title: Essential role of MARCKS in cortical actin dynamics during gastrulation movements.
abstract: Myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) is an actin-binding, membrane-associated protein expressed during Xenopus embryogenesis. We analyzed its function in cytoskeletal regulation during gastrulation. Here, we show that blockade of its function impaired morphogenetic movements, including convergent extension. MARCKS was required for control of cell morphology, motility, adhesion, protrusive activity, and cortical actin formation in embryonic cells. We also demonstrate that the noncanonical Wnt pathway promotes the formation of lamellipodia- and filopodia-like protrusions and that MARCKS is necessary for this activity. These findings show that MARCKS regulates the cortical actin formation that is requisite for dynamic morphogenetic movements.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Developmental Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, 38 Nishigonaka, Myodaiji Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidekazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iioka
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology; D005775:Gastrula / Q000502:physiology*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000076250:Myristoylated Alanine-Rich C Kinase Substrate; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014981:Xenopus / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000076250:Myristoylated Alanine-Rich C Kinase Substrate; D011493:Protein Kinase C