QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

First published online 18 January 2006
doi: 10.1242/dev.02230

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: dev.02230v1 133/4/685    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kragtorp, K. A. Articles by Miller, J. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kragtorp, K. A. Articles by Miller, J. R.

Regulation of somitogenesis by Ena/VASP proteins and FAK during Xenopus development

Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development and Developmental Biology Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.

^* Author for correspondence (e-mail: mille380{at}umn.edu)

Accepted 29 November 2005

The metameric organization of the vertebrate body plan is established during somitogenesis as somite pairs sequentially form along the anteroposterior axis. Coordinated regulation of cell shape, motility and adhesion are crucial for directing the morphological segmentation of somites. We show that members of the Ena/VASP family of actin regulatory proteins are required for somitogenesis in Xenopus. Xenopus Ena (Xena) localizes to the cell periphery in the presomitic mesoderm (PSM), and is enriched at intersomitic junctions and at myotendinous junctions in somites and the myotome, where it co-localizes with ß1-integrin, vinculin and FAK. Inhibition of Ena/VASP function with dominant-negative mutants results in abnormal somite formation that correlates with later defects in intermyotomal junctions. Neutralization of Ena/VASP activity disrupts cell rearrangements during somite rotation and leads to defects in the fibronectin (FN) matrix surrounding somites. Furthermore, inhibition of Ena/VASP function impairs FN matrix assembly, spreading of somitic cells on FN and autophosphorylation of FAK, suggesting a role for Ena/VASP proteins in the modulation of integrin-mediated processes. We also show that inhibition of FAK results in defects in somite formation, blocks FN matrix deposition and alters Xena localization. Together, these results provide evidence that Ena/VASP proteins and FAK are required for somite formation in Xenopus and support the idea that Ena/VASP and FAK function in a common pathway to regulate integrin-dependent migration and adhesion during somitogenesis.

Key words: Somitogenesis, Morphogenesis, Mesoderm, Ena/VASP, FAK, Integrin, Cadherin, Adhesion, Migration

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. Zhang, C. Kendrick, D. Julich, and S. A. Holley Cell cycle progression is required for zebrafish somite morphogenesis but not segmentation clock function Development, June 15, 2008; 135(12): 2065 - 2070. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Pasic, T. Kotova, and D. A. Schafer Ena/VASP Proteins Capture Actin Filament Barbed Ends J. Biol. Chem., April 11, 2008; 283(15): 9814 - 9819. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. J. Wanner and J. R. Miller Regulation of otic vesicle and hair cell stereocilia morphogenesis by Ena/VASP-like (Evl) in Xenopus J. Cell Sci., August 1, 2007; 120(15): 2641 - 2651. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Gates, J. P. Mahaffey, S. L. Rogers, M. Emerson, E. M. Rogers, S. L. Sottile, D. Van Vactor, F. B. Gertler, and M. Peifer Enabled plays key roles in embryonic epithelial morphogenesis in Drosophila Development, June 1, 2007; 134(11): 2027 - 2039. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]