The ELAV/Hu protein Found in neurons regulates cytoskeletal and ECM adhesion inputs for space-filling dendrite growth

RNA-binding proteins play important roles in neuronal development and function. We sought to understand the role of the RNA-binding protein Found in neurons (Fne) in regulating the development of Drosophila larval class IV dendritic arborization neurons, in part by identifying its transcript targets using TRIBE. We were able to identify many cell adhesion proteins and cytoskeletal regulators as targets of Fne, which is consistent with our genetic and phenotypic analysis of the role of Fne in class IV da neurons. Overall design: To identify targets of Fne in Drosophila S2 cells, we used the TRIBE method, which makes use of the RNA-editing enzyme ADAR. ADAR deaminates adenosine to inosine, which is read by reverse transcriptase as guanosine. By generating a fusion protein consisting of the RNA-binding domains of Fne fused to the catalytic domain of ADAR, we were able to identify Fne targets using RNA-seq to detect A-to-G edits in the transcriptome.