Drosophila GSK3beta promotes microtubule disassembly and dendrite pruning in sensory neurons

The evolutionarily conserved Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3beta (GSK3beta), a negative regulator of microtubules, is critical for neuronal polarization, growth, and migration during animal development. However, it remains unknown whether GSK3beta regulates neuronal pruning, a regressive process. Here, we report that the Drosophila GSK3beta homologue Shaggy (Sgg) is cell-autonomously required for dendrite pruning of ddaC sensory neurons during metamorphosis. Sgg is necessary and sufficient to promote microtubule depolymerization, turnover and disassembly in the dendrites. While Sgg is not required for the minus-end-out microtubule orientation in dendrites, hyperactivated Sgg can disturb the dendritic microtubule orientation. Moreover, our pharmacological and genetic data suggest that Sgg is required to promote dendrite pruning at least partly via microtubule disassembly. We show that Sgg and Par-1 kinases act synergistically to promote microtubule disassembly and dendrite pruning. Thus, Sgg and Par-1 might converge on and phosphorylate a common downstream microtubule-associated protein(s) to disassemble microtubules and thereby facilitate dendrite pruning.