Systematic analysis of the Frazzled receptor interactome establishes previously unreported regulators of axon guidance.

The Netrin receptor Dcc and its Drosophila homolog Frazzled play crucial roles in diverse developmental process, including axon guidance. In Drosophila, Fra regulates midline axon guidance through a Netrin-dependent and a Netrin-independent pathway. However, what molecules regulate these distinct signaling pathways remain unclear. To identify Fra-interacting proteins, we performed affinity purification mass spectrometry to establish a neuronal-specific Fra interactome. In addition to known interactors of Fra and Dcc, including Netrin and Robo1, our screen identified 85 candidate proteins, the majority of which are conserved in humans. Many of these proteins are expressed in the ventral nerve cord, and gene ontology, pathway analysis and biochemical validation identified several previously unreported pathways, including the receptor tyrosine phosphatase Lar, subunits of the COP9 signalosome and Rho-5, a regulator of the metalloprotease Tace. Finally, genetic analysis demonstrates that these genes regulate axon guidance and may define as yet unknown signaling mechanisms for Fra and its vertebrate homolog Dcc. Thus, the Fra interactome represents a resource to guide future functional studies.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 69D is a substrate of protein O-mannosyltransferases 1-2 that is required for the wiring of sensory axons in Drosophila.

Mutations in protein O-mannosyltransferases (POMTs) result in severe brain defects and congenital muscular dystrophies characterized by abnormal glycosylation of α-dystroglycan (α-Dg). However, neurological phenotypes of POMT mutants are not well understood, and the functional substrates of POMTs other than α-Dg remain unknown. Using a Drosophila model, here we reveal that Dg alone cannot account for the phenotypes of POMT mutants, and identify Protein tyrosine phosphatase 69D (PTP69D) as a gene interacting with POMTs in producing the abdomen rotation phenotype. Using RNAi-mediated knockdown, mutant alleles, and a dominant-negative form of PTP69D, we reveal that PTP69D is required for the wiring of larval sensory axons. We also found that PTP69D and POMT genes interact in this process, and that their interactions lead to complex synergistic or antagonistic effects on axon wiring phenotypes, depending on the mode of genetic manipulation. Using glycoproteomic approaches, we further characterized the glycosylation of the PTP69D transgenic construct expressed in genetic strains with different levels of POMT activity. We found that the PTP69D construct carries many O-linked mannose modifications when expressed in Drosophila with wild-type or ectopically upregulated expression of POMTs. These modifications were absent in POMT mutants, suggesting that PTP69D is a substrate of POMT-mediated O-mannosylation. Taken together, our results indicate that PTP69D is a novel functional substrate of POMTs that is required for axon connectivity. This mechanism of POMT-mediated regulation of receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatase functions could potentially be conserved in mammals and may shed new light on the etiology of neurological defects in muscular dystrophies.

Sticks and Stones, a conserved cell surface ligand for the Type IIa RPTP Lar, regulates neural circuit wiring in Drosophila.

Type IIa receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs) are essential for neural development. They have cell adhesion molecule (CAM)-like extracellular domains that interact with cell-surface ligands and coreceptors. We identified the immunoglobulin superfamily CAM Sticks and Stones (Sns) as a new partner for the Drosophila Type IIa RPTP Lar. Lar and Sns bind to each other in embryos and in vitro, and the human Sns ortholog, Nephrin, binds to human Type IIa RPTPs. Genetic analysis shows that Lar and Sns function together to regulate larval neuromuscular junction development, axon guidance in the mushroom body (MB), and innervation of the optic lobe (OL) medulla by R7 photoreceptors. In the neuromuscular system, Lar and Sns are both required in motor neurons, and may function as coreceptors. In the MB and OL, however, the relevant Lar-Sns interactions are in trans (between neurons), so Sns functions as a Lar ligand in these systems.

The RNA-binding protein Musashi controls axon compartment-specific synaptic connectivity through ptp69D mRNA poly(A)-tailing.

Synaptic targeting with subcellular specificity is essential for neural circuit assembly. Developing neurons use mechanisms to curb promiscuous synaptic connections and to direct synapse formation to defined subcellular compartments. How this selectivity is achieved molecularly remains enigmatic. Here, we discover a link between mRNA poly(A)-tailing and axon collateral branch-specific synaptic connectivity within the CNS. We reveal that the RNA-binding protein Musashi binds to the mRNA encoding the receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase Ptp69D, thereby increasing poly(A) tail length and Ptp69D protein levels. This regulation specifically promotes synaptic connectivity in one axon collateral characterized by a high degree of arborization and strong synaptogenic potential. In a different compartment of the same axon, Musashi prevents ectopic synaptogenesis, revealing antagonistic, compartment-specific functions. Moreover, Musashi-dependent Ptp69D regulation controls synaptic connectivity in the olfactory circuit. Thus, Musashi differentially shapes synaptic connectivity at the level of individual subcellular compartments and within different developmental and neuron type-specific contexts.

Understanding the causes of errors in eukaryotic protein-coding gene prediction: a case study of primate proteomes.

BACKGROUND: Recent advances in sequencing technologies have led to an explosion in the number of genomes available, but accurate genome annotation remains a major challenge. The prediction of protein-coding genes in eukaryotic genomes is especially problematic, due to their complex exon-intron structures. Even the best eukaryotic gene prediction algorithms can make serious errors that will significantly affect subsequent analyses. RESULTS: We first investigated the prevalence of gene prediction errors in a large set of 176,478 proteins from ten primate proteomes available in public databases. Using the well-studied human proteins as a reference, a total of 82,305 potential errors were detected, including 44,001 deletions, 27,289 insertions and 11,015 mismatched segments where part of the correct protein sequence is replaced with an alternative erroneous sequence. We then focused on the mismatched sequence errors that cause particular problems for downstream applications. A detailed characterization allowed us to identify the potential causes for the gene misprediction in approximately half (5446) of these cases. As a proof-of-concept, we also developed a simple method which allowed us to propose improved sequences for 603 primate proteins. CONCLUSIONS: Gene prediction errors in primate proteomes affect up to 50% of the sequences. Major causes of errors include undetermined genome regions, genome sequencing or assembly issues, and limitations in the models used to represent gene exon-intron structures. Nevertheless, existing genome sequences can still be exploited to improve protein sequence quality. Perspectives of the work include the characterization of other types of gene prediction errors, as well as the development of a more comprehensive algorithm for protein sequence error correction.

LAR-RPTPs Directly Interact with Neurexins to Coordinate Bidirectional Assembly of Molecular Machineries.

Neurexins (Nrxns) and LAR-RPTPs (leukocyte common antigen-related protein tyrosine phosphatases) are presynaptic adhesion proteins responsible for organizing presynaptic machineries through interactions with nonoverlapping extracellular ligands. Here, we report that two members of the LAR-RPTP family, PTPσ and PTPδ, are required for the presynaptogenic activity of Nrxns. Intriguingly, Nrxn1 and PTPσ require distinct sets of intracellular proteins for the assembly of specific presynaptic terminals. In addition, Nrxn1α showed robust heparan sulfate (HS)-dependent, high-affinity interactions with Ig domains of PTPσ that were regulated by the splicing status of PTPσ. Furthermore, Nrxn1α WT, but not a Nrxn1α mutant lacking HS moieties (Nrxn1α ΔHS), inhibited postsynapse-inducing activity of PTPσ at excitatory, but not inhibitory, synapses. Similarly, cis expression of Nrxn1α WT, but not Nrxn1α ΔHS, suppressed the PTPσ-mediated maintenance of excitatory postsynaptic specializations in mouse cultured hippocampal neurons. Lastly, genetics analyses using male or female Drosophila Dlar and Dnrx mutant larvae identified epistatic interactions that control synapse formation and synaptic transmission at neuromuscular junctions. Our results suggest a novel synaptogenesis model whereby different presynaptic adhesion molecules combine with distinct regulatory codes to orchestrate specific synaptic adhesion pathways.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We provide evidence supporting the physical interactions of neurexins with leukocyte common-antigen related receptor tyrosine phosphatases (LAR-RPTPs). The availability of heparan sulfates and alternative splicing of LAR-RPTPs regulate the binding affinity of these interactions. A set of intracellular presynaptic proteins is involved in common for Nrxn- and LAR-RPTP-mediated presynaptic assembly. PTPσ triggers glutamatergic and GABAergic postsynaptic differentiation in an alternative splicing-dependent manner, whereas Nrxn1α induces GABAergic postsynaptic differentiation in an alternative splicing-independent manner. Strikingly, Nrxn1α inhibits the glutamatergic postsynapse-inducing activity of PTPσ, suggesting that PTPσ and Nrxn1α might control recruitment of a different pool of postsynaptic machinery. Drosophila orthologs of Nrxns and LAR-RPTPs mediate epistatic interactions in controlling synapse structure and strength at neuromuscular junctions, underscoring the physiological significance in vivo.

Chemical activation of divergent protein tyrosine phosphatase domains with cyanine-based biarsenicals.

Strategies for the direct chemical activation of specific signaling proteins could provide powerful tools for interrogating cellular signal transduction. However, targeted protein activation is chemically challenging, and few broadly applicable activation strategies for signaling enzymes have been developed. Here we report that classical protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) domains from multiple subfamilies can be systematically sensitized to target-specific activation by the cyanine-based biarsenical compounds AsCy3 and AsCy5. Engineering of the activatable PTPs (actPTPs) is achieved by the introduction of three cysteine residues within a conserved loop of the PTP domain, and the positions of the sensitizing mutations are readily identifiable from primary sequence alignments. In the current study we have generated and characterized actPTP domains from three different subfamilies of both receptor and non-receptor PTPs. Biarsenical-induced stimulation of the actPTPs is rapid and dose-dependent, and is operative with both purified enzymes and complex proteomic mixtures. Our results suggest that a substantial fraction of the classical PTP family will be compatible with the act-engineering approach, which provides a novel chemical-biological tool for the control of PTP activity and the study of PTP function.

First Genome-wide Association Analysis for Growth Traits in the Largest Coral Reef-Dwelling Bony Fishes, the Giant Grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus).

The giant grouper, Epinephelus lanceolatus, is the largest coral reef-dwelling bony fish species. However, despite extremely fast growth performance and the considerable economic importance in this species, its genetic regulation of growth remains unknown. Here, we performed the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) for five growth traits in 289 giant groupers using 42,323 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) obtained by genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). We identified a total of 36 growth-related SNPs, of which 11 SNPs reached a genome-wide significance level. The phenotypic variance explained by these SNPs varied from 7.09% for body height to 18.42% for body length. Moreover, 22 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for growth traits, including nine significant QTLs and 13 suggestive QTLs, were found on multiple chromosomes. Interestingly, the QTL (LG17: 6934451) was shared between body weight and body height, while two significant QTLs (LG7: 22596399 and LG15: 11877836) for body length were consistent with the associated regions of total length at the genome-wide suggestive level. Eight potential candidate genes close to the associated SNPs were selected for expression analysis, of which four genes (phosphatidylinositol transfer protein cytoplasmic 1, protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type E, alpha/beta hydrolase domain-containing protein 17C, and vascular endothelial growth factor A-A) were differentially expressed and involved in metabolism, development, response stress, etc. This study improves our understanding of the complex genetic architecture of growth in the giant grouper. The results contribute to the selective breeding of grouper species and the conservation of coral reef fishes.

Planar-Polarized Semaphorin-5c and Plexin A Promote the Collective Migration of Epithelial Cells in Drosophila.

Collective migration of epithelial cells is essential for morphogenesis, wound repair, and the spread of many cancers, yet how individual cells signal to one another to coordinate their movements is largely unknown. Here, we introduce a tissue-autonomous paradigm for semaphorin-based regulation of collective cell migration. Semaphorins typically regulate the motility of neuronal growth cones and other migrating cell types by acting as repulsive cues within the migratory environment. Studying the follicular epithelial cells of Drosophila, we discovered that the transmembrane semaphorin, Sema-5c, promotes collective cell migration by acting within the migrating cells themselves, not the surrounding environment. Sema-5c is planar polarized at the basal epithelial surface such that it is enriched at the leading edge of each cell. This location places it in a prime position to send a repulsive signal to the trailing edge of the cell ahead to communicate directional information between neighboring cells. Our data show that Sema-5c can signal across cell-cell boundaries to suppress protrusions in neighboring cells and that Plexin A is the receptor that transduces this signal. Finally, we present evidence that Sema-5c antagonizes the activity of Lar, another transmembrane guidance cue that operates along leading-trailing cell-cell interfaces in this tissue, via a mechanism that appears to be independent of Plexin A. Together, our results suggest that multiple transmembrane guidance cues can be deployed in a planar-polarized manner across an epithelium and work in concert to coordinate individual cell movements for collective migration.

Liprin-α4 as a New Therapeutic Target for SCLC as an Upstream Mediator of HIF1α.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains one of deadliest types of cancers. Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP) is a key chemotherapeutic agent for SCLC, however, its therapeutic effect is limited. Recently, hypoxia in the cancer microenvironment has been suggested to influence the effect of cancer therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using small interfering RNA inhibition of leukocyte common antigen-related interacting protein alpha 4 (liprin-α4), and of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, proliferation, invasion, migration and chemosensitivity were investigated in SBC-5 SCLC cells, under normoxia and hypoxia. RESULTS: Liprin-α4 was found to contribute to proliferation, but not migration and invasion of SBC-5 cells both under normoxia and hypoxia. Inhibition of liprin-α4 increased chemosensitivity of SBC-5 cells under hypoxia. Liprin-α4 signaling occurs through mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways via activation of HIF1α expression. Inhibition of HIF1α reduced proliferation and increased chemosensitivity of SBC-5 cells under hypoxia. CONCLUSION: Liprin-α4 inhibition may enhance the effect of CDDP and liprin-α4 might be a novel therapeutic target in SCLC.

The receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase CLR-1 is required for synaptic partner recognition.

During neural circuit formation, most axons are guided to complex environments, coming into contact with multiple potential synaptic partners. However, it is critical that they recognize specific neurons with which to form synapses. Here, we utilize the split GFP-based marker Neuroligin-1 GFP Reconstitution Across Synaptic Partners (NLG-1 GRASP) to visualize specific synapses in live animals, and a circuit-specific behavioral assay to probe circuit function. We demonstrate that the receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase (RPTP) clr-1 is necessary for synaptic partner recognition (SPR) between the PHB sensory neurons and the AVA interneurons in C. elegans. Mutations in clr-1/RPTP result in reduced NLG-1 GRASP fluorescence and impaired behavioral output of the PHB circuit. Temperature-shift experiments demonstrate that clr-1/RPTP acts early in development, consistent with a role in SPR. Expression and cell-specific rescue experiments indicate that clr-1/RPTP functions in postsynaptic AVA neurons, and overexpression of clr-1/RPTP in AVA neurons is sufficient to direct additional PHB-AVA synaptogenesis. Genetic analysis reveals that clr-1/RPTP acts in the same pathway as the unc-6/Netrin ligand and the unc-40/DCC receptor, which act in AVA and PHB neurons, respectively. This study defines a new mechanism by which SPR is governed, and demonstrates that these three conserved families of molecules, with roles in neurological disorders and cancer, can act together to regulate communication between cells.

Targeting Receptor-Type Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases with Biotherapeutics: Is Outside-in Better than Inside-Out?

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), of the receptor and non-receptor classes, are key signaling molecules that play critical roles in cellular regulation underlying diverse physiological events. Aberrant signaling as a result of genetic mutation or altered expression levels has been associated with several diseases and treatment via pharmacological intervention at the level of PTPs has been widely explored; however, the challenges associated with development of small molecule phosphatase inhibitors targeting the intracellular phosphatase domain (the "inside-out" approach) have been well documented and as yet there are no clinically approved drugs targeting these enzymes. The alternative approach of targeting receptor PTPs with biotherapeutic agents (such as monoclonal antibodies or engineered fusion proteins; the "outside-in" approach) that interact with the extracellular ectodomain offers many advantages, and there have been a number of exciting recent developments in this field. Here we provide a brief overview of the receptor PTP family and an update on the emerging area of receptor PTP-targeted biotherapeutics for CD148, vascular endothelial-protein tyrosine phosphatase (VE-PTP), receptor-type PTPs σ, γ, ζ (RPTPσ, RPTPγ, RPTPζ) and CD45, and discussion of future potential in this area.

Liprin-α4 as a Possible New Therapeutic Target for Pancreatic Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: In pancreatic cancer, where the microenvironment is extremely hypoxic, analyzing signal transduction under hypoxia is thought to be significantly important. By investigating microarray analysis of pancreatic cancer cells cultured under both normoxia and hypoxia, we found that the expression of leukocyte common antigen-related (LAR)-interacting protein (liprin)-α4 was extremely increased under hypoxia compared to under normoxia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, the biological significance of liprin-α4 in pancreatic cancer was investigated and whether liprin-α4 has potential as a therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer was estimated. RESULTS: Suppression of liprin-α4 reduced proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of liprin-α4 also reduced invasiveness through the suppression of endothelial-mesenchymal transition. Stimulation by liprin-α4 was through phosphoinositide 3-kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: Liprin-α4 plays a pivotal role in inducing malignant phenotypes such as increased proliferation and invasion in pancreatic cancer, and that liprin-α4 could be a new effective therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.

Hepatic protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor gamma links obesity-induced inflammation to insulin resistance.

Obesity-induced inflammation engenders insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) but the inflammatory effectors linking obesity to insulin resistance are incompletely understood. Here, we show that hepatic expression of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Gamma (PTPR-γ) is stimulated by inflammation in obese/T2DM mice and positively correlates with indices of inflammation and insulin resistance in humans. NF-κB binds to the promoter of Ptprg and is required for inflammation-induced PTPR-γ expression. PTPR-γ loss-of-function lowers glycemia and insulinemia by enhancing insulin-stimulated suppression of endogenous glucose production. These phenotypes are rescued by re-expression of Ptprg only in liver of mice lacking Ptprg globally. Hepatic PTPR-γ overexpression that mimics levels found in obesity is sufficient to cause severe hepatic and systemic insulin resistance. We propose hepatic PTPR-γ as a link between obesity-induced inflammation and insulin resistance and as potential target for treatment of T2DM.

Dendritic space-filling requires a neuronal type-specific extracellular permissive signal in Drosophila.

Neurons sometimes completely fill available space in their receptive fields with evenly spaced dendrites to uniformly sample sensory or synaptic information. The mechanisms that enable neurons to sense and innervate all space in their target tissues are poorly understood. Using Drosophila somatosensory neurons as a model, we show that heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) Dally and Syndecan on the surface of epidermal cells act as local permissive signals for the dendritic growth and maintenance of space-filling nociceptive C4da neurons, allowing them to innervate the entire skin. Using long-term time-lapse imaging with intact Drosophila larvae, we found that dendrites grow into HSPG-deficient areas but fail to stay there. HSPGs are necessary to stabilize microtubules in newly formed high-order dendrites. In contrast to C4da neurons, non-space-filling sensory neurons that develop in the same microenvironment do not rely on HSPGs for their dendritic growth. Furthermore, HSPGs do not act by transporting extracellular diffusible ligands or require leukocyte antigen-related (Lar), a receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase (RPTP) and the only known Drosophila HSPG receptor, for promoting dendritic growth of space-filling neurons. Interestingly, another RPTP, Ptp69D, promotes dendritic growth of C4da neurons in parallel to HSPGs. Together, our data reveal an HSPG-dependent pathway that specifically allows dendrites of space-filling neurons to innervate all target tissues in Drosophila.

The secreted MSP domain of C. elegans VAPB homolog VPR-1 patterns the adult striated muscle mitochondrial reticulum via SMN-1.

The major sperm protein domain (MSPd) has an extracellular signaling function implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Secreted MSPds derived from the C. elegans VAPB homolog VPR-1 promote mitochondrial localization to actin-rich I-bands in body wall muscle. Here we show that the nervous system and germ line are key MSPd secretion tissues. MSPd signals are transduced through the CLR-1 Lar-like tyrosine phosphatase receptor. We show that CLR-1 is expressed throughout the muscle plasma membrane, where it is accessible to MSPd within the pseudocoelomic fluid. MSPd signaling is sufficient to remodel the muscle mitochondrial reticulum during adulthood. An RNAi suppressor screen identified survival of motor neuron 1 (SMN-1) as a downstream effector. SMN-1 acts in muscle, where it colocalizes at myofilaments with ARX-2, a component of the Arp2/3 actin-nucleation complex. Genetic studies suggest that SMN-1 promotes Arp2/3 activity important for localizing mitochondria to I-bands. Our results support the model that VAPB homologs are circulating hormones that pattern the striated muscle mitochondrial reticulum. This function is crucial in adults and requires SMN-1 in muscle, likely independent of its role in pre-mRNA splicing.

Catalytic and substrate promiscuity: distinct multiple chemistries catalysed by the phosphatase domain of receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase.

The presence of latent activities in enzymes is posited to underlie the natural evolution of new catalytic functions. However, the prevalence and extent of such substrate and catalytic ambiguity in evolved enzymes is difficult to address experimentally given the order-of-magnitude difference in the activities for native and, sometimes, promiscuous substrate/s. Further, such latent functions are of special interest when the activities concerned do not fall into the domain of substrate promiscuity. In the present study, we show a special case of such latent enzyme activity by demonstrating the presence of two mechanistically distinct reactions catalysed by the catalytic domain of receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase isoform δ (PTPRδ). The primary catalytic activity involves the hydrolysis of a phosphomonoester bond (C─O─P) with high catalytic efficiency, whereas the secondary activity is the hydrolysis of a glycosidic bond (C─O─C) with poorer catalytic efficiency. This enzyme also displays substrate promiscuity by hydrolysing diester bonds while being highly discriminative for its monoester substrates. To confirm these activities, we also demonstrated their presence on the catalytic domain of protein tyrosine phosphatase Ω (PTPRΩ), a homologue of PTPRδ. Studies on the rate, metal-ion dependence, pH dependence and inhibition of the respective activities showed that they are markedly different. This is the first study that demonstrates a novel sugar hydrolase and diesterase activity for the phosphatase domain (PD) of PTPRδ and PTPRΩ. This work has significant implications for both understanding the evolution of enzymatic activity and the possible physiological role of this new chemistry. Our findings suggest that the genome might harbour a wealth of such alternative latent enzyme activities in the same protein domain that renders our knowledge of metabolic networks incomplete.

The Drosophila Receptor Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase LAR Is Required for Development of Circadian Pacemaker Neuron Processes That Support Rhythmic Activity in Constant Darkness But Not during Light/Dark Cycles.

InDrosophila, a transcriptional feedback loop that is activated by CLOCK-CYCLE (CLK-CYC) complexes and repressed by PERIOD-TIMELESS (PER-TIM) complexes keeps circadian time. The timing of CLK-CYC activation and PER-TIM repression is regulated post-translationally, in part through rhythmic phosphorylation of CLK, PER, and TIM. Although kinases that control PER, TIM, and CLK levels, activity, and/or subcellular localization have been identified, less is known about phosphatases that control clock protein dephosphorylation. To identify clock-relevant phosphatases, clock-cell-specific RNAi knockdowns ofDrosophilaphosphatases were screened for altered activity rhythms. One phosphatase that was identified, the receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase leukocyte-antigen-related (LAR), abolished activity rhythms in constant darkness (DD) without disrupting the timekeeping mechanism in brain pacemaker neurons. However, expression of the neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF), which mediates pacemaker neuron synchrony and output, is eliminated in the dorsal projections from small ventral lateral (sLNv) pacemaker neurons whenLarexpression is knocked down during development, but not in adults. Loss ofLarfunction eliminates sLNvdorsal projections, but PDF expression persists in sLNvand large ventral lateral neuron cell bodies and their remaining projections. In contrast to the defects in lights-on and lights-off anticipatory activity seen in flies that lack PDF,LarRNAi knockdown flies anticipate the lights-on and lights-off transition normally. Our results demonstrate thatLaris required for sLNvdorsal projection development and suggest that PDF expression in LNvcell bodies and their remaining projections mediate anticipation of the lights-on and lights-off transitions during a light/dark cycle. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: In animals, circadian clocks drive daily rhythms in physiology, metabolism, and behavior via transcriptional feedback loops. Because key circadian transcriptional activators and repressors are regulated by phosphorylation, we screened for phosphatases that alter activity rhythms when their expression was reduced. One such phosphatase, leukocyte-antigen-related (LAR), abolishes activity rhythms, but does not disrupt feedback loop function. Rather,Lardisrupts clock output by eliminating axonal processes from clock neurons that release pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) neuropeptide into the dorsal brain, but PDF expression persists in their cell bodies and remaining projections. In contrast to flies that lack PDF, flies that lackLaranticipate lights-on and lights-off transitions normally, which suggests that the remaining PDF expression mediates activity during light/dark cycles.

Structure-function analyses of tyrosine phosphatase PTP69D in giant fiber synapse formation of Drosophila.

PTP69D is a receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase (RPTP) with two intracellular catalytic domains (Cat1 and Cat2) and has been shown to play a role in axon guidance of embryonic motoneurons as well as targeting of photoreceptor neurons in the visual system of Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we characterized the developmental role of PTP69D in the giant fiber (GF) neurons, two interneurons in the central nervous system (CNS) that control the escape response of the fly. Our studies revealed that PTP69D has a function in synaptic terminal growth in the CNS. We found that missense mutations in the first immunoglobulin (Ig) domain and in the Cat1 domain, present in Ptp69D10 and Ptp69D20 mutants, respectively, did not affect axon guidance or targeting but resulted in stunted terminal growth of the GFs. Cell autonomous rescue experiments demonstrated a function for the Cat1 and the first Ig domain of PTP69D in the GFs but not in its postsynaptic target neurons. In addition, complementation studies and structure-function analyses revealed that for GF terminal growth Cat1 function of PTP69D requires the immunoglobulin and the Cat2 domains, but not the fibronectin III or the membrane proximal region domains. In contrast, the fibronectin III but not the immunoglobulin domains were previously shown to be essential for axon targeting of photoreceptor neurons. Thus, our studies uncover a novel role for PTP69D in synaptic terminal growth in the CNS that is mechanistically distinct from its function in photoreceptor targeting.

Receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatases in cancer.

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) play an important role in regulating cell signaling events in coordination with tyrosine kinases to control cell proliferation, apoptosis, survival, migration, and invasion. Receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPRs) are a subgroup of PTPs that share a transmembrane domain with resulting similarities in function and target specificity. In this review, we summarize genetic and epigenetic alterations including mutation, deletion, amplification, and promoter methylation of PTPRs in cancer and consider the consequences of PTPR alterations in different types of cancers. We also summarize recent developments using PTPRs as prognostic or predictive biomarkers and/or direct targets. Increased understanding of the role of PTPRs in cancer may provide opportunities to improve therapeutic approaches.