Axon or dendrite degeneration involves activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, failure to maintain neuritic ATP levels, microtubule fragmentation and a mitochondrial permeability transition that occur independently of the somal death programs. To gain further insight into the neurite degeneration mechanims we have compared two-dimensional gel electrophoresis patterns of neurite proteins ...

The slow Wallerian degeneration (Wld(S)) protein protects injured axons from degeneration. This unusual chimeric protein fuses a 70-amino acid N-terminal sequence from the Ube4b multiubiquitination factor with the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-synthesizing enzyme nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyl transferase 1. The requirement for these components and the mechanism of Wld(S)-mediated neu...

Wallerian degeneration is a fundamental process of axonal degeneration distal to the injury site. Although axonal degeneration itself is accomplished in a few days, the subsequent process of removing debris, including myelin debris, in the central nervous system takes more time. Since this debris is a potent inhibitor of axonal regeneration, the removal process is critical for functional recove...

Axons damaged by acute injury, toxic insults, or during neurodegenerative diseases undergo Wallerian or Wallerian-like degeneration, which is an active and orderly cellular process, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Drosophila has been proven to be a successful system for modeling human neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we established a novel in vivo model of axon in...