title: Bazooka is required for polarisation of the Drosophila anterior-posterior axis.
abstract: The Drosophila anterior-posterior (AP) axis is determined by the polarisation of the stage 9 oocyte and the subsequent localisation of bicoid and oskar mRNAs to opposite poles of the cell. Oocyte polarity has been proposed to depend on the same PAR proteins that generate AP polarity in C. elegans, with a complex of Bazooka (Baz; Par-3), Par-6 and aPKC marking the anterior and lateral cortex, and Par-1 defining the posterior. The function of the Baz complex in oocyte polarity has remained unclear, however, because although baz-null mutants block oocyte determination, egg chambers that escape this early arrest usually develop normal polarity at stage 9. Here, we characterise a baz allele that produces a penetrant polarity phenotype at stage 9 without affecting oocyte determination, demonstrating that Baz is essential for axis formation. The dynamics of Baz, Par-6 and Par-1 localisation in the oocyte indicate that the axis is not polarised by a cortical contraction as in C. elegans, and instead suggest that repolarisation of the oocyte is triggered by posterior inactivation of aPKC or activation of Par-1. This initial asymmetry is then reinforced by mutual inhibition between the anterior Baz complex and posterior Par-1 and Lgl. Finally, we show that mutation of the aPKC phosphorylation site in Par-1 results in the uniform cortical localisation of Par-1 and the loss of cortical microtubules. Since non-phosphorylatable Par-1 is epistatic to uninhibitable Baz, Par-1 seems to function downstream of the other PAR proteins to polarize the oocyte microtubule cytoskeleton.
authors.affiliation: The Gurdon Institute and Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doerflinger
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.forename: Isabel L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mirouse
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nüsslein-Volhard
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: St Johnston
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000235:genetics*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000235:genetics; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000235:genetics; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C400774:baz protein, Drosophila; C081435:l(2)gl protein, Drosophila; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C115015:PKC-3 protein; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; C472496:Par-1 protein, Drosophila