MAX-1, a Novel PH/MyTH4/FERM Domain Cytoplasmic Protein Implicated in Netrin-Mediated Axon Repulsion

The netrin UNC-6 repels motor axons by activating the UNC-5 receptor alone or in combination with the UNC-40/DCC receptor. In a genetic screen for C. elegans mutants exhibiting partial defects in motor axon projections, we isolated the max-1 gene (required for motor neuron axon guidance). max-1 loss-of-function mutations cause fully penetrant but variable axon guidance defects. Mutations in unc-5 and unc-6, but not in unc-40, dominantly enhance the mutant phenotypes of max-1, whereas overexpression of unc-5 or unc-6, but not of unc-40, bypasses the requirement for max-1. MAX-1 proteins contain PH, MyTH4, and FERM domains and appear to be localized to neuronal processes. Human MAX-1 and UNC5H2 colocalize in discrete subcellular regions of transfected cells. Our results suggest a possible role for MAX-1 in netrin-induced axon repulsion by modulating the UNC-5 receptor signaling pathway.