New WAVEs in neuronal PI3K signalling

The processes involved in the formation of the nervous system require the function of a multitude of proteins, which regulate a diverse array of cellular responses. The PI3K signalling pathway has emerged as being central to a number of steps that orchestrate the integrations of neu-rons into functional neuronal circuits. Consequently, the PI3K pathway is a key target in complex neurodevelop-mental disorders thought to result from defects in devel-opmental processes, such as autism, epilepsy and schizophrenia. In this issue of The EMBO Journal, Yamamoto and colleagues identify novel regulators of PI3K in neurons. In this work, NYAPs or ‘Neuronal tYrosine-phosphorylated Adaptor for the PI3K ’ are demon-strated to link PI3K signalling to the WAVE1 complex. Much progress has been made in understanding the ke