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First published online 7 February 2007
doi: 10.1242/dev.000513

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Acto-myosin reorganization and PAR polarity in C. elegans

¹ Research Institute for Molecular Pathology, Dr Bohr-Gasse 7, A-1030 Vienna, Austria.
² Max Planck Institute - Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.

e-mails: cowan{at}imp.univie.ac.at; hyman{at}mpi-cbg.de

SUMMARY

The symmetry-breaking event during polarization of C. elegans embryos is an asymmetric rearrangement of the acto-myosin network, which dictates cell polarity through the differential recruitment of PAR proteins. The sperm-supplied centrosomes are required to initiate this cortical reorganization. Several questions about this event remain unanswered: how is the acto-myosin network regulated during polarization and how does acto-myosin reorganization lead to asymmetric PAR protein distribution? As we discuss, recent studies show that C. elegans embryos use two GTPases, RHO-1 and CDC-42, to regulate these two steps in polarity establishment. Although RHO-1 and CDC-42 control distinct aspects of polarization, they function interdependently to regulate polarity establishment in C. elegans embryos.

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