Abstract
Commissureless (Comm) is a novel transmembrane molecule necessary both for commissural axons to cross the midline of the Drosophila central nervous system and normal synaptogenesis. Comm is able to reduce cell surface levels of Roundabout (Robo), a receptor for the midline repellent Slit, on commissural axons and unknown inhibitors of synaptogenesis expressed on muscle cells. Comm is expressed dynamically and is found at the cell surface and within intracellular vesicles. Comm can bind Robo and when the proteins are co-expressed Robo is found co-localised with Comm intracellularly. Here we show that the ability of Comm to localise intracellularly and hence regulate Robo surface levels requires sequences in both the N-terminal and transmembrane domains. We also show that Comm can dimerise via its N-terminal domain. Furthermore, absence of the Comm N-terminal and transmembrane regions results in the protein being restricted to the neuron soma.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Animals, Genetically Modified
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Axons / metabolism
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Base Sequence
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DNA, Complementary / genetics
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Drosophila / embryology*
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Drosophila / genetics
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Drosophila / physiology*
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Drosophila Proteins / chemistry*
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Drosophila Proteins / genetics
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Drosophila Proteins / physiology*
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
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Green Fluorescent Proteins
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Luminescent Proteins / chemistry
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Luminescent Proteins / genetics
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Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
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Membrane Proteins / chemistry*
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Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Membrane Proteins / physiology*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
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Neurons / physiology*
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Protein Structure, Tertiary
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Receptors, Immunologic / metabolism
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
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Roundabout Proteins
Substances
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DNA, Complementary
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Drosophila Proteins
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Luminescent Proteins
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Membrane Proteins
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Receptors, Immunologic
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins
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comm protein, Drosophila
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Green Fluorescent Proteins