Subcellular mRNA localization and local translation of Arhgap11a in radial glial progenitors regulates cortical development.

mRNA localization and local translation enable exquisite spatial and temporal control of gene expression, particularly in polarized, elongated cells. These features are especially prominent in radial glial cells (RGCs), which are neural and glial precursors of the developing cerebral cortex and scaffolds for migrating neurons. Yet the mechanisms by which subcellular RGC compartments accomplish their diverse functions are poorly understood.

Inhibition of SRGAP2 function by its human-specific paralogs induces neoteny during spine maturation.

Structural genomic variations represent a major driving force of evolution, and a burst of large segmental gene duplications occurred in the human lineage during its separation from nonhuman primates. SRGAP2, a gene recently implicated in neocortical development, has undergone two human-specific duplications. Here, we find that both duplications (SRGAP2B and SRGAP2C) are partial and encode a truncated F-BAR domain.

LMO4 controls the balance between excitatory and inhibitory spinal V2 interneurons.

Multiple excitatory and inhibitory interneurons form the motor circuit with motor neurons in the ventral spinal cord. Notch signaling initiates the diversification of immature V2-interneurons into excitatory V2a-interneurons and inhibitory V2b-interneurons. Here, we provide a transcriptional regulatory mechanism underlying their balanced production.

A regulatory network to segregate the identity of neuronal subtypes.

Spinal motor neurons (MNs) and V2 interneurons (V2-INs) are specified by two related LIM-complexes, MN-hexamer and V2-tetramer, respectively. Here we show how multiple parallel and complementary feedback loops are integrated to assign these two cell fates accurately. While MN-hexamer response elements (REs) are specific to MN-hexamer, V2-tetramer-REs can bind both LIM-complexes.