Tao kinases as coordinators of actin and microtubule dynamics in developing neurons

• DOI: 10.4161/cib.16051
• Publication Date: 2014-10-28T17:16:24Z
• Authors: Ian King; Ulrike Heberlein
• Keywords: Mushroom bodies

Drosophila tao, encoding a Ste20 family kinase, was identified as gene involved in ethanol, cocaine, and nicotine sensitivity. The behavioral phenotypes appear to be caused by defects the development of adult brain. Specifically, tao functions promote axon guidance mushroom body (MB) neurons. MB is large structure central brain fly whose function have been well characterized. interacts genetically with mutations par-1 gene, also serine-threonine kinase. Since Par-1 has implicated regulation microtubule dynamics, this suggests that regulates cytoskeleton developing Here we discuss these results light previous studies proposed its mammalian homologues link between actin cytoskeletons, regulating stability response signals.