RHO-1 and the Rho GEF RHGF-1 interact with UNC-6/Netrin signaling to regulate growth cone protrusion and microtubule organization in Caenorhabditis elegans

PLoS Genet. 2019 Jun 24;15(6):e1007960. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007960. eCollection 2019 Jun.

Abstract

UNC-6/Netrin is a conserved axon guidance cue that directs growth cone migrations in the dorsal-ventral axis of C. elegans and in the vertebrate spinal cord. UNC-6/Netrin is expressed in ventral cells, and growth cones migrate ventrally toward or dorsally away from UNC-6/Netrin. Recent studies of growth cone behavior during outgrowth in vivo in C. elegans have led to a polarity/protrusion model in directed growth cone migration away from UNC-6/Netrin. In this model, UNC-6/Netrin first polarizes the growth cone via the UNC-5 receptor, leading to dorsally biased protrusion and F-actin accumulation. UNC-6/Netrin then regulates protrusion based on this polarity. The receptor UNC-40/DCC drives protrusion dorsally, away from the UNC-6/Netrin source, and the UNC-5 receptor inhibits protrusion ventrally, near the UNC-6/Netrin source, resulting in dorsal migration. UNC-5 inhibits protrusion in part by excluding microtubules from the growth cone, which are pro-protrusive. Here we report that the RHO-1/RhoA GTPase and its activator GEF RHGF-1 inhibit growth cone protrusion and MT accumulation in growth cones, similar to UNC-5. However, growth cone polarity of protrusion and F-actin were unaffected by RHO-1 and RHGF-1. Thus, RHO-1 signaling acts specifically as a negative regulator of protrusion and MT accumulation, and not polarity. Genetic interactions are consistent with RHO-1 and RHGF-1 acting with UNC-5, as well as with a parallel pathway, to regulate protrusion. The cytoskeletal interacting molecule UNC-33/CRMP was required for RHO-1 activity to inhibit MT accumulation, suggesting that UNC-33/CRMP might act downstream of RHO-1. In sum, these studies describe a new role of RHO-1 and RHGF-1 in regulation of growth cone protrusion by UNC-6/Netrin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Axon Guidance / genetics
  • Axons / metabolism
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / growth & development
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics*
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Polarity / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / genetics
  • Growth Cones / metabolism
  • Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / genetics*
  • Microtubules / genetics
  • Nerve Growth Factors / genetics
  • Netrins / genetics*
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Phenotype
  • Pseudopodia / genetics
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors
  • Nerve Growth Factors
  • Netrins
  • RHGF-1 protein, C elegans
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • UNC-6 protein, C elegans
  • unc-33 protein, C elegans
  • UNC-5 protein, C elegans
  • RHO-1 protein, C elegans
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins