Erbin controls dendritic morphogenesis by regulating localization of delta-catenin

J Neurosci. 2008 Jul 9;28(28):7047-56. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0451-08.2008.

Abstract

The LAP [leucine-rich and postsynaptic density-95/Discs large/zona occludens-1 (PDZ)] protein erbin and delta-catenin, a component of the cadherin-catenin cell adhesion complex, are highly expressed in neurons and associate through PDZ-mediated interaction, but have incompletely characterized neuronal functions. We show that short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of erbin and knockdown or genetic ablation of delta-catenin severely impaired dendritic morphogenesis in hippocampal neurons. Simultaneous loss of erbin and delta-catenin does not enhance severity of this phenotype. The dendritic phenotype observed after erbin depletion is rescued by overexpression of delta-catenin and requires a domain in delta-catenin that has been shown to regulate dendritic branching. Knockdown of delta-catenin cannot be rescued by overexpression of erbin, indicating that erbin is upstream of delta-catenin. delta-Catenin-null neurons have no alterations in global levels of active Rac1/RhoA. Knockdown of erbin results in alterations in localization of delta-catenin. These results suggest a critical role for erbin in regulating dendritic morphogenesis by maintaining appropriate localization of delta-catenin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dendrites / physiology*
  • Embryo, Mammalian
  • Gene Expression Regulation / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Hippocampus / cytology
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Morphogenesis / genetics
  • Morphogenesis / physiology*
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Rats
  • Transfection / methods
  • alpha Catenin / genetics
  • alpha Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • alpha Catenin
  • erbin protein, rat
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins