Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.09.10.290866v1?rss=1 Authors: Kerloch, T., Farrugia, F., Maitre, M., Terral, G., Koehl, M., Heng, J. I.-T., Blanchard, M., Doat, H., Leste-Lasserre, T., Goron, A., Gonzales, D., Guillemot, F., Abrous, N., Pacary, E. Abstract: Despite the central role of Rho GTPases in neuronal development, their functions in adult hippocampal neurogenesis remain poorly explored. Here, by using a retrovirus-based loss-of-function approach in vivo, we show that the atypical Rho GTPase Rnd2 is crucial for the survival, positioning, somatodendritic morphogenesis and functional maturation of adult-born dentate granule neurons. Interestingly, most of these functions are specific to granule neurons generated during adulthood since the deletion of Rnd2 in neonatally-born granule neurons only affects dendritogenesis. In addition, suppression of Rnd2 in adult-born dentate granule neurons increases anxiety-like behaviour whereas its deletion in pups has no such effect, a finding supporting the adult neurogenesis hypothesis of anxiety disorders. Thus, our results provide mechanistic insight into the differential regulation of hippocampal neurogenesis during development and adulthood, and establishes a causal relationship between Rnd2 expression and anxiety. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info