A systematic exploration of the intrinsic mechanisms controling axon growth during development

Understanding the molecular features that control axon growth potential is critical for uncovering how neural circuits form, mature, and respond to injury or disease. The Drosophila mushroom body (MB) offers a powerful model to dissect axon growth programs, as lineage-related Kenyon cells (KCs) undergo different developmental events under shared spatiotemporal conditions.

During metamorphosis, gamma-KCs undergo axon pruning, followed by developmental regrowth at the same time-frame as alpha-beta-KCs initiate axon outgrowth - thus providing a unique opportunity to compare these distinct growth paradigms. To uncover the underlying genetic programs, we performed RNA-sequencing of alpha-beta- and gamma-KCs during their initial outgrowth and developmental regrowth, respectively, revealing dynamic transcriptional changes and identifying 300 shared genes upregulated during both growth states.