Lissencephaly is a devastating neurological disorder caused by defective neuronal migration. The LIS1 (or PAFAH1B1) gene was identified as the gene mutated in lissencephaly patients, and was found to regulate cytoplasmic dynein function and localization. In particular, LIS1 is essential for anterograde transport of cytoplasmic dynein as a part of the cytoplasmic dynein-LIS1-microtubule complex in a kinesin-1-dependent manner. However, the underlying mechanism by which a cytoplasmic dynein-LIS1-microtubule complex binds kinesin-1 is unknown. Here, we report that mNUDC (mammalian NUDC) interacts with kinesin-1 and is required for the anterograde transport of a cytoplasmic dynein complex by kinesin-1. mNUDC is also required for anterograde transport of a dynactin-containing complex. Inhibition of mNUDC severely suppressed anterograde transport of distinct cytoplasmic dynein and dynactin complexes, whereas motility of kinesin-1 remained intact. Reconstruction experiments clearly demonstrated that mNUDC mediates the interaction of the dynein or dynactin complex with kinesin-1 and supports their transport by kinesin-1. Our findings have uncovered an essential role of mNUDC for anterograde transport of dynein and dynactin by kinesin-1.

Lissencephaly is a devastating neurological disorder due to defective neuronal migration. LIS1 (or PAFAH1B1) was identified as the gene mutated in lissencephaly patients, and was found to regulate cytoplasmic dynein function and localization. Here, we show that more than half of LIS1 is degraded via calpain-dependent proteolysis, and that inhibition or knockdown of calpains protects LIS1 from proteolysis, resulting in the augmentation of LIS1 levels in Lis1+/− mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells, which leads to rescue of the aberrant distribution of cytoplasmic dynein, mitochondria and β-COP positive vesicles. We also show that calpain inhibitors improve neuronal migration of Lis1+/− cerebellar granular neurons. Intra-peritoneal injection of ALLN to pregnant Lis1+/− dams rescued apoptotic neuronal cell death and neuronal migration defects in Lis1+/− offspring. Furthermore, in utero knockdown of calpain by shRNA rescued defective cortical layering in Lis1+/− mice. Thus, the inhibition of calpain is a potential therapeutic intervention for lissencephaly.

Neuronal migration is a critical feature to ensure proper location and wiring of neurons during cortical development. Postmitotic neurons migrate from the ventricular zone into the cortical plate to establish neuronal lamina in an “inside-out” gradient of maturation. Here, we report that the mitotic kinase Aurora-A is critical for the regulation of microtubule organization during neuronal migration via an Aurora-A–NDEL1 pathway in the mouse. Suppression of Aurora-A activity by inhibitors or siRNA resulted in severe impairment of neuronal migration of granular neurons. In addition,in uteroinjection of the Aurora-A kinase-dead mutant provoked defective migration of cortical neurons. Furthermore, we demonstrated that suppression of Aurora-A impaired microtubule modulation in migrating neurons. Interestingly, suppression of CDK5 by an inhibitor or siRNA reduced Aurora-A activity and NDEL1 phosphorylation by Aurora-A, which led to defective neuronal migration. We found that CDK5RAP2 is a key molecule that mediates functional interaction and is essential for centrosomal targeting of Aurora-A. Our observations demonstrated novel and surprising cross talk between Aurora-A and CDK5 during neuronal migration.

No abstract

No abstract