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Vol. 17, Issue 6, 2559-2571, June 2006

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Myosin VI Stabilizes an Actin Network during Drosophila Spermatid Individualization

Tatsuhiko Noguchi^*, Marta Lenartowska^*,, and Kathryn G. Miller^*

*Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130; and Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of General and Molecular Biology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun, Poland

Submitted January 13, 2006; Revised March 20, 2006; Accepted March 21, 2006
Monitoring Editor: David Drubin

Here, we demonstrate a new function of myosin VI using observations of Drosophila spermatid individualization in vivo. We find that myosin VI stabilizes a branched actin network in actin structures (cones) that mediate the separation of the syncytial spermatids. In a myosin VI mutant, the cones do not accumulate F-actin during cone movement, whereas overexpression of myosin VI leads to bigger cones with more F-actin. Myosin subfragment 1-fragment decoration demonstrated that the actin cone is made up of two regions: a dense meshwork at the front and parallel bundles at the rear. The majority of the actin filaments were oriented with their pointed ends facing in the direction of cone movement. Our data also demonstrate that myosin VI binds to the cone front using its motor domain. Fluorescence recovery after photobleach experiments using green fluorescent protein-myosin VI revealed that myosin VI remains bound to F-actin for minutes, suggesting its role is tethering, rather than transporting cargo. We hypothesize that myosin VI protects the actin cone structure either by cross-linking actin filaments or anchoring regulatory molecules at the cone front. These observations uncover a novel mechanism mediated by myosin VI for stabilizing long-lived actin structures in cells.

The online version of this article contains supplemental material at MBC Online (http://www.molbiolcell.org).

Address correspondence to: Tatsuhiko Noguchi ( noguchi{at}biology2.wustl.edu)

Abbreviations used: Arp, actin-related protein; Jar, jaguar

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