Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-r6qrq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-29T08:29:56.841Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Two distinct mechanisms segregate Prospero in the longitudinal glia underlying the timing of interactions with axons

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2007

Rachel C. Griffiths
Affiliation:
NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK NeuroDevelopment Group, Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, UK
Jonathan Benito-Sipos
Affiliation:
NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Spain
Janine C. Fenton
Affiliation:
NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK
Laura Torroja
Affiliation:
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Spain
Alicia Hidalgo*
Affiliation:
NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK
*
*Correspondence should be addressed to A. Hidalgo, NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK phone: +44 121 414 5416 fax: +44 121 414 5445 email: a.hidalgo@bham.ac.uk

Abstract

Prospero is required in dividing longitudinal glia (LG) during axon guidance; initially to enable glial division in response to neuronal contact, and subsequently to maintain glial precursors in a quiescent state with mitotic potential. Only Prospero-positive LG respond to neuronal ablation by over-proliferating, mimicking a glial-repair response. Prospero is distributed unequally through the progeny cells of the longitudinal glioblast lineage. Just before axon contact the concentration of Prospero is higher in two of the four progeny cells, and after axon guidance Prospero is present only in six out of ten progeny LG. Here we ask how Prospero is distributed unequally in these two distinct phases. We show that before neuronal contact, longitudinal glioblasts undergo invaginating divisions, perpendicular to the ectodermal layer. Miranda is required to segregate Prospero asymmetrically up to the four glial-progeny stage. After neuronal contact, Prospero is present in only the LG that activate Notch signalling in response to Serrate provided by commissural axons, and Numb is restricted to the glia that do not contain Prospero. As a result of this dual regulation of Prospero deployment, glia are coupled to the formation and maintenance of axonal trajectories.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)