title: Reduction of Cullin-2 in somatic cells disrupts differentiation of germline stem cells in the Drosophila ovary.
abstract: Signaling from a niche consisting of somatic cells is essential for maintenance of germline stem cells (GSCs) in the ovary of Drosophila. Decapentaplegic (Dpp), a type of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signal, emanating from the niche, is the most important signal for this process. Cullin proteins constitute the core of a multiprotein E3-ligase important for their functions viz. degradation or modification of proteins necessary for different cellular processes. We have found that a Cullin protein called Cullin-2 (Cul-2) expresses in both somatic and germline cells of the Drosophila ovary. Reduction of Cul-2 in somatic cells causes upregulation of Dpp signal and produces accumulation of extra GSC-like cells inside germarium, the anteriormost structure of the ovary. Our results suggest that Cullin-2 protein present in the somatic cells is involved in a non cell-autonomous regulation of the extent of Dpp signaling and thus controls the differentiation of GSCs to cystoblasts (CBs).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400005, India. Electronic address: kali@mailhost.tifr.res.in.
authors.forename: Champakali
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ayyub
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400005, India.
authors.forename: Kushal Kr
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400005, India.
authors.forename: Prakash
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Joti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D044842:Cullin Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000254:growth & development*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D034622:RNA Interference; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; C569004:Cul2 protein, Drosophila; D044842:Cullin Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C064196:dpp protein, Drosophila; D066246:ErbB Receptors
keywords: Cullin-2; Dpp; Drosophila; Germline stem cells; Ovary