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Drosophila Lissencephaly-1 functions with Bic-D and dynein in oocyte determination and nuclear positioning

Nature Cell Biology volume 1, pages 444–449 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

Here we show that the Drosophila homologue of Lissencephaly-1 , DLis-1, acts together with Bicaudal-D (Bic-D), Egalitarian (Egl), dynein and microtubules to determine oocyte identity. DLis-1 is further required for nurse-cell-to-oocyte transport during oocyte growth, and for the positioning of the nucleus in the oocyte. Immunostaining of DLis-1 protein reveals a cortical localization that is independent of microtubules. DLis-1 may function in this position as a cortical anchor for the other nuclear-localization factors. DLis-1 and Bic-D are further required for nuclear localization in the developing nervous system, indicating that homologues of Bic-D, dynein and Egl-like proteins may also be involved in vertebrate neural migration and that their absence may cause a Miller–Dieker-like lissencephaly.

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Figure 1: E415 is necessary for oocyte determination and nurse-cell-to-oocyte transport.
Figure 2: E415 functions in mid-oogenesis to localize factors within the oocyte.
Figure 3: Structure of DLis-1.
Figure 4: Cortical DLis-1 and its requirement for dynein localization.
Figure 5: DLis-1 and Bic-D are required for nuclear positioning in photoreceptor cells.
Figure 6: Model for DLis-1 function in nuclear positioning and nurse-cell-to-oocyte transport in the Drosophila ovary.

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Acknowledgements

We thank E. Patrick and J. Pandur for technical assistance and Y. Rao for reagents and advice on work on eye imaginal discs. This work is supported by the National Cancer Institute of Canada with funds from the Canadian Cancer Society, and by the Québec ‘Fonds pour la Formation de Chercheurs et l’Aide à la Recherche’ (FCAR). B.S. is a Research Scientist of the National Cancer Institute of Canada supported by funds from the Canadian Cancer Society. A.S. was supported in part by a Québec FCAR postgraduate scholarship.

Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to B.S. The DLis-1 cDNA sequence has been deposited at GenBank under accession number AF117606.

Supplementary information is available on Nature Cell Biology’s World-Wide Web site (http://cellbio.nature.com ) or as paper copy from the London editorial office of Nature Cell Biology.

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  1. Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Dr Penfield, Montreal, H3A 1B1, Quebec, Canada

    Andrew Swan, Thuy Nguyen & Beat Suter

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Correspondence to Beat Suter.

Supplementary information

Figure 1 DLis-1 is required for cyst encapsulation.

Figure 2 Confocal optical sections from wild-type. (PDF 351 kb)

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Swan, A., Nguyen, T. & Suter, B. Drosophila Lissencephaly-1 functions with Bic-D and dynein in oocyte determination and nuclear positioning. Nat Cell Biol 1, 444–449 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/15680

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