Doublecortin (DCX)

DBCN; DC; LISX; SCLH; XLIS; Doublin; Doublecortex; Lissencephalin-X; Lissencephaly,X-Linked; Neuronal migration protein doublecortin

SPN	U406
HGNC	2714
MGI	1277171
PubMed	10399933
RGD	620670
UniProt	O43602
Wiki	Doublecortin

Doublecortin (DCX) is a microtubule-associated protein expressed almost exclusively in immature neurons. Neuronal precursors begin to express DCX shortly after exiting the cell cycle, and continue to express DCX for 2-3 weeks as the cells mature into neurons. Downregulation of DCX begins after 2 weeks, and occurs at the same time that these cells begin to express, a marker for mature neurons.
Due to the nearly exclusive expression of DCX in developing neurons, this protein has been used increasingly as a marker for neurogenesis. Indeed, the levels of DCX expression increase in response to exercise, which occurs in parallel with increased BrdU labelling, currently a "gold standard" in measuring neurogenesis.

Reference

"A novel CNS gene required for neuronal migration and involved in X-linked subcortical laminar heterotopia and lissencephaly syndrome."
Cell 92:51-61(1998) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Doublecortin, a brain-specific gene mutated in human X-linked lissencephaly and double cortex syndrome, encodes a putative signaling protein."
Cell 92:63-72(1998) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"The DNA sequence of the human X chromosome."
Nature 434:325-337(2005) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"The status, quality, and expansion of the NIH full-length cDNA project: the Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC)."
Genome Res. 14:2121-2127(2004) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Global, in vivo, and site-specific phosphorylation dynamics in signaling networks."
Cell 127:635-648(2006) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Dyrk kinases regulate phosphorylation of doublecortin, cytoskeletal organization, and neuronal morphology."
Cytoskeleton 69:514-527(2012) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Mutations in USP9X are associated with X-linked intellectual disability and disrupt neuronal cell migration and growth."
Am. J. Hum. Genet. 94:470-478(2014) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"The DCX-domain tandems of doublecortin and doublecortin-like kinase."
Nat. Struct. Biol. 10:324-333(2003) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Human doublecortin (DCX) and the homologous gene in mouse encode a putative Ca2+-dependent signaling protein which is mutated in human X-linked neuronal migration defects."
Hum. Mol. Genet. 7:1327-1332(1998) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"LIS1 and XLIS (DCX) mutations cause most classical lissencephaly, but different patterns of malformation."
Hum. Mol. Genet. 7:2029-2037(1998) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Doublecortin is the major gene causing X-linked subcortical laminar heterotopia (SCLH)."
Hum. Mol. Genet. 7:1063-1070(1998) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Characterization of mutations in the gene doublecortin in patients with double cortex syndrome."
Ann. Neurol. 45:146-153(1999) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"A novel mutation of the doublecortin gene in Japanese patients with X-linked lissencephaly and subcortical band heterotopia."
Hum. Genet. 104:341-344(1999) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Subcortical band heterotopia in rare affected males can be caused by missense mutations in DCX (XLIS) or LIS1."
Hum. Mol. Genet. 8:1757-1760(1999) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Genetic alteration of the DCX gene in Japanese patients with subcortical laminar heterotopia or isolated lissencephaly sequence."
J. Hum. Genet. 45:167-170(2000) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Mutation of the doublecortin gene in male patients with double cortex syndrome: somatic mosaicism detected by hair root analysis."
Ann. Neurol. 50:547-551(2001) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Mutation analysis of the DCX gene and genotype/phenotype correlation in subcortical band heterotopia."
Eur. J. Hum. Genet. 9:5-12(2001) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Incomplete penetrance with normal MRI in a woman with germline mutation of the DCX gene."
Neurology 57:327-330(2001) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Subcortical band heterotopia (SBH) in males: clinical, imaging and genetic findings in comparison with females."
Brain 125:2507-2522(2002) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"So-called 'cryptogenic' partial seizures resulting from a subtle cortical dysgenesis due to a doublecortin gene mutation."
Seizure 11:273-277(2002) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Somatic mosaicism and variable penetrance in doublecortin-associated migration disorders."
Neurology 60:329-332(2003) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]