Nearly every aspect of neuronal function depends on the polarized trafficking of membrane proteins to either the axonal or somatodendritic domains. Live-cell imaging of cultured neurons shows that selective microtubule- based transport plays a key role in ensuring the accurate delivery of membrane proteins to these domains: vesicles containing dendritic proteins are transported exclusively within the somatodendritic domain of the cell; vesicles that contain axonal proteins move in dendrites, but their transport is biased toward the axon so that their protein cargoes accumulate there. We hypothesize that different sets of motor proteins associate with these different vesicle populations and that the distinctive properties of these motor proteins and their regulators determine transport selectivity. We propose to evaluate this hypothesis using novel methods we have developed to identify the motor proteins that associate with specific vesicle populations and the adaptors that link motors to these vesicles. Axon-selective transport may be explained by the properties of the kinesin motors that associate with vesicles containing axonal proteins. To evaluate this hypothesis, we will identify the kinesins that bind axonal vesicles and determine whether mutations in these kinesins disrupt axon-selective transport. Our previous results demonstrate that dendrite-selective transport cannot be explained solely by kinesin translocation preferences. Instead, selective transport likely depends on regulation mediated by kinesin adaptors specific to dendritic vesicles or on the interplay between kinesins and other molecular motors associated with these vesicles. To evaluate these possibilities, we will determine whether the sets of kinesin adaptors and myosins and dyneins differ between axonal and dendritic vesicles. We believe the novel experimental strategy proposed will provide a definitive identification of the motors and motor adaptors associated with these important neuronal vesicle populations and enable significant strides toward elucidating the mechanisms that underlie transport selectivity.

Public Health Relevance

Nearly every aspect of neuronal function depends on the accurate transport of membrane proteins to axons or dendrites; defects in long-range transport are thought to underlie the axonal degeneration characteristic of many neurodegenerative diseases. By elucidating the regulatory mechanisms that underlie the accuracy of microtubule-based transport, our work may identify a novel set of targets for pharmacologic manipulations that could enhance long-range transport and perhaps ameliorate neural degeneration.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
7R01MH066179-15
Application #
9474345
Study Section
Synapses, Cytoskeleton and Trafficking Study Section (SYN)
Program Officer
Asanuma, Chiiko
Project Start
2017-06-01
Project End
2018-05-31
Budget Start
2017-06-01
Budget End
2018-05-31
Support Year
15
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
$508,456
Indirect Cost
$194,594
Name
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
002430742
City
Troy
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
12180
Dey, Swagata; Banker, Gary; Ray, Krishanu (2017) Anterograde Transport of Rab4-Associated Vesicles Regulates Synapse Organization in Drosophila. Cell Rep 18:2452-2463
Yang, Rui; Bentley, Marvin; Huang, Chung-Fang et al. (2016) Analyzing kinesin motor domain translocation in cultured hippocampal neurons. Methods Cell Biol 131:217-232
Bentley, Marvin; Banker, Gary (2016) The cellular mechanisms that maintain neuronal polarity. Nat Rev Neurosci 17:611-22
Bentley, Marvin; Banker, Gary (2015) A Novel Assay to Identify the Trafficking Proteins that Bind to Specific Vesicle Populations. Curr Protoc Cell Biol 69:13.8.1-12
Bentley, Marvin; Decker, Helena; Luisi, Julie et al. (2015) A novel assay reveals preferential binding between Rabs, kinesins, and specific endosomal subpopulations. J Cell Biol 208:273-81
Petersen, Jennifer D; Kaech, Stefanie; Banker, Gary (2014) Selective microtubule-based transport of dendritic membrane proteins arises in concert with axon specification. J Neurosci 34:4135-47
Scalettar, Bethe A; Shaver, Daniel; Kaech, Stefanie et al. (2014) Super-resolution imaging of neuronal dense-core vesicles. J Vis Exp :
Morfini, Gerardo A; Bosco, Daryl A; Brown, Hannah et al. (2013) Inhibition of fast axonal transport by pathogenic SOD1 involves activation of p38 MAP kinase. PLoS One 8:e65235
Yamamoto, Hideaki; Demura, Takanori; Morita, Mayu et al. (2012) Differential neurite outgrowth is required for axon specification by cultured hippocampal neurons. J Neurochem 123:904-10
Kaech, Stefanie; Huang, Chun-Fang; Banker, Gary (2012) Short-term high-resolution imaging of developing hippocampal neurons in culture. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2012:340-3

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