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The Journal of Neuroscience, May 2, 2007, 27(18):4978-4983; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1132-07.2007

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Brief Communications
PlexinA3 Restricts Spinal Exit Points and Branching of Trunk Motor Nerves in Embryonic Zebrafish

Julia Feldner,^2,5 Michell M. Reimer,¹ Jörn Schweitzer,³ Björn Wendik,³ Dirk Meyer,⁴ Thomas Becker,^1,5 and Catherina G. Becker^1,5

¹Centre for Neuroscience Research, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 1QH, United Kingdom, ²Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia QLD 4072, Australia, ³Institut für Biologie 1, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, D-79104, Germany, ⁴Institut für Molekularbiologie, Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria, and ⁵Zentrum für Molekulare Neurobiologie, University of Hamburg, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany

Correspondence should be addressed to Catherina G. Becker at the above address. Email: catherina.becker{at}ed.ac.uk

The pioneering primary motor axons in the zebrafish trunk are guided by multiple cues along their pathways. Plexins are receptor components for semaphorins that influence motor axon growth and path finding. We cloned plexinA3 in zebrafish and localized plexinA3 mRNA in primary motor neurons during axon outgrowth. Antisense morpholino knock-down led to substantial errors in motor axon growth. Errors comprised aberrant branching of primary motor nerves as well as additional exit points of axons from the spinal cord. Excessively branched and supernumerary nerves were found in both ventral and dorsal pathways of motor axons. The trunk environment and several other types of axons, including trigeminal axons, were not detectably affected by plexinA3 knock-down. RNA overexpression rescued all morpholino effects. Synergistic effects of combined morpholino injections indicate interactions of plexinA3 with semaphorin3A homologs. Thus, plexinA3 is a crucial receptor for axon guidance cues in primary motor neurons.

Key words: primary motor neurons; pioneer axons; neuropilin; semaphorin; zebrafish; development

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Received Dec. 25, 2006; accepted March 30, 2007.

Correspondence should be addressed to Catherina G. Becker at the above address. Email: catherina.becker{at}ed.ac.uk

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