title: Dmoesin controls actin-based cell shape and polarity during Drosophila melanogaster oogenesis.
abstract: Ezrin, Radixin and Moesin (ERM) proteins are thought to constitute a bridge between the actin cytoskeleton and the plasma membrane (PM). Here we report a genetic analysis of Dmoesin, the sole member of the ERM family in Drosophila. We show that Dmoesin is required during oogenesis for anchoring microfilaments to the oocyte cortex. Alteration of the actin cytoskeleton resulting from Dmoesin mutations impairs the localization of maternal determinants, thus disrupting antero-posterior polarity. This study also demonstrates the requirement of Dmoesin for the specific organization of cortical microfilaments in nurse cells and, consequently, mutations in Dmoesin produce severe defects in cell shape.
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000235:genetics*; D048429:Cell Size / Q000235:genetics; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013912:Threonine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000099149:Ezrin
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D013912:Threonine; D000099149:Ezrin; C099886:moesin, Drosophila; C091675:osk protein, Drosophila; C071776:radixin