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First published online 15 March 2006
doi: 10.1242/dev.02319

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spn-F encodes a novel protein that affects oocyte patterning and bristle morphology in Drosophila

¹ Department of Life Sciences and the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel.
² Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.

^* Author for correspondence (e-mail: abdu{at}bgu.ac.il)

Accepted 9 February 2006

The anteroposterior and dorsoventral axes of the Drosophila embryo are established during oogenesis through the activities of Gurken (Grk), a Tgf-like protein, and the Epidermal growth factor receptor (Egfr). spn-F mutant females produce ventralized eggs similar to the phenotype produced by mutations in the grk-Egfr pathway. We found that the ventralization of the eggshell in spn-F mutants is due to defects in the localization and translation of grk mRNA during mid-oogenesis. Analysis of the microtubule network revealed defects in the organization of the microtubules around the oocyte nucleus. In addition, spn-F mutants have defective bristles. We cloned spn-F and found that it encodes a novel coiled-coil protein that localizes to the minus end of microtubules in the oocyte, and this localization requires the microtubule network and a Dynein heavy chain gene. We also show that Spn-F interacts directly with the Dynein light chain Ddlc-1. Our results show that we have identified a novel protein that affects oocyte axis determination and the organization of microtubules during Drosophila oogenesis.

Key words: Drosophila, Oogenesis, Microtubule, Bristle formation, spn-F

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