In Vivo Analysis of the Microtubule Severing Protein Katanin-60 in the Drosophila Nervous System

Abstract

Microtubules, dynamic structures that make up the cellular cytoskeleton, are essential for cellular transport, motility, division, and structural stability. Accordingly, their dynamics must be tightly regulated. One such method of regulation utilizes microtubule severing proteins that use ATP to sever the microtubule by disrupting the tubulin-tubulin interactions within the microtubule lattice. Knowledge of the in vivo function of the microtubule severing protein Katanin-60 (Kat60) in nervous system development remains lacking, despite numerous cell culture studies concerning its role in dividing cells and mammalian neurons. Genetic deletion of Drosophila kat60 results in a low eclosion rate of adult mutant flies. The nervous system was evaluated and a striking phenotype was quantified. This phenotype is rescued using a nervous system driver to drive UAS-FLAG-myc-kat60 expression. Thus Kat60 is not only required in neurons, but this requirement indicates a distinct site of action from previously characterized microtubule severing proteins, supporting the idea that microtubule severing proteins have separate and unique roles in Drosophila nervous system development. Understanding how these proteins function will enhance our knowledge of how the cytoskeleton contributes to the developing nervous system.