Rescue of photoreceptor degeneration in rhodopsin-null Drosophila mutants by activated Rac1.
Rhodopsin is essential for photoreceptor morphogenesis; photoreceptors lacking rhodopsin degenerate in humans, mice, and Drosophila. Here we report that transgenic expression of a dominant-active Drosophila Rho guanosine triphosphatase, Drac1, rescued photoreceptor morphogenesis in rhodopsin-null mutants; expression of dominant-negative Drac1 resulted in a phenotype similar to that seen in rhodopsin-null mutants. Drac1 was localized in a specialization of the photoreceptor cortical actin cytoskeleton, which was lost in rhodopsin-null mutants. Thus, rhodopsin appears to organize the actin cytoskeleton through Drac1, contributing a structural support essential for photoreceptor morphogenesis.
Chang
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Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Ready
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D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008871:Microvilli / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009154:Mutation; D017956:Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C090146:Rac1 protein, Drosophila; D012243:Rhodopsin; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins