Cell-type specific dendritic morphologies emerge via complex growth mechanisms modulated by intrinsic and extrinsic signaling coupled with activity-dependent regulation. Combined, these processes converge on cytoskeletal effectors to direct dendritic arbor development, stabilize mature architecture, and facilitate structural plasticity. Transcription factors (TFs) function as essential cell intrinsic regulators of dendritogenesis involving both combinatorial and cell-type specific effects, however the molecular mechanisms via which these TFs govern arbor development and dynamics remain poorly understood. Studies in Drosophila dendritic arborization (da) sensory neurons have revealed combinatorial roles of the TFs Cut and Knot in modulating dendritic morphology, however putative convergent nodal points of Cut/Knot cytoskeletal regulation remain elusive. Here we use a combined neurogenomic, bioinformatic, and genetic approach to identify and molecularly characterize downstream effectors of these TFs. From these analyses, we identified Formin3 (Form3) as a convergent transcriptional target of both Cut and Knot. We demonstrate that Form3 functions cell-autonomously in class IV (CIV) da neurons to stabilize distal higher order branching along the proximal-distal axis of dendritic arbors. Furthermore, live confocal imaging of multi-fluor cytoskeletal reporters and IHC analyses reveal that form3 mutants exhibit a specific collapse of the dendritic microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton, the functional consequences of which include defective dendritic trafficking of mitochondria and satellite Golgi. Biochemical analyses reveal Form3 directly interacts with MTs via the FH1/FH2 domains. Form3 is predicted to interact with two alpha-tubulin N-acetyltransferases (ATAT1) suggesting it may promote MT stabilization via acetylation. Analyses of acetylated dendritic MTs supports this hypothesis as defects in form3 lead to reductions, whereas overexpression promotes increases in MT acetylation. Neurologically, mutations in Inverted Formin 2 (INF2; the human ortholog of form3) have been causally linked to dominant intermediate Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease E. CMT sensory neuropathies lead to distal sensory loss resulting in a reduced ability to sense heat, cold, and pain. Intriguingly, disruption of form3 function in CIV nociceptive neurons results in a severe impairment in nocifensive behavior in response to noxious heat, which can be rescued by expression of INF2 revealing shared primordial functions in regulating nociception and providing novel mechanistic insights into the potential etiological bases of CMT sensory neuropathies.

During the critical period of CNS development, dendritic architecture is shaped, in part, by activity-dependent stabilization and elimination of branches. This restructuring is partly dependent on the subunit composition of glutamate receptors in a manner that is both regionally specific and temporally regulated. We used primary cultures of rodent hippocampal neurons to investigate the consequences for hippocampal dendrite development when the glutamate ?-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazoleproprionic acid receptor (AMPAR) subunit composition was altered. Overexpression of the AMPAR subunits GluR1 or GluR2 differentially modified hippocampal dendrite architecture. We investigated signaling pathways known to be involved in activity-dependent circuit development as possible downstream effectors of AMPA-mediated morphogenesis. We identified extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 as a potential candidate of GluR1-mediated dendrite outgrowth. We found that levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and a DHA-derived bioactive metabolite, neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1) are differentially regulated by GluR1 and GluR2. DHA, but not NPD1, induced extensive dendritic branching and outgrowth. Overexpression of 15 lipoxygenase 1 (15LOX1), the enzyme responsible for conversion of DHA to NPD1, interrupted outgrowth mediated by GluR1 overexpression. In order to investigate molecular mechanisms that regulated neural circuitry outside of the critical period of CNS development, we examined dendrite morphology across the CNS in response to chronic variable stress (CVS). We found wide-spread changes in circuits implicated in neurocognitive dysfunctions associated with chronic stress, and observed substantial dendritic plasticity in the adult brain. / acase@tulane.edu

The specification and modulation of cell-type specific dendritic morphologies plays a pivotal role in nervous system development, connectivity, structural plasticity, and function. Regulation of gene expression is controlled by a wide variety of cellular and molecular mechanisms, of which two major types are transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs). In Drosophila, dendritic complexity of dendritic arborization (da) sensory neurons of the peripheral nervous system are known to be regulated by two transcription factors Cut and Knot, although much remains unknown about the molecular mechanisms and regulatory networks via which they regulate the final arbor shape through spatio-temporal modulation of dendritic development and dynamics. Here we use bioinformatics analysis of transcriptomic data to identify putative genomic targets of these TFs with a particular emphasis on those that effect neuronal cytoskeletal architecture. We use transcriptomic, as well as data from various genomic and protein interaction databases, to build a weighted functional gene regulatory network for Knot, to identify the biological pathways and downstream genes that this TF regulates. To corroborate bioinformatics network predictions, knot putative targets, which classify into neuronal and cytoskeletal functional groups, have been experimentally validated by in vivo genetic perturbations to elucidate their role in Knot-mediated Class IV (CIV) dendritogenesis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, however identification of biologically-relevant target genes for this epigenetic regulatory mechanism remains a significant challenge. To address this knowledge gap, we have developed a novel R based tool, IntramiR-ExploreR, that facilitates integrated discovery of miRNA targets by incorporating target databases and novel target prediction algorithm to arrive at high confidence intragenic miRNA target predictions. We have explored the efficacy of this tool using D.melanogaster as a model organism for bioinformatics analyses and functional validation, and identified targets for 83 intragenic miRNAs. Predicted targets were validated, using in vivo genetic perturbation. Moreover, we are constructing interaction maps of intragenic miRNAs focusing on neural tissues to uncover regulatory codes via which these molecules regulate gene expression to direct cellular development.