First Author | Baron J | Year | 2013 |
Journal | J Neurochem | Volume | 124 |
Issue | 6 | Pages | 782-94 |
PubMed ID | 23373526 | Mgi Jnum | J:194278 |
Mgi Id | MGI:5471895 | Doi | 10.1111/jnc.12123 |
Citation | Baron J, et al. (2013) The alpha-subunit of the trimeric GTPase Go2 regulates axonal growth. J Neurochem 124(6):782-94 |
abstractText | The Goalpha splice variants Go1alpha and Go2alpha are subunits of the most abundant G-proteins in brain, Go1 and Go2. Only a few interacting partners binding to Go1alpha have been described so far and splice variant-specific differences are not known. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen with constitutively active Go2alpha as bait, we identified Rap1GTPase activating protein (Rap1GAP) and Girdin as interacting partners of Go2alpha, which was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation. Comparison of subcellular fractions from brains of wild type and Go2alpha-/- mice revealed no differences in the overall expression level of Girdin or Rap1GAP. However, we found higher amounts of active Rap1-GTP in brains of Go2alpha deficient mutants, indicating that Go2alpha may increase Rap1GAP activity, thereby effecting the Rap1 activation/deactivation cycle. Rap1 has been shown to be involved in neurite outgrowth and given a Rap1GAP-Go2alpha interaction, we found that the loss of Go2alpha affected axonal outgrowth. Axons of cultured cortical and hippocampal neurons prepared from embryonic Go2alpha-/- mice grew longer and developed more branches than those from wild-type mice. Taken together, we provide evidence that Go2alpha regulates axonal outgrowth and branching. |