Radial somatic F-actin organization affects growth cone dynamics during early neuronal development

  • Durga Praveen Meka
  • Robin Scharrenberg
  • Bing Zhao
  • Oliver Kobler
  • Theresa König
  • Irina Schaefer
  • Birgit Schwanke
  • Sergei Klykov
  • Melanie Richter
  • Dennis Eggert
  • Sabine Windhorst
  • Carlos G Dotti
  • Michael R Kreutz
  • Marina Mikhaylova
  • Froylan Calderon de Anda

Abstract

The centrosome is thought to be the major neuronal microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) in early neuronal development, producing microtubules with a radial organization. In addition, albeit in vitro, recent work showed that isolated centrosomes could serve as an actin-organizing center, raising the possibility that neuronal development may, in addition, require a centrosome-based actin radial organization. Here, we report, using super-resolution microscopy and live-cell imaging of cultured rodent neurons, F-actin organization around the centrosome with dynamic F-actin aster-like structures with F-actin fibers extending and retracting actively. Photoactivation/photoconversion experiments and molecular manipulations of F-actin stability reveal a robust flux of somatic F-actin toward the cell periphery. Finally, we show that somatic F-actin intermingles with centrosomal PCM-1 (pericentriolar material 1 protein) satellites. Knockdown of PCM-1 and disruption of centrosomal activity not only affect F-actin dynamics near the centrosome but also in distal growth cones. Collectively, the data show a radial F-actin organization during early neuronal development, which might be a cellular mechanism for providing peripheral regions with a fast and continuous source of actin polymers, hence sustaining initial neuronal development.

Bibliographical data

Original languageEnglish
ISSN1469-221X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 05.12.2019
PubMed 31650708