Article abstract


Nature Cell Biology 3, 883 - 890 (2001)
Published online: 10 September 2001 | doi:10.1038/ncb1001-883

Spatial control of the actin cytoskeleton in Drosophila epithelial cells

Buzz Baum1 & Norbert Perrimon2


The actin cytoskeleton orders cellular space and transduces many of the forces required for morphogenesis. Here we combine genetics and cell biology to identify genes that control the polarized distribution of actin filaments within the Drosophila follicular epithelium. We find that profilin and cofilin regulate actin-filament formation throughout the cell cortex. In contrast, CAP—a Drosophila homologue of Adenylyl Cyclase Associated Proteins—functions specifically to limit actin-filament formation catalysed by Ena at apical cell junctions. The Abl tyrosine kinase also collaborates in this process. We therefore propose that CAP, Ena and Abl act in concert to modulate the subcellular distribution of actin filaments in Drosophila.

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  1. Department of Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
  2. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA

Correspondence to: Buzz Baum1 e-mail: bbaum@rascal.med.harvard.edu



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