Short-range and long-range guidance by slit and its Robo receptors. Robo and Robo2 play distinct roles in midline guidance

Neuron. 2000 Dec;28(3):753-66. doi: 10.1016/s0896-6273(00)00151-3.

Abstract

Previous studies showed that Roundabout (Robo) in Drosophila is a repulsive axon guidance receptor that binds to Slit, a repellent secreted by midline glia. In robo mutants, growth cones cross and recross the midline, while, in slit mutants, growth cones enter the midline but fail to leave it. This difference suggests that Slit must have more than one receptor controlling midline guidance. In the absence of Robo, some other Slit receptor ensures that growth cones do not stay at the midline, even though they cross and recross it. Here we show that the Drosophila genome encodes three Robo receptors and that Robo and Robo2 have distinct functions, which together control repulsive axon guidance at the midline. The robo,robo2 double mutant is largely identical to slit.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Axons / metabolism
  • COS Cells
  • Cell Line
  • Central Nervous System / cytology
  • Central Nervous System / embryology
  • Central Nervous System / metabolism*
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Dimerization
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Down-Regulation / genetics
  • Drosophila
  • Drosophila Proteins*
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Growth Cones / pathology
  • Humans
  • Insect Proteins / genetics
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Membrane Proteins / pharmacology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Phenotype
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Immunologic / genetics
  • Receptors, Immunologic / metabolism*
  • Roundabout Proteins

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Insect Proteins
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • ROBO2 protein, human
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Receptors, Immunologic
  • Robo2 protein, Drosophila
  • comm protein, Drosophila
  • robo3 protein, Drosophila
  • sli protein, Drosophila

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF312579
  • GENBANK/AF312580