QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

Vol. 16, Issue 8, 3620-3631, August 2005

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: E05-03-0185v1 16/8/3620    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services 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 Guild, G. M. Articles by Tilney, L. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Guild, G. M. Articles by Tilney, L. G.

Actin Filament Bundles in Drosophila Wing Hairs: Hairs and Bristles Use Different Strategies for Assembly

Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6018

Submitted March 10, 2005; Revised April 25, 2005; Accepted May 18, 2005
Monitoring Editor: Paul Matsudaira

Actin filament bundles can shape cellular extensions into dramatically different forms. We examined cytoskeleton formation during wing hair morphogenesis using both confocal and electron microscopy. Hairs elongate with linear kinetics (1 µm/h) over the course of 18 h. The resulting structure is vividly asymmetric and shaped like a rose thorn—elongated in the distal direction, curved in two dimensions with an oval base and a round tip. High-resolution analysis shows that the cytoskeleton forms from microvilli-like pimples that project actin filaments into the cytoplasm. These filaments become cross-linked into bundles by the sequential use of three cross-bridges: villin, forked and fascin. Genetic loss of each cross-bridge affects cell shape. Filament bundles associate together, with no lateral membrane attachments, into a cone of overlapping bundles that matures into an oval base by the asymmetric addition of bundles on the distal side. In contrast, the long bristle cell extension is supported by equally long (up to 400 µm) filament bundles assembled together by end-to-end grafting of shorter modules. Thus, bristle and hair cells use microvilli and cross-bridges to generate the common raw material of actin filament bundles but employ different strategies to assemble these into vastly different shapes.

Address correspondence to: Gregory M. Guild (gguild{at}sas.upenn.edu).

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Bitan, G. M. Guild, D. Bar-Dubin, and U. Abdu Asymmetric Microtubule Function Is an Essential Requirement for Polarized Organization of the Drosophila Bristle Mol. Cell. Biol., January 15, 2010; 30(2): 496 - 507. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Strutt and S. J. Warrington Planar polarity genes in the Drosophila wing regulate the localisation of the FH3-domain protein Multiple Wing Hairs to control the site of hair production Development, September 15, 2008; 135(18): 3103 - 3111. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. M. A. E. Claessens, C. Semmrich, L. Ramos, and A. R. Bausch Helical twist controls the thickness of F-actin bundles PNAS, July 1, 2008; 105(26): 8819 - 8822. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Ren, J. Charlton, and P. N. Adler The flare Gene, Which Encodes the AIP1 Protein of Drosophila, Functions to Regulate F-Actin Disassembly in Pupal Epidermal Cells Genetics, August 1, 2007; 176(4): 2223 - 2234. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. G. Canty, T. Starborg, Y. Lu, S. M. Humphries, D. F. Holmes, R. S. Meadows, A. Huffman, E. T. O'Toole, and K. E. Kadler Actin Filaments Are Required for Fibripositor-mediated Collagen Fibril Alignment in Tendon J. Biol. Chem., December 15, 2006; 281(50): 38592 - 38598. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Ren, B. He, D. Stone, S. Kirakodu, and P. N. Adler The shavenoid Gene of Drosophila Encodes a Novel Actin Cytoskeleton Interacting Protein That Promotes Wing Hair Morphogenesis Genetics, March 1, 2006; 172(3): 1643 - 1653. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]