Transient localized accumulation of actin in Caenorhabditis elegans blastomeres with oriented asymmetric divisions

• Published in: Development (Cambridge) Vol. 120; no. 8; pp. 2317 - 2328
• Main Authors: WADDLE, J. A, COOPER, J. A, WATERSTON, R. H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge The Company of Biologists Limited 01.08.1994; Company of Biologists
• Subjects: Actins - metabolism; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blastomeres - metabolism; Caenorhabditis elegans - embryology; Caenorhabditis elegans - genetics; Caenorhabditis elegans - metabolism; Cell Division - physiology; Centromere - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Invertebrates; Life cycle. Embryology. Development; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Microtubules - physiology; Morphogenesis - physiology; Mutation - physiology; Nemathelminthia. Plathelmintha; Physiology. Development; Embryonic development; Determinant; Actins; Cell division; Early stage; Blastomere; Rotation; Caenorhabditis elegans; Binding protein; Asymmetry; Helmintha; Nemathelminthia; Invertebrata; Nematoda; Centrosome; Cytoplasm
• ISSN: 0950-1991; 1477-9129
• DOI: 10.1242/dev.120.8.2317

During Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis, specific cells in the P1 lineage rotate their duplicated centrosome pair onto the anterior-posterior axis; this rotation is correlated with and necessary for a differential inheritance of cytoplasmic determinants in the daughter cells. Centrosome pair rotation is sensitive to inhibitors of actin and microtubule polymerization and may require microtubule attachment to a specific cortical site. We show that actin and the barbed-end binding protein, capping protein, transiently accumulate at this cortical site, possibly by assembly onto persistent remnants of previous cell divisions. Based on these observations, we propose a model for the molecular basis of centrosome rotation that is consistent with the dependence of rotation on actin filaments and microtubules.