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Although acetylated alpha-tubulin is known to be a marker of stable microtubules in neurons, precise factors that regulate alpha-tubulin acetylation are, to date, largely unknown. Therefore, a genetic screen was employed in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans that identified the Elongator complex as a possible regulator of alpha-tubulin acetylation. Detailed characterization of mutant animals revealed that the acetyltransferase activity of the Elongator is indeed required for correct acetylation of microtubules and for neuronal development. Moreover, the velocity of vesicles on microtubules was affected by mutations in Elongator. Elongator mutants also displayed defects in neurotransmitter levels. Furthermore, acetylation of alpha-tubulin was shown to act as a novel signal for the fine-tuning of microtubules dynamics by modulating alpha-tubulin turnover, which in turn affected neuronal shape. Given that mutations in the acetyltransferase subunit of the Elongator (Elp3) and in a scaffold subunit (Elp1) have previously been linked to human neurodegenerative diseases, namely Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Familial Dysautonomia respectively highlights the importance of this work and offers new insights to understand their etiology.
Pubmed ID: 20107598
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The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) is Switzerland''s leading provider of scientific research funding. The SNSF annually supports some 7200 researchers, almost 80 percent of whom are aged 35 years or younger. With its federal mandate, it supports basic research in all disciplines, from philosophy and biology to the nanosciences and medicine. It also invests in applied research in various scientific fields. The focus of its activities is the scientific endorsement of projects submitted by researchers. The best applicants are funded by the SNSF with an annual total amount equalling approximately CHF 700 million. Established in 1952 as a foundation under private law, the SNSF has the autonomy it needs to promote independent scientific research. The SNSF is committed to promoting young scientists and works to ensure that scientific research in Switzerland has the most favourable conditions for developing internationally. It also encourages dialogue between scientists and representatives in society, politics and the economy.
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