Da. Deangelis et Pe. Braun, ISOPRENYLATION OF BRAIN 2',3'-CYCLIC NUCLEOTIDE 3'-PHOSPHODIESTERASE MODULATES CELL MORPHOLOGY, Journal of neuroscience research, 39(4), 1994, pp. 386-397
CNP (2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase) is the earliest mye
lination specific polypeptide to be synthesized by oligodendrocytes (O
Ls). When non-myelinating ''naive'' cells are transfected with the rat
CNP cDNA, CNP accumulates intracellularly in a punctate manner, as we
ll as at the plasma membrane. Filopodia and processes, like those of O
Ls become elongated and more numerous, and are filled with this protei
n. Post-translational isoprenylation of the terminal C-T-I-I sequence
with either farnesyl or geranylgeranyl is essential for this phenomeno
n. In contrast, the non-isoprenylated C397S mutant is homogeneously di
stributed throughout the cytoplasm and does not markedly affect cellul
ar morphology. We have synthesized CNP and the C397S mutant in vitro a
nd have shown that isoprenylation is essential for the binding of newl
y synthesized CNP to myelin. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.