ZNRF1 promotes Wallerian degeneration by degrading AKT to induce GSK3B-dependent CRMP2 phosphorylation

Abstract

Wallerian degeneration occurs in axons following cutting or crush injuries; however, the molecular mechanisms that regulate this process remain elusive. Araki and colleagues find that the ubiquitin ligase ZNRF1 promotes Wallerian degeneration by ubiquitylating AKT, which leads to increased GSK3B activity and subsequent inhibition of the tubulin-binding protein CRMP2.