Myosin function in nervous and sensory systems

Abstract

Development of the nervous system requires remarkable changes in cell structure that are dependent upon the cytoskeleton. The importance of specific components of the neuronal cytoskeleton, such as microtubules and neurofilaments, to neuronal function and development has been well established. Recently, increasing focus has been put on understanding the functional role of the actin cytoskeleton in neurons. Important modulators of the actin cytoskeleton are the large family of myosins, many of which (classes I, II, III, V, VI, VII, IX, and XV; Fig. 1) are expressed in developing neurons or sensory cells. Myosins are force-producing proteins that have been implicated in a wide variety of cellular functions in the developing nervous system, including neuronal migration, process outgrowth, and growth cone motility, as well as other aspects of morphogenesis, axonal transport, and synaptic and sensory functions. We review the roles that neuronal myosins play in these functions with particular focus on the first three events listed above, as well as sensory function.

Genes required for Drosophila nervous system development identified by RNA interference

“…No mutations of this gene have been reported in Drosophila. However, the role of nonmuscle myosins in the embryonic development of the nervous system has been described extensively in rodents (24). RNAi-dependent suppression of Mhcl gene function resulted in loss of neurons and disorganization of the VNC (Fig.…”

Cumulus cell gene expression following the LH surge in bovine preovulatory follicles: potential early markers of oocyte competence

“…Following the LH surge, we showed up the overexpression of several neuronal-related genes such as THBS1 (Liauw et al 2008), FGF2 (Chen et al 2010), MYO1D (Brown & Bridgman 2004), SYNPO (Vlachos et al 2009), and CD9 (Ishibashi et al 2004;Figs 2 and 4). Strikingly, the common functions ensured by these genes were mainly neuron plasticity, neurogenesis (including the dendrogenesis and the axogenesis), and synaptogenesis.…”

“…It is widely known that CCs-oocyte communications occurred mainly through the gap junctions (Szollosi 1978, Carabatsos et al 2000. These communications played important roles in the oocyte-somatic compartment cell signaling and decreased at the GVBD (Sutovsky et al 1993, Mattioli & Barboni 2000.…”

Myosin II motor activity in the lateral amygdala is required for fear memory consolidation

“…Nonmuscle Myosin II, a hexameric protein complex found in all cell types, is a molecular motor that dramatically regulates actin dynamics in growth structures (Lin et al 1996;Brown and Bridgman 2004;Medeiros et al 2006). Recently, our group reported that theta stimulation activates synaptic Myosin II motor force generation in the hippocampus which, in turn, promotes spine F-actin polymerization (Rex et al 2010).…”