Cullin-5 plays multiple roles in cell fate specification and synapse formation during Drosophila development.
We describe a developmental analysis of Drosophila Cullin-5 (Cul-5) identified from the genome sequence on the basis of its high degree of homology to vertebrate and worm sequences. The gene is expressed in a restricted manner in ectodermal cells throughout development suggesting pleiotropic functions. We decided to examine the phenotypes of Cul-5 aberrations in two well-studied developmental systems: the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and the developing sensory organ. Alteration of Cul-5 levels in motoneurons results in an increase in bouton number at the NMJ. The cells of a sensory organ on the adult notum arise from a single progenitor cell by regulated cell division. Aberrations in Cul-5 affect different steps in the lineage consistent with a role in cell fate determination, proliferation, and death. Such phenotypes highlight the multiple cellular processes in which Cul-5 can participate.
Ayyub
Champakali
C
Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India.
Sen
Anindya
A
Gonsalves
Foster
F
Badrinath
Kishan
K
Bhandari
Poonam
P
Shashidhara
L S
LS
Krishna
Sudhir
S
Rodrigues
Veronica
V
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D044842:Cullin Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D015870:Gene Expression; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017344:Genes, Insect; D007814:Larva; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D038081:Organogenesis; D011679:Pupa; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D044842:Cullin Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger