PUBLICATION

Specific Inhibition of Cyclin-dependent Kinase 5 Activity Induces Motor Neuron Development in vivo

Authors
Kanungo, J., Zheng, Y.L., Amin, N.D., Kaur, S., Ramchandran, R., and Pant, H.C.
ID
ZDB-PUB-090616-60
Date
2009
Source
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications   386(1): 263-267 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Ramchandran, Ramani
Keywords
Motor neuron, Neurogenesis, Protein kinase, Morpholino knockdown, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Brain/cytology
  • Brain/embryology
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5/antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5/genetics*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/physiology
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Motor Neurons/enzymology
  • Motor Neurons/physiology*
  • Neurogenesis/genetics*
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense/genetics
  • Spinal Cord/cytology
  • Spinal Cord/embryology
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/genetics*
PubMed
19523926 Full text @ Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (cdk5) is a ubiquitous protein activated by specific activators, p35 and p39. Cdk5 regulates neuronal migration, differentiation, axonogenesis, synaptic transmission and apoptosis. However, its role in motor neuron development remains unexplored. Here, using gain and loss-of-function analyses in developing zebrafish embryos, we report that cdk5 plays a critical role in spinal and cranial motor neuron development. Cdk5 knockdown results in supernumerary spinal and cranial motor neurons. While a dominant negative, kinase-dead cdk5 promotes the generation of supernumerary motor neurons; over-expression of cdk5 suppresses motor neuron development. Thus, modulating cdk5 activity seems promising in inducing motor neuron development in vivo.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping