Biomaterial Database

X-linked mental retardation gene CASK interacts with Bcl11A/CTIP1 and regulates axon branching and outgrowth. 2010

Ting-Yu Kuo, and Chen-Jei Hong, and Hsu-Ling Chien, and Yi-Ping Hsueh

The Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine kinase (CASK), a causative gene in X-linked mental retardation, carries out multiple functions in neurons, including vesicle trafficking of ion channels, synapse formation, and gene transcription. From a yeast two-hybrid screen, Krüppel-like zinc finger protein B cell lymphoma/COUP-TF-interacting protein 1 (Bcl11A/CTIP1) was identified as a CASK binding protein. Through alternative splicing, a single Bcl11A gene encodes two major protein products in neurons, Bcl11A-S and Bcl11A-L. CASK interacted with both Bcl11A-S and Bcl11A-L in transfected COS cells and brain. Immunofluorescence staining further indicated the colocalization of CASK and Bcl11A in the nuclei of neurons. These studies supported an interaction between CASK and Bcl11A in vivo. Bcl11A-L has previously been shown to play a role in gene transcription as well as axon outgrowth and branching. Here, we further show that Bcl11A-L rearranges the distribution of nuclear actin, which may be related to the function of Bcl11A-L in gene expression. More importantly, using cultured hippocampal neurons as a model system, we show that CASK enhances the ability of Bcl11A-L to restrict axon outgrowth and branching. Interruption of the interaction between CASK and Bcl11A increased the outgrowth and branching of axons, suggesting that the interaction between CASK and Bcl11A controls axon arborization. In conclusion, our results suggest that, through the interaction with Bcl11A, CASK plays a role in axonogenesis, which may be related to brain anatomical characteristics in humans.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007150	Immunohistochemistry	Histochemical localization of immunoreactive substances using labeled antibodies as reagents.	Immunocytochemistry,Immunogold Techniques,Immunogold-Silver Techniques,Immunohistocytochemistry,Immunolabeling Techniques,Immunogold Technics,Immunogold-Silver Technics,Immunolabeling Technics,Immunogold Silver Technics,Immunogold Silver Techniques,Immunogold Technic,Immunogold Technique,Immunogold-Silver Technic,Immunogold-Silver Technique,Immunolabeling Technic,Immunolabeling Technique,Technic, Immunogold,Technic, Immunogold-Silver,Technic, Immunolabeling,Technics, Immunogold,Technics, Immunogold-Silver,Technics, Immunolabeling,Technique, Immunogold,Technique, Immunogold-Silver,Technique, Immunolabeling,Techniques, Immunogold,Techniques, Immunogold-Silver,Techniques, Immunolabeling
D009474	Neurons	The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D009687	Nuclear Proteins	Proteins found in the nucleus of a cell. Do not confuse with NUCLEOPROTEINS which are proteins conjugated with nucleic acids, that are not necessarily present in the nucleus.	Nucleolar Protein,Nucleolar Proteins,Nuclear Protein,Protein, Nuclear,Protein, Nucleolar,Proteins, Nuclear,Proteins, Nucleolar
D010957	Plasmids	Extrachromosomal, usually CIRCULAR DNA molecules that are self-replicating and transferable from one organism to another. They are found in a variety of bacterial, archaeal, fungal, algal, and plant species. They are used in GENETIC ENGINEERING as CLONING VECTORS.	Episomes,Episome,Plasmid
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D012097	Repressor Proteins	Proteins which maintain the transcriptional quiescence of specific GENES or OPERONS. Classical repressor proteins are DNA-binding proteins that are normally bound to the OPERATOR REGION of an operon, or the ENHANCER SEQUENCES of a gene until a signal occurs that causes their release.	Repressor Molecules,Transcriptional Silencing Factors,Proteins, Repressor,Silencing Factors, Transcriptional
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D002352	Carrier Proteins	Proteins that bind or transport specific substances in the blood, within the cell, or across cell membranes.	Binding Proteins,Carrier Protein,Transport Protein,Transport Proteins,Binding Protein,Protein, Carrier,Proteins, Carrier
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D002522	Chlorocebus aethiops	A species of CERCOPITHECUS containing three subspecies: C. tantalus, C. pygerythrus, and C. sabeus. They are found in the forests and savannah of Africa. The African green monkey is the natural host of SIMIAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS and is used in AIDS research.	African Green Monkey,Cercopithecus aethiops,Cercopithecus griseoviridis,Cercopithecus griseus,Cercopithecus pygerythrus,Cercopithecus sabeus,Cercopithecus tantalus,Chlorocebus cynosuros,Chlorocebus cynosurus,Chlorocebus pygerythrus,Green Monkey,Grivet Monkey,Lasiopyga weidholzi,Malbrouck,Malbrouck Monkey,Monkey, African Green,Monkey, Green,Monkey, Grivet,Monkey, Vervet,Savanah Monkey,Vervet Monkey,Savannah Monkey,African Green Monkey,Chlorocebus cynosuro,Green Monkey, African,Green Monkeys,Grivet Monkeys,Malbrouck Monkeys,Malbroucks,Monkey, Malbrouck,Monkey, Savanah,Monkey, Savannah,Savannah Monkeys,Vervet Monkeys