| First Author | Sabatier C | Year | 2004 |
| Journal | Cell | Volume | 117 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 157-69 |
| PubMed ID | 15084255 | Mgi Jnum | J:89438 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3040153 | Doi | 10.1016/s0092-8674(04)00303-4 |
| Citation | Sabatier C, et al. (2004) The divergent Robo family protein rig-1/Robo3 is a negative regulator of slit responsiveness required for midline crossing by commissural axons. Cell 117(2):157-69 |
| abstractText | Commissural axons in vertebrates and insects are initially attracted to the nervous system midline, but once they reach this intermediate target they undergo a dramatic switch, becoming responsive to repellent Slit proteins at the midline, which expel them onto the next leg of their trajectory. We have unexpectedly implicated a divergent member of the Robo family, Rig-1 (or Robo3), in preventing premature Slit sensitivity in mammals. Expression of Rig-1 protein by commissural axons is inversely correlated with Slit sensitivity. Removal of Rig-1 results in a total failure of commissural axons to cross. Genetic and in vitro analyses indicate that Rig-1 functions to repress Slit responsiveness similarly to Commissureless (Comm) in Drosophila. Unlike Comm, however, Rig-1 does not produce its effect by downregulating Robo receptors on precrossing commissural axon membranes. These results identify a mechanism for regulating Slit repulsion that helps choreograph the precise switch from attraction to repulsion at a key intermediate axonal target. |
