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.
MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, and the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, UCL, Gower Street, London, UK. pkunda@ucl.ac.uk
Patricia
P
Kunda
Jennifer L
JL
Rohn
Buzz
B
Baum
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