RNA localization along the anteroposterior axis of the Drosophila oocyte requires PKA-mediated signal transduction to direct normal microtubule organization.
Microtubule polarity has been implicated as the basis for polarized localization of morphogenetic determinants that specify the anteroposterior axis in Drosophila oocytes. We describe mutation affecting Protein Kinase A (PKA) that act in the germ line to disrupt both microtubule distribution and RNA localization along this axis. In normal oocytes, the site of microtubule nucleation shifts from posterior to anterior immediately prior to polarized localization of bicoid and oskar RNAs. In PKA-deficient oocytes, posterior microtubules are present during this transition, oskar RNA fails to accumulate at the posterior, and bicoid RNA accumulates at both ends of the oocyte. Similar RNA mislocalization patterns previously reported for Notch and Delta mutants suggest that PKA transduces a signal for microtubule reorganization that is sent by posteriorly located follicle cells.
Lane
M E
ME
Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027.
Kalderon
D
D
D000818:Animals; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005260:Female; D017344:Genes, Insect; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D006720:Homozygote; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007247:Infertility, Female; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008870:Microtubules / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015534:Trans-Activators; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007301:Insect Hormones; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; C056478:bcd protein, Drosophila; D012313:RNA; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D001616:beta-Galactosidase