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First published online November 7, 2008

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Polarity bowled over by Skittles

During the establishment of cell polarity, a central feature of development, mRNAs and proteins are localized to restricted cellular domains through asymmetric transport along a polarized microtubule cytoskeleton. Interactions between this cytoskeleton and the plasma membrane establish polarized transport, but what regulates these interactions? On p. 3829, Gervais and colleagues identify Skittles (a phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase) as a regulator of these interactions in Drosophila oocytes by showing that Skittles sustains the organization of the microtubule cytoskeleton that asymmetrically localizes several axis-determining mRNAs and thus helps to establish cell polarity. They report that Skittles activity controls phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate (PIP2) levels in the oocyte's plasma membrane and that PIP2 synthesis is required to activate Moesin, an adaptor protein that links the plasma membrane to the actin-based cytoskeleton. Furthermore, Skittles activity is needed for the cortical recruitment of several PAR polarity proteins. Thus, by controlling PIP2 synthesis, Skittles may regulate the interactions between the plasma membrane, PAR proteins and the cytoskeleton that are essential for cell polarization.

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Related articles in Development:

PIP5K-dependent production of PIP2 sustains microtubule organization to establish polarized transport in the Drosophila oocyte

Louis Gervais, Sandra Claret, Jens Januschke, Siegfried Roth, and Antoine Guichet
Development 2008 135: 3829-3838. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in Development Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?