Conserved Tao kinase activity regulates dendritic arborization, cytoskeletal dynamics, and sensory function in Drosophila
Hu C, Kanellopoulos AK, Richter M, Petersen M, Konietzny A, Tenedini FM, Hoyer N, Cheng L, Poon CLC, Harvey KF, Windhorst S, Parrish JZ, Mikhaylova M, Bagni C, Calderon De Anda F, Soba P (2020)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2020
Journal
Book Volume: 40
Pages Range: 1819-1833
Journal Issue: 9
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1846-19.2020
Abstract
Dendritic arborization is highly regulated and requires tight control of dendritic growth, branching, cytoskeletal dynamics, and ion channel expression to ensure proper function. Abnormal dendritic development can result in altered network connectivity, which has been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). How neuronal growth control programs tune dendritic arborization to ensure function is still not fully understood. Using Drosophila dendritic arborization (da) neurons as a model, we identified the conserved Ste20-like kinase Tao as a negative regulator of dendritic arborization. We show that Tao kinase activity regulates cytoskeletal dynamics and sensory channel localization required for proper sensory function in both male and female flies. We further provide evidence for functional conservation of Tao kinase, showing that its ASD-linked human ortholog, Tao kinase 2 (Taok2), could replace Drosophila Tao and rescue dendritic branching, dynamic microtubule alterations, and behavioral defects. However, several ASD-linked Taok2 variants displayed impaired rescue activity, suggesting that Tao/Taok2 mutations can disrupt sensory neuron development and function. Consistently, we show that Tao kinase activity is required in developing and as well as adult stages for maintaining normal dendritic arborization and sensory function to regulate escape and social behavior. Our data suggest an important role for Tao kinase signaling in cytoskeletal organization to maintain proper dendritic arborization and sensory function, providing a strong link between developmental sensory aberrations and behavioral abnormalities relevant for Taok2-dependent ASDs.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE)
Germany (DE)
Université de Lausanne (UNIL)
Switzerland (CH)
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Australia (AU)
University of Washington
United States (USA) (US)
Germany (DE)
Université de Lausanne (UNIL)
Switzerland (CH)
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Australia (AU)
University of Washington
United States (USA) (US)
How to cite
APA:
Hu, C., Kanellopoulos, A.K., Richter, M., Petersen, M., Konietzny, A., Tenedini, F.M.,... Soba, P. (2020). Conserved Tao kinase activity regulates dendritic arborization, cytoskeletal dynamics, and sensory function in Drosophila. Journal of Neuroscience, 40(9), 1819-1833. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1846-19.2020
MLA:
Hu, Chun, et al. "Conserved Tao kinase activity regulates dendritic arborization, cytoskeletal dynamics, and sensory function in Drosophila." Journal of Neuroscience 40.9 (2020): 1819-1833.
BibTeX: Download