Cell shape: taking the heat.
Preservation of cell architecture under physically stressful conditions is a basic requirement for many biological processes and is critical for mechanosensory systems built to translate subtle changes in cell shape into changes in organism behaviour. A new study reveals how an extracellular protein--Spam--helps mechanosensory organs in the fruit fly to withstand the effects of the water loss that accompanies heat shock.
Kunda
Patricia
P
MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, and the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, UCL, Gower Street, London, UK. pkunda@ucl.ac.uk
Rohn
Jennifer L
JL
Baum
Buzz
B
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000502:physiology*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; C514625:eys protein, Drosophila