Elongator controls the migration and differentiation of cortical neurons through acetylation of a tubulin

The generation of cortical projection neurons relies on the coordination of radial migration with branching. Here we report that the multi-subunit histone acetyltransferase Elongator complex, which contributes to transcript elongation, also regulates the maturation of projection neurons. Indeed, silencing of its scaffold (Elp1) or catalytic subunit (Elp3) cell-autonomously delays the migration and impairs the branching of projection neurons. Strikingly, neurons defective in Elongator show reduced levels of acetylated alpha tubulin. A direct reduction of alpha tubulin acetylation leads to comparable defects in cortical neurons and suggests that alpha tubulin is a target of Elp3. This is further supported by the demonstration that Elp3 promotes acetylation and counteracts HDAC6-mediated deacetylation of this substrate in vitro. Our results uncover alpha tubulin as a target of the Elongator complex and suggest that a tight regulation of its acetylation underlies the maturation of cortical projection neurons.