The planar polarity gene strabismus regulates convergent extension movements in Xenopus.
The signaling mechanisms that specify, guide and coordinate cell behavior during embryonic morphogenesis are poorly understood. We report that a Xenopus homolog of the Drosophila planar cell polarity gene strabismus (stbm) participates in the regulation of convergent extension, a critical morphogenetic process required for the elongation of dorsal structures in vertebrate embryos. Overexpression of Xstbm, which is expressed broadly in early development and subsequently in the nervous system, causes severely shortened trunk structures; a similar phenotype results from inhibiting Xstbm translation using a morpholino antisense oligo. Experiments with Keller explants further demonstrate that Xstbm can regulate convergent extension in both dorsal mesoderm and neural tissue. The specification of dorsal tissues is not affected. The Xstbm phenotype resembles those obtained with several other molecules with roles in planar polarity signaling, including Dishevelled and Frizzled-7 and -8. Unlike these proteins, however, Stbm has little effect on conventional Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in either frog or fly assays. Thus our results strongly support the emerging hypothesis that a vertebrate analog of the planar polarity pathway governs convergent extension movements.
Darken
Rachel S
RS
Department of Cell Biology, Weill Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Scola
Adriane M
AM
Rakeman
Andrew S
AS
Das
Gishnu
G
Mlodzik
Marek
M
Wilson
Paul A
PA
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D000072261:Dishevelled Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005775:Gastrula / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007814:Larva; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009420:Nervous System / Q000196:embryology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020320:Oligoribonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D010641:Phenotype; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C495266:CTNNB1 protein, Xenopus; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D000072261:Dishevelled Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C113865:FZD8 protein, Xenopus; C492040:Fzd7 protein, Xenopus; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020320:Oligoribonucleotides, Antisense; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; C111638:Vang protein, Drosophila; C491760:Vangl2 protein, Xenopus; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; C000606588:dsh protein, Drosophila