Article Abstract:
It has been possible to identify a cellular architect that helps to maintain cell polarity in the fruitfly Drosphila. This research built on earlier work that identified other key players in the maintenance of cell polarity, including a protein named Crumbs. This protein is both a marker and a maker of 'apical character.' A protein named Scribble was identified as another participant in maintaining epithelial polarity. It was found that many consequences of the absence of Scribble are mimicked by deliberately mislocalizing Crumbs. It is therefore possible that one function of Scribble is to restrict Crumbs to the apical part of the cell. Scribble may form part of a fence preventing apical proteins from moving into basolateral territory, or it may help to direct basolateral and apical proteins to their correct locations.
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Article Abstract:
Wingless/Wnt signalling can detect cell-fate choice during embryonic development. Signal transduction from Wingless in Drosophila stabilizes cytosolic Armadillo, after which a bipartite transcription factor with the HMG-box protein Drosophila TCf, activating expression of Wingless-responsive genes. In the absence of Armadillo, dTcf becomes a transcriptional repressor of Wingless-responsive genes and Groucho is shown to act as a corepressor.
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Article Abstract:
The oocyte in a Drosophila follicle is always positioned in a posterior position amongst a group of 16 germline cells. A study has shown that the homophilic adhesion molecule DE-cadherin, mediates oocyte positioning. It is expressed in germline and follicle cells, with a high concentration at the interface between oocyte and posterior follicle cells. DE-cadherin is found to be required for correct oocyte localization.
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