title: Distinct roles for hu li tai shao and swallow in cytoskeletal organization during Drosophila oogenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cytoskeletal organization is essential for localization of developmentally significant molecules during Drosophila oogenesis. Swallow (Swa) and an isoform of Hu li tai shao (Ovhts-RC) have been implicated in the organization of actin filaments in developing oocytes but their precise roles have been obscured by the dependence of hts RNA localization on swa function. The functional significance of hts RNA localization in the oocyte has not been established.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study we examine Ovhts-RC distribution and cytoskeletal organization under conditions in which Swa protein and/or hts RNA localization are perturbed. We find Swa is required for overall actin organization and for the maintenance of a distinct subset of microtubules in the oocyte. hts RNA localization modulates the distribution of Ovhts-RC in the oocyte and, in turn, local actin filament proliferation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support separate contributions of Swa and hts RNA localization to actin organization during oogenesis. Swa is crucial for the organization of actin networks that lead to the formation of a specialized microtubule population, while Ovhts-RC acts to modulate spatially restricted actin filament growth at the oocyte cortex. This suggests RNA localization can lead to modifications of both the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons at specific subcellular locales.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York.
authors.forename: Nancy Jo
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Pokrywka
authors.forename: Huadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raley-Susman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C108208:hts protein, Drosophila; C073970:swa protein, Drosophila
keywords: Drosophila oogenesis; RNA localization; actin; cytoskeleton; hts; microtubules; swa