title: Rho-kinase directs Bazooka/Par-3 planar polarity during Drosophila axis elongation.
abstract: Cell rearrangements shape the Drosophila embryo via spatially regulated changes in cell shape and adhesion. We show that Bazooka/Par-3 (Baz) is required for the planar polarized distribution of myosin II and adherens junction proteins and polarized intercalary behavior is disrupted in baz mutants. The myosin II activator Rho-kinase is asymmetrically enriched at the anterior and posterior borders of intercalating cells in a pattern complementary to Baz. Loss of Rho-kinase results in expansion of the Baz domain, and activated Rho-kinase is sufficient to exclude Baz from the cortex. The planar polarized distribution of Baz requires its C-terminal domain. Rho-kinase can phosphorylate this domain and inhibit its interaction with phosphoinositide membrane lipids, suggesting a mechanism by which Rho-kinase could regulate Baz association with the cell cortex. These results demonstrate that Rho-kinase plays an instructive role in planar polarity by targeting Baz/Par-3 and myosin II to complementary cortical domains.
authors.affiliation: Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Sérgio de Matos
authors.initials: Sde M
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: J Todd
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Blankenship
authors.forename: Ori
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Weitz
authors.forename: Dene L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamada
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Gonzalez
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Zallen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019521:Body Patterning; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016764:Cell Polarity; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D024462:Myosin Type II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019076:Transgenes / Q000502:physiology; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C400774:baz protein, Drosophila; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D024462:Myosin Type II