The discovery of conserved protein motifs can, in turn, unveil important regulatory signals, and when properly designed, synthetic peptides derived from such motifs can be used as biomimetics for biotechnological and therapeutic purposes. We report here that specific Ig-like repeats from the extracellular domains of neuronal Cell Adhesion Molecules share a highly conserved Neurite Outgrowth and Guidance (NOG) motif, which mediates homo- and heterophilic interactions crucial in neural development and repair. Synthetic peptides derived from the NOG motif of such proteins can boost neuritogenesis, and this potential is also retained by peptides with recombinant sequences, when fitting the NOG sequence pattern. The NOG motif discovery not only provides one more tile to the complex puzzle of neuritogenesis, but also opens the route to new neural regeneration strategies via a tunable biomimetic toolbox.

A conserved Neurite Outgrowth and Guidance motif with biomimetic potential in neuronal Cell Adhesion Molecules

Scapin, Giorgia
Investigation
;
Gasparotto, Matteo
Investigation
;
Peterle, Daniele
Investigation
;
Tescari, Simone
Investigation
;
Porcellato, Elena
Investigation
;
Piovesan, Alberto
Investigation
;
Righetto, Irene
Investigation
;
Acquasaliente, Laura
Investigation
;
De Filippis, Vincenzo
Supervision
;
Filippini, Francesco
Supervision
2021

Abstract

The discovery of conserved protein motifs can, in turn, unveil important regulatory signals, and when properly designed, synthetic peptides derived from such motifs can be used as biomimetics for biotechnological and therapeutic purposes. We report here that specific Ig-like repeats from the extracellular domains of neuronal Cell Adhesion Molecules share a highly conserved Neurite Outgrowth and Guidance (NOG) motif, which mediates homo- and heterophilic interactions crucial in neural development and repair. Synthetic peptides derived from the NOG motif of such proteins can boost neuritogenesis, and this potential is also retained by peptides with recombinant sequences, when fitting the NOG sequence pattern. The NOG motif discovery not only provides one more tile to the complex puzzle of neuritogenesis, but also opens the route to new neural regeneration strategies via a tunable biomimetic toolbox.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11577/3403592
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