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Cell biology of the neuron

Dynamic duo regulate microtubule plasticity

Nature Reviews Neuroscience volume 7, page 421 (2006)Cite this article

To shed light on the role of JNK1 in maintenance of microtubule stability, the authors set out to identify the binding partners of JNK1. Members of the stathmin family of microtubule-destabilizing proteins, specifically SCG10, SCLIP, RB3 and RB3′, formed strong binding interactions with JNK1. Phosphorylation of these proteins blocks their destabilizing activity, allowing axon and dendrite growth. To determine which of this family of proteins, if any, could mediate the effects of JNK1, the authors analysed the rate of phosphorylation of stathmin, SCG10 and SCLIP by JNK1 in vitro. SCG10 was found to be JNK1's preferred substrate in vivo.

After elucidating the SCG10 residues phosphorylated by JNK1 — Ser62 and Ser73 — the authors investigated the functional importance of this event on microtubule dynamics. Expression of a functionally active SCG10 mutant, in which both serine residues were substituted with alanine, led to a ∼50% reduction in the level of microtubule recovery/stability, the same level of reduction achieved by blocking the activity of cytoplasmic JNK1. These results indicate that it is the co-ordinated action of SCG10 and JNK1 that regulates microtubule dynamics.

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Tararuk, T. et al. JNK1 phosphorylation of SCG10 determines microtubule dynamics and axodendritic length. J. Cell Biol. 173, 265–277 (2006)

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Authors
  1. Samantha Barton
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Barton, S. Dynamic duo regulate microtubule plasticity. Nat Rev Neurosci 7, 421 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn1942

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