Axonal transport and signaling

We are interested in the cellular mechanisms that neurons use to alter synaptic structure in response to environmental and developmental cues. Of particular interest is the cell biology of signaling within axons, which connect neurons to distant parts of the brain and body. How do signals traverse the long distance in axons from the synapse to the nucleus? And how do neurons interpret the signals in order to change specific aspects of their axonal or dendritic processes?

To address these questions, we are taking advantage of the power of Drosophila genetics, and the simple anatomy motoneurons in the Drosophila larva. We are working with a newly discovered molecular pathway that regulates the structural arborization of the synaptic terminus. This pathway also influences axonal transport machinery, and we are currently exploring the connection between these roles. We are also exploring how this pathway regulates gene expression to change synaptic structure. Through this work we are generating tools for studying the cell biology of other signaling mechanisms in axons, and for understanding how gene expression can be regulated by synaptic signals.

Horiuchi, D.*, Collins, C.A.*, Barkus, R.V., Bhat, P., DiAntonio, A., and Saxton, W.M.. (2007). "Control of a kinesin-cargo linkage mechanism by JNK pathway kinases." Current Biology, 17:1313-7. *co-first author.

Collins, C.A., and DiAntonio, A.. (2007). "Synaptic development: insights from Drosophila." Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 17: 35-42. Collins, C.A., Wairkar, Y.P., Johnson, S.L. and DiAntonio, A.. (2006). "Highwire restrains synaptic growth by attenuating a MAP kinase signal." Neuron, 51: 57-69.

Daniels R.W., Collins C.A., Chen, K., Gelfand, M.V., Featherstone, D.E., DiAntonio, A.. (2006). "A single vesicular glutamate transporter is sufficient to fill a synaptic vesicle." Neuron, 49: 11-6.

Wu, C., Wairkar Y.P., Collins C.A., DiAntonio A.. (2005). "Highwire function at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction: spatial, structural, and temporal requirements." Journal of Neuroscience, 25: 9557-66.

Daniels, R.W.*, Collins, C.A*., Gelfand, M.V., Dant, J., Brooks, E.S., Krantz, D.E., DiAntonio, A.. (2004). "Increased expression of the Drosophila vesicular glutamate transporter leads to excess glutamate release and a compensatory decrease in quantal content." Journal of Neuroscience, 24: 10466-74. *Co-first author.

Collins, C. A., and DiAntonio, A.. (2004). "Coordinating synaptic growth without being a nervous wreck." Neuron, 41: 489-91.

Collins, C. A., and Guthrie, C.. (2001). "Genetic interactions between the 5' and 3' splice site consensus sequences and U6 snRNA during the second catalytic step of pre-mRNA splicing." RNA, 7: 1845-54.

Collins, C. A., and Guthrie, C.. (2000). "The question remains: Is the spliceosome a ribozyme?." Nature Structual Biology, 7: 850-4.

Collins, C. A., and Guthrie, C.. (1999). "Allele-specific genetic interactions between Prp8 and RNA active site residues suggest a function for Prp8 at the catalytic core of the spliceosome." Genes and Development, 13: 1970-1982.