Critical Role of Ena/VASP Proteins for Filopodia Formation in Neurons and in Function Downstream of Netrin-1

• Main Authors: Lebrand, Cecile (Author), Lanier, Lorene M. (Author), Krause, Matthias (Contributor), Svitkina, Tatyana M. (Author), Borisy, Gary G. (Author), Dent, Erik W. (Contributor), Strasser, Geraldine A. (Contributor), Gertler, Frank (Contributor)
• Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology (Contributor)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier, 2014-01-06T15:44:27Z.
• Subjects: Article
• Online Access: Get fulltext

 Ena/VASP proteins play important roles in axon outgrowth and guidance. Ena/VASP activity regulates the assembly and geometry of actin networks within fibroblast lamellipodia. In growth cones, Ena/VASP proteins are concentrated at filopodia tips, yet their role in growth cone responses to guidance signals has not been established. We found that Ena/VASP proteins play a pivotal role in formation and elongation of filopodia along neurite shafts and growth cone. Netrin-1-induced filopodia formation was dependent upon Ena/VASP function and directly correlated with Ena/VASP phosphorylation at a regulatory PKA site. Accordingly, Ena/VASP function was required for filopodial formation from the growth cone in response to global PKA activation. We propose that Ena/VASP proteins control filopodial dynamics in neurons by remodeling the actin network in response to guidance cues.