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AnkyrinG is required to maintain axo-dendritic polarity in vivo.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Sobotzik, J-M; Sie, JM; Politi, C; Del Turco, D; Bennett, V; Deller, T; Schultz, C
Published in: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
October 13, 2009

Neurons are highly polarized cells that extend a single axon and several dendrites. Studies with cultured neurons indicate that the proximal portion of the axon, denoted as the axon initial segment (AIS), maintains neuronal polarity in vitro. The membrane-adaptor protein ankyrinG (ankG) is an essential component of the AIS. To determine the relevance of ankG for neuronal polarity in vivo, we studied mice with a cerebellum-specific ankG deficiency. Strikingly, ankG-depleted axons develop protrusions closely resembling dendritic spines. Such axonal spines are enriched with postsynaptic proteins, including ProSAP1/Shank2 and ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors. In addition, immunofluorescence indicated that axonal spines are contacted by presynaptic glutamatergic boutons. For further analysis, double mutants were obtained by crossbreeding ankG(-/-) mice with L7/Purkinje cell-specific promoter 2 (PCP2) mice expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in Purkinje cells (PCs). This approach allowed precise confocal microscopic mapping of EGFP-positive spiny axons and their subsequent identification at the electron microscopic level. Ultrastructurally, axonal spines contained a typical postsynaptic density and established asymmetric excitatory synapses with presynaptic boutons containing synaptic vesicles. In the shaft of spiny axons, typical ultrastructural features of the AIS, including the membrane-associated dense undercoating and cytoplasmic bundles of microtubules, were absent. Finally, using time-lapse imaging of organotypic cerebellar slice cultures, we demonstrate that nonspiny PC axons of EGFP-positive/ankG(-/-) mice acquire a spiny phenotype within a time range of only 3 days. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that axons of ankG-deficient mice acquire hallmark features of dendrites. AnkG thus is important for maintaining appropriate axo-dendritic polarity in vivo.

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Published In

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

DOI

EISSN

1091-6490

Publication Date

October 13, 2009

Volume

106

Issue

41

Start / End Page

17564 / 17569

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Synaptic Potentials
  • Synapses
  • Purkinje Cells
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Neurons
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Dendrites
  • Cell Polarity
 

Citation

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Sobotzik, J.-M., Sie, J. M., Politi, C., Del Turco, D., Bennett, V., Deller, T., & Schultz, C. (2009). AnkyrinG is required to maintain axo-dendritic polarity in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 106(41), 17564–17569. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0909267106
Sobotzik, Jürgen-Markus, Jana Maria Sie, Chrisoula Politi, Domenico Del Turco, Vann Bennett, Thomas Deller, and Christian Schultz. “AnkyrinG is required to maintain axo-dendritic polarity in vivo.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106, no. 41 (October 13, 2009): 17564–69. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0909267106.
Sobotzik J-M, Sie JM, Politi C, Del Turco D, Bennett V, Deller T, et al. AnkyrinG is required to maintain axo-dendritic polarity in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Oct 13;106(41):17564–9.
Sobotzik, Jürgen-Markus, et al. “AnkyrinG is required to maintain axo-dendritic polarity in vivo.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, vol. 106, no. 41, Oct. 2009, pp. 17564–69. Pubmed, doi:10.1073/pnas.0909267106.
Sobotzik J-M, Sie JM, Politi C, Del Turco D, Bennett V, Deller T, Schultz C. AnkyrinG is required to maintain axo-dendritic polarity in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Oct 13;106(41):17564–17569.
Journal cover image

Published In

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

DOI

EISSN

1091-6490

Publication Date

October 13, 2009

Volume

106

Issue

41

Start / End Page

17564 / 17569

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Synaptic Potentials
  • Synapses
  • Purkinje Cells
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Neurons
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Dendrites
  • Cell Polarity