RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 The C. elegans ephrin EFN-4 functions non-cell autonomously with heparan sulfate proteoglycans to promote axon outgrowth and branching JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 022756 DO 10.1101/022756 A1 Alicia A. Schwieterman A1 Alyse N. Steves A1 Vivian Yee A1 Cory J. Donelson A1 Aaron Pital A1 Taylor Voyles A1 Austin M. Howard A1 Danielle E. Ereddia A1 Kelsie S. Effrein A1 Jonathan L. McMurry A1 Brian D. Ackley A1 Andrew D. Chisholm A1 Martin L. Hudson YR 2015 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2015/07/17/022756.abstract AB The Eph receptors and their cognate ephrin ligands play key roles in many aspects of nervous system development. These interactions typically occur within an individual tissue type, serving either to guide axons to their terminal targets or to define boundaries between the rhombomeres of the hindbrain. We have identified a novel role for the Caenorhabditis elegans ephrin EFN-4 in promoting primary neurite outgrowth in AIY interneurons and D-class motor neurons. Rescue experiments reveal that EFN-4 functions non-cell autonomously in the epidermis to promote primary neurite outgrowth. We also find that EFN-4 plays a role in promoting ectopic axon branching in a C. elegans model of X-linked Kallmann syndrome. In this context, EFN-4 functions non-cell autonomously in the body wall muscle, and in parallel with HS biosynthesis genes and HSPG core proteins, which function cell autonomously in the AIY neurons. This is the first report of an epidermal ephrin providing a developmental cue to the nervous system.