Local Actin-Dependent Endocytosis Is Zygotically Controlled to Initiate Drosophila Cellularization

Anna Marie Sokac, Eric Wieschaus

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

53 Scopus citations

Abstract

In early Drosophila embryos, several mitotic cycles proceed with aborted cytokinesis before a modified cytokinesis, called cellularization, finally divides the syncytium into individual cells. Here, we find that scission of endocytic vesicles from the plasma membrane (PM) provides a control point to regulate the furrowing events that accompany this development. At early mitotic cycles, local furrow-associated endocytosis is controlled by cell cycle progression, whereas at cellularization, which occurs in a prolonged interphase, it is controlled by expression of the zygotic gene nullo. nullo mutations impair cortical F-actin accumulation and scission of endocytic vesicles, such that membrane tubules remain tethered to the PM and deplete structural components from the furrows, precipitating furrow regression. Thus, Nullo regulates scission to restrain endocytosis of proteins essential for furrow stabilization at the onset of cellularization. We propose that developmentally regulated endocytosis can coordinate actin/PM remodeling to directly drive furrow dynamics during morphogenesis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)775-786
Number of pages12
JournalDevelopmental cell
Volume14
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 13 2008

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Molecular Biology
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Cell Biology

Keywords

  • CELLBIO
  • CELLCYCLE
  • DEVBIO

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