title: The flightless I protein localizes to actin-based structures during embryonic development.
abstract: The product of the flightless I gene is predicted to provide a link between molecules of an as yet unidentified signal transduction pathway and the actin cytoskeleton. Previous work has shown that weak and severe mutations of the flightless I locus in Drosophila melanogaster cause disruption in the indirect flight muscles and in embryonic cellularization events, respectively, indicative of a regulatory role for the flightless I protein in cytoskeletal rearrangements. A C-terminal domain within flightless I with significant homology to the gelsolin-like family of actin-binding proteins has been identified, but evidence of a direct interaction between endogenous flightless I and actin remains to be shown. In the present study, chick, mouse and Drosophila melanogaster embryos have been examined and the localization of flightless I investigated in relation to the actin cytoskeleton. It is shown that flightless I localization is coincident with actin-rich regions in parasympathetic neurons harvested from chicks, in mouse blastocysts and in structures associated with cellularization in Drosophila melanogaster.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Signalling Group, Division of Neuroscience, Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Ausralian National University, Canberra. Deb.Davy@anu.edu.au
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Davy
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Matthaei
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Crouch
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000196:embryology; D046508:Culture Techniques; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology*; D018260:Gelsolin; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018260:Gelsolin; D019476:Insect Proteins; C098178:fliI protein, Drosophila