-II) in axon degeneration are discussed. Finally, we discuss the concept of periodic functional nanodomains, which could sense extracellular cues and coordinate the axonal responses. Also see the video abstract here: https://youtu.be/ojCnrJ8RCRc.

Mechanical behavior of actin and spectrin subjected to high strain rate: A molecular dynamics simulation study

Recent nanoscopy and super-resolution microscopy studies have substantiated the structural contribution of periodic actin-spectrin lattice to the axonal cytoskeleton of neuron. However, sufficient mechanical insight is not present for spectrin and actin-spectrin network, especially in high strain rate scenario. To quantify the mechanical behavior of actin-spectrin cytoskeleton in such conditions, this study determines individual stretching characteristics of actin and spectrin at high strain rate by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The actin-spectrin separation criteria are also determined. It is found that both actin and spectrin have high stiffness when susceptible to high strain rate and show strong dependence on applied strain rate. The stretching stiffness of actin and forced unfolding mechanism of spectrin are in harmony with the current literature. Actin-spectrin model provides novel insight into their interaction and separation stretch. It is shown that the region vulnerable to failure is the actin-spectrin interface at lower strain rate, while it is the inter-repeat region of spectrin at higher strain rate.

A common theme for axonopathies? The dependency cycle of local axon homeostasis

The number of acquired or inherited conditions leading to axon degeneration (from now on referred to as axonopathies) is vast. To diagnose patients, clinicians use a range of indicators including physiology, morphology, family and patient history, as well as genetics, with the specific location of the lesion within the nervous system being a prominent feature. For the neurobiologist, these criteria are often unsatisfactory, and key questions remain unanswered. For example, does it make sense that different axonopathies affect distinct neuron groups through distinct mechanisms? Would it not be more likely that there are common routes to axon degeneration? In this opinion piece, I shall pose this fundamental question and try to find answers that are hopefully thought-provoking and trigger some conceptual rethinking in the field. I will conclude by describing the 'dependency cycle of axon homeostasis' as a new approach to make sense of the intricate connections of axon biology and physiology, also suggesting that different axonopathies might share common paths to axon degeneration.

Proteomic analysis of human iPSC-derived sensory neurons implicates cell stress and microtubule dynamics dysfunction in bortezomib-induced peripheral neurotoxicity

The neurotoxic effects of the chemotherapeutic agent bortezomib on dorsal root ganglia sensory neurons are well documented, yet the mechanistic underpinnings that govern these cellular processes remain incompletely understood. In this study, system-wide proteomic changes were identified in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neurons (iSNs) exposed to a clinically relevant dose of bortezomib. Label-free mass spectrometry facilitated the identification of approximately 2800 iSN proteins that exhibited differential levels in the setting of bortezomib. A significant proportion of these proteins affect the cellular processes of microtubule dynamics, cytoskeletal and cytoplasmic organization, and molecular transport, and pathway analysis revealed an enrichment of proteins in signaling pathways attributable to the unfolded protein response and the integrated stress response. Alterations in microtubule-associated proteins suggest a multifaceted relationship exists between bortezomib-induced proteotoxicity and microtubule cytoskeletal architecture, and MAP2 was prioritized as a topmost influential candidate. We observed a significant reduction in the overall levels of MAP2c in somata without discernable changes in neurites. As MAP2 is known to affect cellular processes including axonogenesis, neurite extension and branching, and neurite morphology, its altered levels are suggestive of a prominent role in bortezomib-induced neurotoxicity.

βII spectrin (SPTBN1): biological function and clinical potential in cancer and other diseases

βII spectrin, the most common isoform of non-erythrocyte spectrin, is a cytoskeleton protein present in all nucleated cells. Interestingly, βII spectrin is essential for the development of various organs such as nerve, epithelium, inner ear, liver and heart. The functions of βII spectrin include not only establishing and maintaining the cell structure but also regulating a variety of cellular functions, such as cell apoptosis, cell adhesion, cell spreading and cell cycle regulation. Notably, βII spectrin dysfunction is associated with embryonic lethality and the DNA damage response. More recently, the detection of altered βII spectrin expression in tumors indicated that βII spectrin might be involved in the development and progression of cancer. Its mutations and disorders could result in developmental disabilities and various diseases. The versatile roles of βII spectrin in disease have been examined in an increasing number of studies; nonetheless, the exact mechanisms of βII spectrin are still poorly understood. Thus, we summarize the structural features and biological roles of βII spectrin and discuss its molecular mechanisms and functions in development, homeostasis, regeneration and differentiation. This review highlight the potential effects of βII spectrin dysfunction in cancer and other diseases, outstanding questions for the future investigation of therapeutic targets. The investigation of the regulatory mechanism of βII spectrin signal inactivation and recovery may bring hope for future therapy of related diseases.

Periodic subcellular structures undergo long-range synchronized reorganization during C. elegans epidermal development

Periodic pattern formation on the cellular and tissue scale is an important process and has been extensively studied. However, periodic pattern formation at the subcellular level still remains poorly understood. The C. elegans epidermis displays a highly ordered parallel stripe pattern as part of its subcellular structure, making it an ideal model to study the formation and reorganization of periodic patterns within cells. Here, we show that the initial formation of periodic striped patterns in the C. elegans epidermis is dependent on actin and spectrin, and requires the apical membrane attachment structures for maintenance. The periodic subcellular structures do not accommodate cell growth by continuously making new stripes. Instead, they increase the number of stripes by going through one round of uniform duplication, which is independent of the increasing epidermal length or the developmental cycles. This long-range synchronized reorganization of subcellular structures is achieved by physical links established by extracellular collagens together with extension forces generated from epidermal cell growth. Our studies uncover a novel strategy employed by evenly spaced and interlinked subcellular structures to maintain their integrity and equidistribution during cell growth and tissue development.

Co-expression of C9orf72 related dipeptide-repeats over 1000 repeat units reveals age- and combination-specific phenotypic profiles in Drosophila

A large intronic hexanucleotide repeat expansion (GGGGCC) within the C9orf72 (C9orf72-SMCR8 Complex Subunit) locus is the most prevalent genetic cause of both Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and Motor Neuron Disease (MND). In patients this expansion is typically hundreds to thousands of repeat units in length. Repeat associated non-AUG translation of the expansion leads to the formation of toxic, pathological Dipeptide-Repeat Proteins (DPRs). To date there remains a lack of in vivo models expressing C9orf72 related DPRs with a repeat length of more than a few hundred repeats. As such our understanding of how physiologically relevant repeat length DPRs effect the nervous system in an ageing in vivo system remains limited. In this study we generated Drosophila models expressing DPRs over 1000 repeat units in length, a known pathological length in humans. Using these models, we demonstrate each DPR exhibits a unique, age-dependent, phenotypic and pathological profile. Furthermore, we show co-expression of specific DPR combinations leads to distinct, age-dependent, phenotypes not observed through expression of single DPRs. We propose these models represent a unique, in vivo, tool for dissecting the molecular mechanisms implicated in disease pathology, opening up new avenues in the study of both MND and FTD.

Cytoskeletal organization of axons in vertebrates and invertebrates

The maintenance of axons for the lifetime of an organism requires an axonal cytoskeleton that is robust but also flexible to adapt to mechanical challenges and to support plastic changes of axon morphology. Furthermore, cytoskeletal organization has to adapt to axons of dramatically different dimensions, and to their compartment-specific requirements in the axon initial segment, in the axon shaft, at synapses or in growth cones. To understand how the cytoskeleton caters to these different demands, this review summarizes five decades of electron microscopic studies. It focuses on the organization of microtubules and neurofilaments in axon shafts in both vertebrate and invertebrate neurons, as well as the axon initial segments of vertebrate motor- and interneurons. Findings from these ultrastructural studies are being interpreted here on the basis of our contemporary molecular understanding. They strongly suggest that axon architecture in animals as diverse as arthropods and vertebrates is dependent on loosely cross-linked bundles of microtubules running all along axons, with only minor roles played by neurofilaments.

Beading of injured axons driven by tension- and adhesion-regulated membrane shape instability

The formation of multiple beads along an injured axon will lead to blockage of axonal transport and eventually neuron death, and this has been widely recognized as a hallmark of nervous system degeneration. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we report a combined experimental and theoretical study to reveal key factors governing axon beading. Specifically, by transecting well-developed axons with a sharp atomic force microscope probe, significant beading of the axons was triggered. We showed that adhesion was not required for beading to occur, although when present strong axon–substrate attachments seemed to set the locations for bead formation. In addition, the beading wavelength, representing the average distance between beads, was found to correlate with the size and cytoskeleton integrity of axon, with a thinner axon or a disrupted actin cytoskeleton both leading to a shorter beading wavelength. A model was also developed to explain these observations which suggest that axon beading originates from the shape instability of the membrane and is driven by the release of work done by axonal tension as well as the reduction of membrane surface energy. The beading wavelength predicted from this theory was in good agreement with our experiments under various conditions. By elucidating the essential physics behind axon beading, the current study could enhance our understanding of how axonal injury and neurodegeneration progress as well as provide insights for the development of possible treatment strategies.

Radial contractility of actomyosin rings facilitates axonal trafficking and structural stability

Most mammalian neurons have a narrow axon, which constrains the passage of large cargoes such as autophagosomes that can be larger than the axon diameter. Radial axonal expansion must therefore occur to ensure efficient axonal trafficking. In this study, we reveal that the speed of various large cargoes undergoing axonal transport is significantly slower than that of small ones and that the transit of diverse-sized cargoes causes an acute, albeit transient, axonal radial expansion, which is immediately restored by constitutive axonal contractility. Using live super-resolution microscopy, we demonstrate that actomyosin-II controls axonal radial contractility and local expansion, and that NM-II filaments associate with periodic F-actin rings via their head domains. Pharmacological inhibition of NM-II activity significantly increases axon diameter by detaching the NM-II from F-actin and impacts the trafficking speed, directionality, and overall efficiency of long-range retrograde trafficking. Consequently, prolonged NM-II inactivation leads to disruption of periodic actin rings and formation of focal axonal swellings, a hallmark of axonal degeneration.

Cortical anchoring of the microtubule cytoskeleton is essential for neuron polarity

The development of a polarized neuron relies on the selective transport of proteins to axons and dendrites. Although it is well known that the microtubule cytoskeleton has a central role in establishing neuronal polarity, how its specific organization is established and maintained is poorly understood. Using the in vivo model system Caenorhabditis elegans, we found that the highly conserved UNC-119 protein provides a link between the membrane-associated Ankyrin (UNC-44) and the microtubule-associated CRMP (UNC-33). Together they form a periodic membrane-associated complex that anchors axonal and dendritic microtubule bundles to the cortex. This anchoring is critical to maintain microtubule organization by opposing kinesin-1 powered microtubule sliding. Disturbing this molecular complex alters neuronal polarity and causes strong developmental defects of the nervous system leading to severely paralyzed animals.

Tropomyosin Tpm3.1 Is Required to Maintain the Structure and Function of the Axon Initial Segment

The axon initial segment (AIS) is the site of action potential initiation and serves as a cargo transport filter and diffusion barrier that helps maintain neuronal polarity. The AIS actin cytoskeleton comprises actin patches and periodic sub-membranous actin rings. We demonstrate that tropomyosin isoform Tpm3.1 co-localizes with actin patches and that the inhibition of Tpm3.1 led to a reduction in the density of actin patches. Furthermore, Tpm3.1 showed a periodic distribution similar to sub-membranous actin rings but Tpm3.1 was only partially congruent with sub-membranous actin rings. Nevertheless, the inhibition of Tpm3.1 affected the uniformity of the periodicity of actin rings. Furthermore, Tpm3.1 inhibition led to reduced accumulation of AIS structural and functional proteins, disruption in sorting somatodendritic and axonal proteins, and a reduction in firing frequency. These results show that Tpm3.1 is necessary for the structural and functional maintenance of the AIS.

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Tropomyosin isoform Tpm3.1 co-localizes with the actin cytoskeleton in the AIS

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Tpm3.1 inhibition led to a less organized AIS actin cytoskeleton

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Perturbation of Tpm3.1 function reduced the accumulation of AIS scaffolding proteins

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Tpm3.1 inhibition compromised cargo sorting and rapidly reduced firing frequency

The axonal actin-spectrin lattice acts as a tension buffering shock absorber

Axons span extreme distances and are subject to significant stretch deformations during limb movements or sudden head movements, especially during impacts. Yet, axon biomechanics, and its relation to the ultrastructure that allows axons to withstand mechanical stress, is poorly understood. Using a custom developed force apparatus, we demonstrate that chick dorsal root ganglion axons exhibit a tension buffering or strain-softening response, where its steady state elastic modulus decreases with increasing strain. We then explore the contributions from the various cytoskeletal components of the axon to show that the recently discovered membrane-associated actin-spectrin scaffold plays a prominent mechanical role. Finally, using a theoretical model, we argue that the actin-spectrin skeleton acts as an axonal tension buffer by reversibly unfolding repeat domains of the spectrin tetramers to release excess mechanical stress. Our results revise the current viewpoint that microtubules and their associated proteins are the only significant load-bearing elements in axons.

Quantitative expansion microscopy for the characterization of the spectrin periodic skeleton of axons using fluorescence microscopy

Fluorescent nanoscopy approaches have been used to characterize the periodic organization of actin, spectrin and associated proteins in neuronal axons and dendrites. This membrane-associated periodic skeleton (MPS) is conserved across animals, suggesting it is a fundamental component of neuronal extensions. The nanoscale architecture of the arrangement (190 nm) is below the resolution limit of conventional fluorescent microscopy. Fluorescent nanoscopy, on the other hand, requires costly equipment and special analysis routines, which remain inaccessible to most research groups. This report aims to resolve this issue by using protein-retention expansion microscopy (pro-ExM) to reveal the MPS of axons. ExM uses reagents and equipment that are readily accessible in most neurobiology laboratories. We first explore means to accurately estimate the expansion factors of protein structures within cells. We then describe the protocol that produces an expanded specimen that can be examined with any fluorescent microscopy allowing quantitative nanoscale characterization of the MPS. We validate ExM results by direct comparison to stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy. We conclude that ExM facilitates three-dimensional, multicolor and quantitative characterization of the MPS using accessible reagents and conventional fluorescent microscopes.

NCAM2 Regulates Dendritic and Axonal Differentiation through the Cytoskeletal Proteins MAP2 and 14-3-3

Neural cell adhesion molecule 2 (NCAM2) is involved in the development and plasticity of the olfactory system. Genetic data have implicated the NCAM2 gene in neurodevelopmental disorders including Down syndrome and autism, although its role in cortical development is unknown. Here, we show that while overexpression of NCAM2 in hippocampal neurons leads to minor alterations, its downregulation severely compromises dendritic architecture, leading to an aberrant phenotype including shorter dendritic trees, retraction of dendrites, and emergence of numerous somatic neurites. Further, our data reveal alterations in the axonal tree and deficits in neuronal polarization. In vivo studies confirm the phenotype and reveal an unexpected role for NCAM2 in cortical migration. Proteomic and cell biology experiments show that NCAM2 molecules exert their functions through a protein complex with the cytoskeletal-associated proteins MAP2 and 14-3-3γ and ζ. We provide evidence that NCAM2 depletion results in destabilization of the microtubular network and reduced MAP2 signal. Our results demonstrate a role for NCAM2 in dendritic formation and maintenance, and in neural polarization and migration, through interaction of NCAM2 with microtubule-associated proteins.

Efa6 protects axons and regulates their growth and branching by inhibiting microtubule polymerisation at the cortex

Cortical collapse factors affect microtubule (MT) dynamics at the plasma membrane. They play important roles in neurons, as suggested by inhibition of axon growth and regeneration through the ARF activator Efa6 in C. elegans, and by neurodevelopmental disorders linked to the mammalian kinesin Kif21A. How cortical collapse factors influence axon growth is little understood. Here we studied them, focussing on the function of Drosophila Efa6 in experimentally and genetically amenable fly neurons. First, we show that Drosophila Efa6 can inhibit MTs directly without interacting molecules via an N-terminal 18 amino acid motif (MT elimination domain/MTED) that binds tubulin and inhibits microtubule growth in vitro and cells. If N-terminal MTED-containing fragments are in the cytoplasm they abolish entire microtubule networks of mouse fibroblasts and whole axons of fly neurons. Full-length Efa6 is membrane-attached, hence primarily blocks MTs in the periphery of fibroblasts, and explorative MTs that have left axonal bundles in neurons. Accordingly, loss of Efa6 causes an increase of explorative MTs: in growth cones they enhance axon growth, in axon shafts they cause excessive branching, as well as atrophy through perturbations of MT bundles. Efa6 over-expression causes the opposite phenotypes. Taken together, our work conceptually links molecular and sub-cellular functions of cortical collapse factors to axon growth regulation and reveals new roles in axon branching and in the prevention of axonal atrophy. Furthermore, the MTED delivers a promising tool that can be used to inhibit MTs in a compartmentalised fashion when fusing it to specifically localising protein domains.

The model of local axon homeostasis - explaining the role and regulation of microtubule bundles in axon maintenance and pathology

Axons are the slender, cable-like, up to meter-long projections of neurons that electrically wire our brains and bodies. In spite of their challenging morphology, they usually need to be maintained for an organism's lifetime. This makes them key lesion sites in pathological processes of ageing, injury and neurodegeneration. The morphology and physiology of axons crucially depends on the parallel bundles of microtubules (MTs), running all along to serve as their structural backbones and highways for life-sustaining cargo transport and organelle dynamics. Understanding how these bundles are formed and then maintained will provide important explanations for axon biology and pathology. Currently, much is known about MTs and the proteins that bind and regulate them, but very little about how these factors functionally integrate to regulate axon biology. As an attempt to bridge between molecular mechanisms and their cellular relevance, we explain here the model of local axon homeostasis, based on our own experiments in Drosophila and published data primarily from vertebrates/mammals as well as C. elegans. The model proposes that (1) the physical forces imposed by motor protein-driven transport and dynamics in the confined axonal space, are a life-sustaining necessity, but pose a strong bias for MT bundles to become disorganised. (2) To counterbalance this risk, MT-binding and -regulating proteins of different classes work together to maintain and protect MT bundles as necessary transport highways. Loss of balance between these two fundamental processes can explain the development of axonopathies, in particular those linking to MT-regulating proteins, motors and transport defects. With this perspective in mind, we hope that more researchers incorporate MTs into their work, thus enhancing our chances of deciphering the complex regulatory networks that underpin axon biology and pathology.

Interrogating Synaptic Architecture: Approaches for Labeling Organelles and Cytoskeleton Components

Synaptic transmission has been studied for decades, as a fundamental step in brain function. The structure of the synapse, and its changes during activity, turned out to be key aspects not only in the transfer of information between neurons, but also in cognitive processes such as learning and memory. The overall synaptic morphology has traditionally been studied by electron microscopy, which enables the visualization of synaptic structure in great detail. The changes in the organization of easily identified structures, such as the presynaptic active zone, or the postsynaptic density, are optimally studied via electron microscopy. However, few reliable methods are available for labeling individual organelles or protein complexes in electron microscopy. For such targets one typically relies either on combination of electron and fluorescence microscopy, or on super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. This review focuses on approaches and techniques used to specifically reveal synaptic organelles and protein complexes, such as cytoskeletal assemblies. We place the strongest emphasis on methods detecting the targets of interest by affinity binding, and we discuss the advantages and limitations of each method.

βII-spectrin promotes mouse brain connectivity through stabilizing axonal plasma membranes and enabling axonal organelle transport

βII-spectrin is the generally expressed member of the β-spectrin family of elongated polypeptides that form micrometer-scale networks associated with plasma membranes. We addressed in vivo functions of βII-spectrin in neurons by knockout of βII-spectrin in mouse neural progenitors. βII-spectrin deficiency caused severe defects in long-range axonal connectivity and axonal degeneration. βII-spectrin-null neurons exhibited reduced axon growth, loss of actin-spectrin-based periodic membrane skeleton, and impaired bidirectional axonal transport of synaptic cargo. We found that βII-spectrin associates with KIF3A, KIF5B, KIF1A, and dynactin, implicating spectrin in the coupling of motors and synaptic cargo. βII-spectrin required phosphoinositide lipid binding to promote axonal transport and restore axon growth. Knockout of ankyrin-B (AnkB), a βII-spectrin partner, primarily impaired retrograde organelle transport, while double knockout of βII-spectrin and AnkB nearly eliminated transport. Thus, βII-spectrin promotes both axon growth and axon stability through establishing the actin-spectrin-based membrane-associated periodic skeleton as well as enabling axonal transport of synaptic cargo.

F-actin patches associated with glutamatergic synapses control positioning of dendritic lysosomes

Organelle positioning within neurites is required for proper neuronal function. In dendrites, with their complex cytoskeletal organization, transport of organelles is guided by local specializations of the microtubule and actin cytoskeleton, and by coordinated activity of different motor proteins. Here, we focus on the actin cytoskeleton in the dendritic shaft and describe dense structures consisting of longitudinal and branched actin filaments. These actin patches are devoid of microtubules and are frequently located at the base of spines, or form an actin mesh around excitatory shaft synapses. Using lysosomes as an example, we demonstrate that the presence of actin patches has a strong impact on dendritic organelle transport, as lysosomes frequently stall at these locations. We provide mechanistic insights on this pausing behavior, demonstrating that actin patches form a physical barrier for kinesin-driven cargo. In addition, we identify myosin Va as an active tether which mediates long-term stalling. This correlation between the presence of actin meshes and halting of organelles could be a generalized principle by which synapses control organelle trafficking.