As the synapse between a motor neuron and skeletal muscle, the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is required for muscle contraction. The formation and maintenance of NMJs are controlled by the muscle-specific receptor kinase MuSK. Dok-7 is the essential cytoplasmic activator of MuSK, and indeed mice lacking Dok-7 form no NMJs. Moreover, DOK7 gene mutations underlie DOK7 myasthenia, an NMJ synaptopathy. Previously, we failed to detect MuSK activation in myotubes by Dok-7 mutated in the N-terminal pleckstrin homology (PH) or phosphotyrosine binding (PTB) domain or that lacked the C-terminal region (Dok-7-ΔC). Here, we found by quantitative analysis that Dok-7-ΔC marginally, but significantly, activated MuSK in myotubes, unlike the PH- or PTB-mutant. Purified, recombinant Dok-7-ΔC, but not other mutants, also showed marginal ability to activate MuSK's cytoplasmic portion, carrying the kinase domain. Consistently, forced expression of Dok-7-ΔC rescued Dok-7-deficient mice from neonatal lethality caused by the lack of NMJs, indicating restored MuSK activation and NMJ formation. However, these mice showed only marginal activation of MuSK and died by 3 weeks of age apparently due to an abnormally small number and size of NMJs. Thus, Dok-7's C-terminal region plays a key, but not fully essential, role in MuSK activation and NMJ formation.

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The study on the efficiency of projectile propulsion driven by laser ablation Naoki YOSHIDA, Hidehiro ABE, keiichi AOKI, Masamichi NAKAGAWA, OTakashi YABE (Tokyo institute of Technology) Analysis of selectivity on laser isotope separation based on polarization selection rule

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