Centrocortin cooperates with centrosomin to organize Drosophila embryonic cleavage furrows.

ABSTRACT: In the Drosophila early embryo, the centrosome coordinates assembly of cleavage furrows. Currently, the molecular pathway that links the centrosome and the cortical microfilaments is unknown. In centrosomin (cnn) mutants, in which the centriole forms but the centrosome pericentriolar material (PCM) fails to assemble, actin microfilaments are not organized into furrows at the syncytial cortex [6]. Although CNN is required for centrosome assembly and function, little is known of its molecular activities. Here, we show the novel protein Centrocortin (CEN), which associates with centrosomes and also with cleavage furrows in early embryos, is required for cleavage furrow assembly. CEN binds to CNN within CNN Motif 2 (CM2), a conserved 60 amino acid domain at CNN's C terminus. The cnn(B4) allele

SUBMITTER: Kao LR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2714769 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature