De novo and inherited monoallelic variants in TUBA4A cause ataxia and spasticity.

Alpha-tubulin 4A encoding gene (TUBA4A) has been associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS) and fronto-temporal dementia (FTD), based on identification of likely pathogenic variants in patients from distinct ALS and FTD cohorts. By screening a multicentric French cohort of 448 unrelated probands presenting with cerebellar ataxia, we identified ultra-rare TUBA4A missense variants, all being absent from public databases and predicted pathogenic by multiple in-silico tools. In addition, gene burden analyses in the 100,000 genomes project (100KGP) showed enrichment of TUBA4A rare variants in the inherited ataxia group compared to controls (OR: 57.0847 [10.2- 576.7]; p = 4.02 x10-07). Altogether, we report 12 patients presenting with spasticity and/or cerebellar ataxia and harboring a predicted pathogenic TUBA4A missense mutation, including 5 confirmed de novo cases and a mutation previously reported in a large family presenting with spastic ataxia. Cultured fibroblasts from 3 patients harboring distinct TUBA4A missense showed significant alterations in microtubule organisation and dynamics, providing insight of TUBA4A variants pathogenicity. Our data confirm the identification of a hereditary spastic ataxia disease gene with variable age of onset, expanding the clinical spectrum of TUBA4A associated phenotypes.

Pathogenic TRIO variants associated with neurodevelopmental disorders perturb the molecular regulation of TRIO and axon pathfinding in vivo.

The RhoGEF TRIO is known to play a major role in neuronal development by controlling actin cytoskeleton remodeling, primarily through the activation of the RAC1 GTPase. Numerous de novo mutations in the TRIO gene have been identified in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). We have previously established the first phenotype/genotype correlation in TRIO-associated diseases, with striking correlation between the clinical features of the individuals and the opposite modulation of RAC1 activity by TRIO variants targeting different domains. The mutations hyperactivating RAC1 are of particular interest, as they are recurrently found in patients and are associated with a severe form of NDD and macrocephaly, indicating their importance in the etiology of the disease. Yet, it remains unknown how these pathogenic TRIO variants disrupt TRIO activity at a molecular level and how they affect neurodevelopmental processes such as axon outgrowth or guidance. Here we report an additional cohort of individuals carrying a pathogenic TRIO variant that reinforces our initial phenotype/genotype correlation. More importantly, by performing conformation predictions coupled to biochemical validation, we propose a model whereby TRIO is inhibited by an intramolecular fold and NDD-associated variants relieve this inhibition, leading to RAC1 hyperactivation. Moreover, we show that in cultured primary neurons and in the zebrafish developmental model, these gain-of-function variants differentially affect axon outgrowth and branching in vitro and in vivo, as compared to loss-of-function TRIO variants. In summary, by combining clinical, molecular, cellular and in vivo data, we provide compelling new evidence for the pathogenicity of novel genetic variants targeting the TRIO gene in NDDs. We report a novel mechanism whereby the fine-tuned regulation of TRIO activity is critical for proper neuronal development and is disrupted by pathogenic mutations.

Opposite Modulation of RAC1 by Mutations in TRIO Is Associated with Distinct, Domain-Specific Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

The Rho-guanine nucleotide exchange factor (RhoGEF) TRIO acts as a key regulator of neuronal migration, axonal outgrowth, axon guidance, and synaptogenesis by activating the GTPase RAC1 and modulating actin cytoskeleton remodeling. Pathogenic variants in TRIO are associated with neurodevelopmental diseases, including intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Here, we report the largest international cohort of 24 individuals with confirmed pathogenic missense or nonsense variants in TRIO. The nonsense mutations are spread along the TRIO sequence, and affected individuals show variable neurodevelopmental phenotypes. In contrast, missense variants cluster into two mutational hotspots in the TRIO sequence, one in the seventh spectrin repeat and one in the RAC1-activating GEFD1. Although all individuals in this cohort present with developmental delay and a neuro-behavioral phenotype, individuals with a pathogenic variant in the seventh spectrin repeat have a more severe ID associated with macrocephaly than do most individuals with GEFD1 variants, who display milder ID and microcephaly. Functional studies show that the spectrin and GEFD1 variants cause a TRIO-mediated hyper- or hypo-activation of RAC1, respectively, and we observe a striking correlation between RAC1 activation levels and the head size of the affected individuals. In addition, truncations in TRIO GEFD1 in the vertebrate model X. tropicalis induce defects that are concordant with the human phenotype. This work demonstrates distinct clinical and molecular disorders clustering in the GEFD1 and seventh spectrin repeat domains and highlights the importance of tight control of TRIO-RAC1 signaling in neuronal development.

Extending the phenotypes associated with TRIO gene variants in a cohort of 25 patients and review of the literature.

The TRIO gene encodes a rho guanine exchange factor, the function of which is to exchange GDP to GTP, and hence to activate Rho GTPases, and has been described to impact neurodevelopment. Specific genotype-to-phenotype correlations have been established previously describing striking differentiating features seen in variants located in specific domains of the TRIO gene that are associated with opposite effects on RAC1 activity. Currently, 32 cases with a TRIO gene alteration have been published in the medical literature. Here, we report an additional 25, previously unreported individuals who possess heterozygous TRIO variants and we review the literature. In addition, functional studies were performed on the c.4394A > G (N1465S) and c.6244-2A > G TRIO variants to provide evidence for their pathogenicity. Variants reported by the current study include missense variants, truncating nonsense variants, and an intragenic deletion. Clinical features were previously described and included developmental delay, learning difficulties, microcephaly, macrocephaly, seizures, behavioral issues (aggression, stereotypies), skeletal problems including short, tapering fingers and scoliosis, dental problems (overcrowding/delayed eruption), and variable facial features. Here, we report clinical features that have not been described previously, including specific structural brain malformations such as abnormalities of the corpus callosum and ventriculomegaly, additional psychological and dental issues along with a more recognizable facial gestalt linked to the specific domains of the TRIO gene and the effect of the variant upon the function of the encoded protein. This current study further strengthens the genotype-to-phenotype correlation that was previously established and extends the range of phenotypes to include structural brain abnormalities, additional skeletal, dental, and psychiatric issues.

A genome-wide RNAi screen reveals a Trio-regulated Rho GTPase circuitry transducing mitogenic signals initiated by G protein-coupled receptors.

Activating mutations in GNAQ and GNA11, encoding members of the Gα(q) family of G protein α subunits, are the driver oncogenes in uveal melanoma, and mutations in Gq-linked G protein-coupled receptors have been identified recently in numerous human malignancies. How Gα(q) and its coupled receptors transduce mitogenic signals is still unclear because of the complexity of signaling events perturbed upon Gq activation. Using a synthetic-biology approach and a genome-wide RNAi screen, we found that a highly conserved guanine nucleotide exchange factor, Trio, is essential for activating Rho- and Rac-regulated signaling pathways acting on JNK and p38, and thereby transducing proliferative signals from Gα(q) to the nucleus independently of phospholipase C-ß. Indeed, whereas many biological responses elicited by Gq depend on the transient activation of second-messenger systems, Gq utilizes a hard-wired protein-protein-interaction-based signaling circuitry to achieve the sustained stimulation of proliferative pathways, thereby controlling normal and aberrant cell growth.

Mutations specific to the Rac-GEF domain of TRIO cause intellectual disability and microcephaly.

BACKGROUND: Neurodevelopmental disorders have challenged clinical genetics for decades, with over 700 genes implicated and many whose function remains unknown. The application of whole-exome sequencing is proving pivotal in closing the genotype/phenotype gap through the discovery of new genes and variants that help to unravel the pathogenic mechanisms driving neuropathogenesis. One such discovery includes TRIO, a gene recently implicated in neurodevelopmental delay. Trio is a Dbl family guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) and a major regulator of neuronal development, controlling actin cytoskeleton dynamics by activating the GTPase Rac1. METHODS: Whole-exome sequencing was undertaken on a family presenting with global developmental delay, microcephaly and mild dysmorphism. Father/daughter exome analysis was performed, followed by confirmatory Sanger sequencing and segregation analysis on four individuals. Three further patients were recruited through the deciphering developmental disorders (DDD) study. Functional studies were undertaken using patient-specific Trio protein mutations. RESULTS: We identified a frameshift deletion in TRIO that segregated autosomal dominantly. By scrutinising data from DDD, we further identified three unrelated children with a similar phenotype who harboured de novo missense mutations in TRIO. Biochemical studies demonstrated that in three out of four families, the Trio mutations led to a markedly reduced Rac1 activation. CONCLUSIONS: We describe an inherited global developmental delay phenotype associated with a frameshift deletion in TRIO. Additionally, we identify pathogenic de novo missense mutations in TRIO associated with the same consistent phenotype, intellectual disability, microcephaly and dysmorphism with striking digital features. We further functionally validate the importance of the GEF domain in Trio protein function. Our study demonstrates how genomic technologies are yet again proving prolific in diagnosing and advancing the understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders.

The doublecortin-related gene zyg-8 is a microtubule organizer in Caenorhabditis elegans neurons.

Doublecortin-domain containing (DCDC) genes play key roles in the normal and pathological development of the human brain cortex. The origin of the cellular specialisation and the functional redundancy of these microtubule (MT)-associated proteins (MAPs), especially those of Doublecortin (DCX) and Doublecortin-like kinase (DCLKs) genes, is still unclear. The DCX domain has the ability to control MT architecture and bundling. However, the physiological significance of such properties is not fully understood. To address these issues, we sought post-mitotic roles for zyg-8, the sole representative of the DCX-DCLK subfamily of genes in C. elegans. Previously, zyg-8 has been shown to control anaphase-spindle positioning in one-cell stage embryos, but functions of the gene later in development have not been investigated. Here we show that wild-type zyg-8 is required beyond early embryonic divisions for proper development, spontaneous locomotion and touch sensitivity of adult worms. Consistently, we find zyg-8 expression in the six touch receptor neurons (TRNs), as well as in a subset of other neuronal and non-neuronal cells. In TRNs and motoneurons, zyg-8 controls cell body shape/polarity and process outgrowth and morphology. Ultrastructural analysis of mutant animals reveals that zyg-8 promotes structural integrity, length and number of individual MTs, as well as their bundled organisation in TRNs, with no impact on MT architecture.

A Trio-RhoA-Shroom3 pathway is required for apical constriction and epithelial invagination.

Epithelial invagination is a common feature of embryogenesis. An example of invagination morphogenesis occurs during development of the early eye when the lens placode forms the lens pit. This morphogenesis is accompanied by a columnar-to-conical cell shape change (apical constriction or AC) and is known to be dependent on the cytoskeletal protein Shroom3. Because Shroom3-induced AC can be Rock1/2 dependent, we hypothesized that during lens invagination, RhoA, Rock and a RhoA guanine nucleotide exchange factor (RhoA-GEF) would also be required. In this study, we show that Rock activity is required for lens pit invagination and that RhoA activity is required for Shroom3-induced AC. We demonstrate that RhoA, when activated and targeted apically, is sufficient to induce AC and that RhoA plays a key role in Shroom3 apical localization. Furthermore, we identify Trio as a RhoA-GEF required for Shroom3-dependent AC in MDCK cells and in the lens pit. Collectively, these data indicate that a Trio-RhoA-Shroom3 pathway is required for AC during lens pit invagination.

Kidins220/ARMS regulates Rac1-dependent neurite outgrowth by direct interaction with the RhoGEF Trio.

Neurite extension depends on extracellular signals that lead to changes in gene expression and rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton. A factor that might orchestrate these signalling pathways with cytoskeletal elements is the integral membrane protein Kidins220/ARMS, a downstream target of neurotrophins. Here, we identified Trio, a RhoGEF for Rac1, RhoG and RhoA, which is involved in neurite outgrowth and axon guidance, as a binding partner of Kidins220. This interaction is direct and occurs between the N-terminus of Trio and the ankyrin repeats of Kidins220. Trio and Kidins220 colocalise at the tips of neurites in NGF-differentiated PC12 cells, where F-actin and Rac1 also accumulate. Expression of the ankyrin repeats of Kidins220 in PC12 cells inhibits NGF-dependent and Trio-induced neurite outgrowth. Similar results are seen in primary hippocampal neurons. Our data indicate that Kidins220 might localise Trio to specific membrane sites and regulate its activity, leading to Rac1 activation and neurite outgrowth.

M-cadherin activates Rac1 GTPase through the Rho-GEF trio during myoblast fusion.

Cadherins are transmembrane glycoproteins that mediate Ca(2+)-dependent homophilic cell-cell adhesion and play crucial role during skeletal myogenesis. M-cadherin is required for myoblast fusion into myotubes, but its mechanisms of action remain unknown. The goal of this study was to cast some light on the nature of the M-cadherin-mediated signals involved in myoblast fusion into myotubes. We found that the Rac1 GTPase activity is increased at the time of myoblast fusion and it is required for this process. Moreover, we showed that M-cadherin-dependent adhesion activates Rac1 and demonstrated the formation of a multiproteic complex containing M-cadherin, the Rho-GEF Trio, and Rac1 at the onset of myoblast fusion. Interestingly, Trio knockdown efficiently blocked both the increase in Rac1-GTP levels, observed after M-cadherin-dependent contact formation, and myoblast fusion. We conclude that M-cadherin-dependent adhesion can activate Rac1 via the Rho-GEF Trio at the time of myoblast fusion.

The +TIP Navigator-1 is an actin-microtubule crosslinker that regulates axonal growth cone motility.

Microtubule (MT) plus-end tracking proteins (+TIPs) are central players in the coordination between the MT and actin cytoskeletons in growth cones (GCs) during axon guidance. The +TIP Navigator-1 (NAV1) is expressed in the developing nervous system, yet its neuronal functions remain poorly elucidated. Here, we report that NAV1 controls the dynamics and motility of the axonal GCs of cortical neurons in an EB1-dependent manner and is required for axon turning toward a gradient of netrin-1. NAV1 accumulates in F-actin-rich domains of GCs and binds actin filaments in vitro. NAV1 can also bind MTs independently of EB1 in vitro and crosslinks nonpolymerizing MT plus ends to actin filaments in axonal GCs, preventing MT depolymerization in F-actin-rich areas. Together, our findings pinpoint NAV1 as a key player in the actin-MT crosstalk that promotes MT persistence at the GC periphery and regulates GC steering. Additionally, we present data assigning to NAV1 an important role in the radial migration of cortical projection neurons in vivo.

Eph-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of ephexin1 modulates growth cone collapse.

Ephs regulate growth cone repulsion, a process controlled by the actin cytoskeleton. The guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) ephexin1 interacts with EphA4 and has been suggested to mediate the effect of EphA on the activity of Rho GTPases, key regulators of the cytoskeleton and axon guidance. Using cultured ephexin1-/- mouse neurons and RNA interference in the chick, we report that ephexin1 is required for normal axon outgrowth and ephrin-dependent axon repulsion. Ephexin1 becomes tyrosine phosphorylated in response to EphA signaling in neurons, and this phosphorylation event is required for growth cone collapse. Tyrosine phosphorylation of ephexin1 enhances ephexin1's GEF activity toward RhoA while not altering its activity toward Rac1 or Cdc42, thus changing the balance of GTPase activities. These findings reveal that ephexin1 plays a role in axon guidance and is regulated by a switch mechanism that is specifically tailored to control Eph-mediated growth cone collapse.

SUMOylation regulates nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling of Elk-1.

The transcription factor Elk-1 is a nuclear target of mitogen-activated protein kinases and regulates immediate early gene activation by extracellular signals. We show that Elk-1 is also conjugated to SUMO on either lysines 230, 249, or 254. Mutation of all three sites is necessary to fully block SUMOylation in vitro and in vivo. This Elk-1 mutant, Elk-1(3R), shuttles more rapidly to nuclei of Balb/C cells fused to transfected HeLa cells. Coexpression of SUMO-1 or -2 strongly reduces shuttling by Elk-1 without affecting that of Elk-1(3R), indicating that SUMOylation regulates nuclear retention of Elk-1. Accordingly, overexpression of Elk-1(3R) in PC12 cells, where cytoplasmic relocalization of Elk-1 has been linked to differentiation, enhances neurite extension relative to Elk-1. The effect of Elk-1, but not of the 3R mutant, was blocked upon cotransfection with SUMO-1 or -2 and enhanced by coexpression with mutant Ubc-9. Thus, SUMO conjugation is a novel regulator of Elk-1 function through the control of its nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling.

Trio controls the mature organization of neuronal clusters in the hindbrain.

During the embryonic development of the hindbrain, movements of neuronal clusters allow the formation of mature "pools", in particular for inferior olivary (ION) and facial motor (fMN) nuclei. The cellular mechanisms of neuron clustering remain uncharacterized. We report that the absence of the Rho-guanine exchange factor Trio, which can activate both RhoG and Rac1 in vivo, prevents the proper formation of ION and fMN subnuclei. Rac1, but not RhoG, appears to be a downstream actor in Trio-induced lamellation. In addition, we report that Cadherin-11 is expressed by a subset of neurons through the overall period of ION and fMN parcellations, and defects observed in trio mutant mice are located specifically in Cadherin-11-expressing regions. Moreover, endogenous Cadherin-11 is found in a complex with Trio when lamellation occurs. Altogether, those results establish a link between Trio activity, the subsequent Rac1 activation, and neuronal clusters organization, as well as a possible recruitment of the Cadherin-11 adhesive receptor to form a complex with Trio.

Group-I PAKs-mediated phosphorylation of HACE1 at serine 385 regulates its oligomerization state and Rac1 ubiquitination.

The regulation of Rac1 by HACE1-mediated ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation is emerging as an essential element in the maintenance of cell homeostasis. However, how the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of HACE1 is regulated remains undetermined. Using a proteomic approach, we identified serine 385 as a target of group-I PAK kinases downstream Rac1 activation by CNF1 toxin from pathogenic E. coli. Moreover, cell treatment with VEGF also promotes Ser-385 phosphorylation of HACE1. We have established in vitro that HACE1 is a direct target of PAK1 kinase activity. Mechanistically, we found that the phospho-mimetic mutant HACE1(S385E), as opposed to HACE1(S385A), displays a lower capacity to ubiquitinate Rac1 in cells. Concomitantly, phosphorylation of Ser-385 plays a pivotal role in controlling the oligomerization state of HACE1. Finally, Ser-385 phosphorylated form of HACE1 localizes in the cytosol away from its target Rac1. Together, our data point to a feedback inhibition of HACE1 ubiquitination activity on Rac1 by group-I PAK kinases.

The Human Rho-GEF trio and its target GTPase RhoG are involved in the NGF pathway, leading to neurite outgrowth.

Rho-GTPases control a wide range of physiological processes by regulating actin cytoskeleton dynamics. Numerous studies on neuronal cell lines have established that Rac, Cdc42, and RhoG activate neurite extension, while RhoA mediates neurite retraction. Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) activate Rho-GTPases by accelerating GDP/GTP exchange. Trio displays two Rho-GEF domains, GEFD1, activating the Rac pathway via RhoG, and GEFD2, acting on RhoA, and contains numerous signaling motifs whose contribution to Trio function has not yet been investigated. Genetic analyses in Drosophila and in Caenorhabditis elegans indicate that Trio is involved in axon guidance and cell motility via a GEFD1-dependent process, suggesting that the activity of its Rho-GEFs is strictly regulated. Here, we show that human Trio induces neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells in a GEFD1-dependent manner. Interestingly, the spectrin repeats and the SH3-1 domain of Trio are essential for GEFD1-mediated neurite outgrowth, revealing an unexpected role for these motifs in Trio function. Moreover, we demonstrate that Trio-induced neurite outgrowth is mediated by the GEFD1-dependent activation of RhoG, previously shown to be part of the NGF (nerve growth factor) pathway. The expression of different Trio mutants interferes with NGF-induced neurite outgrowth, suggesting that Trio may be an upstream regulator of RhoG in this pathway. In addition, we show that Trio protein accumulates under NGF stimulation. Thus, Trio is the first identified Rho-GEF involved in the NGF-differentiation signaling.

Recurrent TRIO Fusion in Nontranslocation-Related Sarcomas.

PURPOSE: Despite various differences, nontranslocation-related sarcomas (e.g., comprising undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, myxofibrosarcoma) are unified by their complex genetics. Extensive analysis of the tumor genome using molecular cytogenetic approaches showed many chromosomal gains, losses, and translocations per cell. Genomic quantitative alterations and expression variations have been extensively studied by adapted high-throughput approaches, yet translocations still remained unscreened. We therefore analyzed 117 nontranslocation-related sarcomas by RNA sequencing to identify fusion genes. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We performed RNA sequencing and applied a bioinformatics pipeline dedicated to the detection of fusion transcripts. RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing were then applied to validate predictions and to search for recurrence and specificity. RESULTS: Among the 6,772 predicted fusion genes, 420 were in-frame. One recurrent rearrangement, consistently involving TRIO with various partners, was identified in 5.1% of cases. TRIO translocations are either intrachromosomal with TERT or interchromosomal with LINC01504 or ZNF558 Our results suggest that all translocations led to a truncated TRIO protein either directly or indirectly by alternative splicing. TRIO rearrangement is associated with a modified transcriptomic program to immunity/inflammation, proliferation and migration, and an increase in proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: TRIO fusions have been identified in four different sarcoma histotypes, likely meaning that they are not related to a primary oncogenic event but rather to a secondary one implicated in tumor progression. Moreover, they appear to be specific to nontranslocation-related sarcomas, as no such rearrangement was identified in sarcomas with simple genetics. More cases could lead to a significant association of these fusions to a specific clinical behavior. Clin Cancer Res; 23(3); 857-67. ©2016 AACR.

Comprehensive prognostic analysis in breast cancer integrating clinical, tumoral, micro-environmental and immunohistochemical criteria.

Significant morphological, clinical and biological prognostic factors vary according to molecular subtypes of breast tumors, yet comprehensive analysis of such factors linked to survival in each group is lacking. Clinicopathological and micro-environmental criteria, estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) receptors, HER2, Ki67, basal markers, CD24, CD44, ALDH1, BCL2, E-Cadherin and Trio were assessed in 1070 primary operable breast cancers from a single center according to five main molecular subtypes and associations with distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were examined. There were 682 (64 %) luminal A (LA), 166 (16 %) Luminal B HER2 negative (LBH-), 47 (4 %) Luminal B HER2 positive (LBH+), 108 (10 %) triple negative (TN) and 67 (6 %) HER2-enriched tumors (H2+). Median follow-up was 13.7 years. At 5 years, DMFS in LA (90 %) was better than in LBH- (80.9 %), hazard ratio (HR) = 2.22 [1.44-3.43] P < 0.001; LBH+ (74.5 %), HR = 3.14 [1.69-5.84] P < 0.001, TN (71.5 %) HR = 3.63 [2.34-5.63], P < 0.001; and H2+ (65.2 %), HR = 4.69 [2.90-7.59], P < 0.001. In multivariable analysis, factors associated with shorter DMFS varied according to molecular subtype, with tumor size being associated with shorter DMFS in the LBH-, LBH+ and TN groups and the Rho GEF Trio and BCL2 phenotypes in TN tumors only. These findings help to define new clinicophenotypic models and to identify new therapeutic strategies in the specific molecular subgroups.

The RhoGEF DOCK10 is essential for dendritic spine morphogenesis.

By regulating actin cytoskeleton dynamics, Rho GTPases and their activators RhoGEFs are implicated in various aspects of neuronal differentiation, including dendritogenesis and synaptogenesis. Purkinje cells (PCs) of the cerebellum, by developing spectacular dendrites covered with spines, represent an attractive model system in which to decipher the molecular signaling underlying these processes. To identify novel regulators of dendritic spine morphogenesis among members of the poorly characterized DOCK family of RhoGEFs, we performed gene expression profiling of fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)-purified murine PCs at various stages of their postnatal differentiation. We found a strong increase in the expression of the Cdc42-specific GEF DOCK10. Depleting DOCK10 in organotypic cerebellar cultures resulted in dramatic dendritic spine defects in PCs. Accordingly, in mouse hippocampal neurons, depletion of DOCK10 or expression of a DOCK10 GEF-dead mutant led to a strong decrease in spine density and size. Conversely, overexpression of DOCK10 led to increased spine formation. We show that DOCK10 function in spinogenesis is mediated mainly by Cdc42 and its downstream effectors N-WASP and PAK3, although DOCK10 is also able to activate Rac1. Our global approach thus identifies an unprecedented function for DOCK10 as a novel regulator of dendritic spine morphogenesis via a Cdc42-mediated pathway.

Hsc70 chaperone activity underlies Trio GEF function in axon growth and guidance induced by netrin-1.

During development, netrin-1 is both an attractive and repulsive axon guidance cue and mediates its attractive function through the receptor Deleted in Colorectal Cancer (DCC). The activation of Rho guanosine triphosphatases within the extending growth cone facilitates the dynamic reorganization of the cytoskeleton required to drive axon extension. The Rac1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Trio is essential for netrin-1-induced axon outgrowth and guidance. Here, we identify the molecular chaperone heat shock cognate protein 70 (Hsc70) as a novel Trio regulator. Hsc70 dynamically associated with the N-terminal region and Rac1 GEF domain of Trio. Whereas Hsc70 expression supported Trio-dependent Rac1 activation, adenosine triphosphatase-deficient Hsc70 (D10N) abrogated Trio Rac1 GEF activity and netrin-1-induced Rac1 activation. Hsc70 was required for netrin-1-mediated axon growth and attraction in vitro, whereas Hsc70 activity supported callosal projections and radial neuronal migration in the embryonic neocortex. These findings demonstrate that Hsc70 chaperone activity is required for Rac1 activation by Trio and this function underlies netrin-1/DCC-dependent axon outgrowth and guidance.