TY - JOUR
T1 - Developmental biology
T2 - Transmembrane protein GDE2 induces motor neuron differentiation in vivo
AU - Rao, Meenakshi
AU - Sockanathan, Shanthini
PY - 2005/9/30
Y1 - 2005/9/30
N2 - During neural development, coordinate regulation of cell-cycle exit and differentiation is essential for cell-fate specification, cell survival, and proper wiring of neuronal circuits. However, the molecules that direct these events remain poorly defined. In the developing spinal cord, the differentiation of motor neuron progenitors into postmitotic motor neurons is regulated by retinoid signaling. Here, we identify a retinoid-inducible gene, GDE2 (glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase 2), encoding a six-transmembrane protein that is necessary and sufficient to drive spinal motor neuron differentiation in vivo. A single amino acid mutation in the extracellular catalytic domain abolishes protein function. This reveals a critical role for glycerophosphodiester metabolism in motor neuron differentiation.
AB - During neural development, coordinate regulation of cell-cycle exit and differentiation is essential for cell-fate specification, cell survival, and proper wiring of neuronal circuits. However, the molecules that direct these events remain poorly defined. In the developing spinal cord, the differentiation of motor neuron progenitors into postmitotic motor neurons is regulated by retinoid signaling. Here, we identify a retinoid-inducible gene, GDE2 (glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase 2), encoding a six-transmembrane protein that is necessary and sufficient to drive spinal motor neuron differentiation in vivo. A single amino acid mutation in the extracellular catalytic domain abolishes protein function. This reveals a critical role for glycerophosphodiester metabolism in motor neuron differentiation.
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U2 - 10.1126/science.1117156
DO - 10.1126/science.1117156
M3 - Article
C2 - 16195461
AN - SCOPUS:25844477017
SN - 0036-8075
VL - 309
SP - 2212
EP - 2215
JO - Science
JF - Science
IS - 5744
ER -