# The conserved microtubule-associated protein Mini Spindles promotes dendrite branching and limits terminal branch elongation in Drosophila class III and IV dendritic arborization neurons

## TL;DR

This study shows that the protein Msps helps regulate dendrite branching and growth in fruit fly neurons.

## Contribution

The novel finding is that Msps promotes dendrite branching and limits elongation during larval growth in Drosophila neurons.

## Key findings

- Knocking down Msps reduces dendrite branching but increases terminal dendrite length.
- Msps RNAi disrupts proportional dendrite growth during larval development.
- Msps is essential for dynamic dendrite arbor expansion during rapid organismal growth.

## Abstract

Microtubule dynamics influence neuron morphogenesis. We investigated the role of the conserved microtubule-associated protein Mini Spindles (Msps) in the morphogenesis of branched dendrite arbors using
Drosophila melanogaster
larval class III and class IV dendritic arborization neurons as two models of branch organization. In both classes, knocking down
msps
expression reduced dendrite branching but increased terminal dendrite length. In

msps
RNAi

class IV da neurons, dendrite growth failed to scale in proportion to increasing larval size between the second and third instar. These results suggest that Msps is required for the dynamic expansion of dendrite arbors during periods of rapid organismal growth.