Abstract
Frizzled (Fz) and Dishevelled (Dsh) are components of an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway that regulates planar cell polarity. How this signaling pathway directs asymmetric cytoskeletal reorganization and polarized cell morphology remains unknown. Here, we show that Drosophila Rho-associated kinase (Drok) works downstream of Fz/Dsh to mediate a branch of the planar polarity pathway involved in ommatidial rotation in the eye and in restricting actin bundle formation to a single site in developing wing cells. The primary output of Drok signaling is regulating the phosphorylation of nonmuscle myosin regulatory light chain, and hence the activity of myosin II. Drosophila myosin VIIA, the homolog of the human Usher Syndrome 1B gene, also functions in conjunction with this newly defined portion of the Fz/Dsh signaling pathway to regulate the actin cytoskeleton.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Actins / metabolism*
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Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
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Animals
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Cell Polarity / physiology*
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Chromosome Mapping
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Cytoskeleton / metabolism
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DNA Mutational Analysis
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Dishevelled Proteins
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Drosophila
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Drosophila Proteins*
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Dyneins
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Epithelium / embryology
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Epithelium / metabolism
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Frizzled Receptors
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Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
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Male
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Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
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Myosin Light Chains / metabolism
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Myosin VIIa
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Myosins / metabolism
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Phosphoproteins / metabolism
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Photoreceptor Cells / growth & development
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Photoreceptor Cells / metabolism
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
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Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
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Signal Transduction / physiology*
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Wings, Animal / growth & development
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Wings, Animal / metabolism
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rho-Associated Kinases
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rhoA GTP-Binding Protein
Substances
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Actins
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Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
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Dishevelled Proteins
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Drosophila Proteins
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Frizzled Receptors
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Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
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MYO7A protein, human
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Membrane Proteins
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Myosin Light Chains
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Myosin VIIa
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Phosphoproteins
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Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
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dsh protein, Drosophila
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fz protein, Drosophila
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myosin 7a, Drosophila
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
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rho-Associated Kinases
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Myosins
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Dyneins
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rhoA GTP-Binding Protein