Neuroscience 2005 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 146.8 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | Axon guidance based on cross talk between Rho GTPases requires switching mechanism. |
| Authors: |
Sakumura, Y.*1
; Tsukada, Y.1
; Yamamoto, N.2
; Ishii, S.1
1Grad. Sch. of Inf. Sci., Nara Inst. of Science and Technology, Nara, Japan 2Japan, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, 630-0192, |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
Development - Axonal and Dendritic Development -- Axon growth and guidance: Growth cones |
| Session: |
146. Axon Growth and Guidance: Growth Cones Poster |
| Presentation Time: | Sunday, November 13, 2005 11:00 AM-12:00 PM |
| Location: | Washington Convention Center - Hall A-C, Board # D10 |
| Keywords: | GROWTH CONE, SIMULATION, SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION, DEVELOPMENT |
To systematically understand the molecular events that underlie biological phenomena, we must develop methods to integrate enormous amount of genomic and proteomic data. The integration of molecular data should go beyond the construction of biochemical cascades among molecules to include tying the biochemical phenomena to physical events. For the behavior and guidance of growth cones, it remains largely unclear how biochemical events in the cytoplasm are linked to the morphological changes of the growth cone. The network of Rho family small GTPases is thought to be a computational system that translates external signals into the regulation of growth cone movement and axon guidance. We take a computational approach to simulate the biochemical signaling cascade involving members of the Rho family of GTPases and examine their potential roles in growth-cone motility and axon guidance. We first examine the qualitative characteristics of the GTPase crosstalk. We show that the GTPase activities can exhibit switching responses as a result of variations in the exogenous guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). Second, we propose a computational model for the molecular machinery, in which crosstalk between Rho family small GTPases induces growth-cone movement and chemoattractive axon guidance. Our model implies that the GTPase switching response plays a significant role in axon guidance, and that local nonlinearity in the GTPase responses rather than localization of GEF signals is important for gradient detection. Finally, we explore possible or significant cascades in the GTPase crosstalk by the Monte Carlo method and give predictive suggestions about characteristics of the kinetics.
Supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research 16014214 and by Special Coordination Funds Promoting Science and Technology (both from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology), and by the Inamori Foundation
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2005 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience, 2005. Online.
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