Control of cleavage spindle orientation in Caenorhabditis elegans: the role of the genes par-2 and par-3

C. elegans PAR-3 and PAR-6 are required for apicobasal asymmetries associated with cell adhesion and gastrulation

PAR proteins distribute asymmetrically across the anterior-posterior axis of the 1-cell-stage C. elegans embryo, and function to establish subsequent anterior-posterior asymmetries. By the end of the 4-cell stage, anteriorly localized PAR proteins, such as PAR-3 and PAR-6, redistribute to the outer, apical surfaces of cells, whereas posteriorly localized PAR proteins, such as PAR-1 and PAR-2, redistribute to the inner, basolateral surfaces. Because PAR proteins are provided maternally, distinguishing apicobasal from earlier anterior-posterior functions requires a method that selectively prevents PAR activity after the 1-cell stage. In the present study we generated hybrid PAR proteins that are targeted for degradation after the 1-cell stage. Embryos containing the hybrid PAR proteins had normal anterior-posterior polarity, but showed defects in apicobasal asymmetries associated with gastrulation. Ectopic separations appeared between lateral surfaces of cells that are normally tightly adherent, cells that ingress during gastrulation failed to accumulate nonmuscle myosin at their apical surfaces and ingression was slowed. Thus, PAR proteins function in both apicobasal and anterior-posterior asymmetry during the first few cell cycles of embryogenesis.

A complex of LIN-5 and GPR proteins regulates G protein signaling and spindle function in C elegans

The Caenorhabditis elegans coiled-coil protein LIN-5 mediates several processes in cell division that depend on spindle forces, including alignment and segregation of chromosomes and positioning of the spindle. Here, we describe two closely related proteins, GPR-1 and GPR-2 (G protein regulator), which associate with LIN-5 in vivo and in vitro and depend on LIN-5 for localization to the spindle and cell cortex. GPR-1/GPR-2 contain a GoLoco/GPR motif that mediates interaction with GDP-bound Galpha(i/o). Inactivation of lin-5, gpr-1/gpr-2, or the Galpha(i/o) genes goa-1 and gpa-16 all cause highly similar chromosome segregation and spindle positioning defects, indicating a positive role for the LIN-5 and GPR proteins in G protein signaling. The lin-5 and gpr-1/gpr-2 genes appear to act downstream of the par polarity genes in the one- and two-cell stages and downstream of the tyrosine kinase-related genes mes-1 and src-1 at the four-cell stage. Together, these results indicate that GPR-1/GPR-2 in association with LIN-5 activate G protein signaling to affect spindle force. Polarity determinants may regulate LIN-5/GPR/Galpha locally to create the asymmetric forces that drive spindle movement. Results in C. elegans and other species are consistent with a novel model for receptor-independent activation of Galpha(i/o) signaling.

PAR proteins regulate microtubule dynamics at the cell cortex in C. elegans

BACKGROUND

The PAR proteins are known to be localized asymmetrically in polarized C. elegans, Drosophila, and human cells and to participate in several cellular processes, including asymmetric cell division and spindle orientation. Although astral microtubules are known to play roles in these processes, their behavior during these events remains poorly understood.

RESULTS

We have developed a method that makes it possible to examine the residence time of individual astral microtubules at the cell cortex of developing embryos. Using this method, we found that microtubules are more dynamic at the posterior cortex of the C. elegans embryo compared to the anterior cortex during spindle displacement. We further observed that this asymmetry depends on the PAR-3 protein and heterotrimeric G protein signaling, and that the PAR-2 protein affects microtubule dynamics by restricting PAR-3 activity to the anterior of the embryo.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that PAR proteins function to regulate microtubule dynamics at the cortex during microtubule-dependent cellular processes.

Myosin and the PAR proteins polarize microfilament-dependent forces that shape and position mitotic spindles in Caenorhabditis elegans

In Caenorhabditis elegans, the partitioning proteins (PARs), microfilaments (MFs), dynein, dynactin, and a nonmuscle myosin II all localize to the cortex of early embryonic cells. Both the PARs and the actomyosin cytoskeleton are required to polarize the anterior-posterior (a-p) body axis in one-cell zygotes, but it remains unknown how MFs influence embryonic polarity. Here we show that MFs are required for the cortical localization of PAR-2 and PAR-3. Furthermore, we show that PAR polarity regulates MF-dependent cortical forces applied to astral microtubules (MTs). These forces, which appear to be mediated by dynein and dynactin, produce changes in the shape and orientation of mitotic spindles. Unlike MFs, dynein, and dynactin, myosin II is not required for the production of these forces. Instead, myosin influences embryonic polarity by limiting PAR-3 to the anterior cortex. This in turn produces asymmetry in the forces applied to MTs at each pole and allows PAR-2 to accumulate in the posterior cortex of a one-cell zygote and maintain asymmetry.

PAR-dependent and geometry-dependent mechanisms of spindle positioning

During intrinsically asymmetric division, the spindle is oriented onto a polarized axis specified by a group of conserved PAR proteins. Extrinsic geometric asymmetry generated by cell shape also affects spindle orientation in some systems, but how intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms coexist without interfering with each other is unknown. In some asymmetrically dividing cells of the wild-type Caenorhabditis elegans embryo, nuclear rotation directed toward the anterior cortex orients the forming spindle. We find that in such cells, a PAR-dependent mechanism dominates and causes rotation onto the polarized axis, regardless of cell shape. However, when geometric asymmetry is removed, free nuclear rotation in the center of the cell is observed, indicating that the anterior-directed nature of rotation in unaltered embryos is an effect of cell shape. This free rotation is inconsistent with the prevailing model for nuclear rotation, the specialized cortical site model. In contrast, in par-3 mutant embryos, a geometry-dependent mechanism becomes active and causes directed nuclear rotation. These results lead to the model that in wild-type embryos both PAR-3 and PAR-2 are essential for nuclear rotation in asymmetrically dividing cells, but that PAR-3 inhibits geometry-dependent rotation in nonpolarized cells, thus preventing cell shape from interfering with spindle orientation.

Control of cell polarity and mitotic spindle positioning in animal cells

Cell polarity is an essential feature of many animal cells. It is critical for epithelial formation and function, for correct partitioning of fate-determining molecules, and for individual cells to chemotax or grow in a defined direction. For some of these processes, the position and orientation of the mitotic spindle must be coupled to cell polarity for correct positioning of daughter cells and inheritance of localised molecules. Recent work in several different systems has led to the realisation that similar mechanisms dictate the establishment of polarity and subsequent spindle positioning in many animal cells. Microtubules and conserved PAR proteins are essential mediators of cell polarity, and mitotic spindle positioning depends on heterotrimeric G protein signalling and the microtubule motor protein dynein.

Heads or tails: cell polarity and axis formation in the early Caenorhabditis elegans embryo

In C. elegans, the first embryonic axis is established shortly after fertilization and requires both the microtubule and microfilament cytoskeleton. Cues from sperm-donated centrosomes result in a cascade of events that polarize the distribution of widely conserved PAR proteins at the cell cortex. The PAR proteins in turn polarize the cytoplasm and position mitotic spindles. Lessons learned from C. elegans should improve our understanding of how cells become polarized and divide asymmetrically during development.

Multiple splice variants of Par3 and of a novel related gene, Par3L, produce proteins with different binding properties

The partitioning-defective 3 (par3) gene encodes a protein with three postsynaptic density90/DiscslargeA/ZO-1 (PDZ) domains that is required for cell polarity establishment in metazoans. Par3 is a component of a protein complex that can include Cdc42-GTP, Par6 and atypical protein kinase Cs (aPKCs). We now describe the identification of a related human gene, Par3L. Both Par3L and Par3 are expressed as numerous alternatively spliced variants. Although Par3 expression appears to be ubiquitous, that of Par3L is more restricted. Multiple variants are often expressed simultaneously within a specific cell type or tissue. Although all of the Par3L/Par3 isoforms can associate with tight junctions in epithelial cells, they show different binding properties. No Par3L isoforms and only a subset of Par3 isoforms detectably bind aPKCs. These data suggest that aPKC binding or phosphorylation is not required for targeting of Par3/Par3L to cell-cell contacts. Par3L isoforms also show differential binding to Par6. Despite these differences, the N-terminal region of Par3L, like that of Par3, can disrupt the formation of tight junctions when ectopically expressed in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells.

Asymmetric cell division: microtubule dynamics and spindle asymmetry

Asymmetric cell division can produce daughter cells with different developmental fates and is often accompanied by a difference in cell size. A number of recent genetic and in vivo imaging studies in Drosophilaand Caenorhabditis elegans have begun to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the rearrangements of the cytoskeleton that result in eccentrically positioned cleavage planes. As a result, we are starting to gain an insight into the complex nature of the signals controlling cytoskeletal dynamics in the dividing cell. In this commentary we discuss recent findings on how the mitotic spindle is positioned and on cleavage site induction and place them in the context of cell size asymmetry in different model organisms.

Cell polarity and gastrulation inC. elegans

Gastrulation in C. elegans embryos involves formation of a blastocoel and the ingression of surface cells into the blastocoel. Mutations in the par-3 gene cause abnormal separations between embryonic cells, suggesting that the PAR-3 protein has a role in blastocoel formation. In normal development, PAR proteins localize to either the apical or basal surfaces of cells prior to blastocoel formation; we demonstrate that this localization is determined by cell contacts. Cells that ingress into the blastocoel undergo an apical flattening associated with an apical concentration of non-muscle myosin. We provide evidence that ingression times are determined by genes that control cell fate, though interactions with neighboring cells can prevent ingression.

The Caenorhabditis elegans par-5 gene encodes a 14-3-3 protein required for cellular asymmetry in the early embryo

The establishment of anterior-posterior polarity in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo requires the activity of the maternally expressed par genes. We report the identification and analysis of a new par gene, par-5. We show that par-5 is required for asynchrony and asymmetry in the first embryonic cell divisions, normal pseudocleavage, normal cleavage spindle orientation at the two-cell stage, and localization of P granules and MEX-5 during the first and subsequent cell cycles. Furthermore, par-5 activity is required in the first cell cycle for the asymmetric cortical localization of PAR-1 and PAR-2 to the posterior, and PAR-3, PAR-6, and PKC-3 to the anterior. When PAR-5 is reduced by mutation or by RNA interference, these proteins spread around the cortex of the one-cell embryo and partially overlap. We have shown by sequence analysis of par-5 mutants and by RNA interference that the par-5 gene is the same as the ftt-1 gene, and encodes a 14-3-3 protein. The PAR-5 14-3-3 protein is present in gonads, oocytes, and early embryos, but is not asymmetrically distributed. Our analysis indicates that the par-5 14-3-3 gene plays a crucial role in the early events leading to polarization of the C. elegans zygote.

The maternal genespn-4encodes a predicted RRM protein required for mitotic spindle orientation and cell fate patterning in earlyC. elegansembryos

C. elegans embryogenesis begins with a stereotyped sequence of asymmetric cell divisions that are largely responsible for establishing the nematode body plan. These early asymmetries are specified after fertilization by the widely conserved, cortically enriched PAR and PKC-3 proteins, which include three kinases and two PDZ domain proteins. During asymmetric cell divisions in the early embryo, centrosome pairs initially are positioned on transverse axes but then rotate to align with the anteroposterior embryonic axis. We show that rotation of the centrosomal/nuclear complex in an embryonic cell called P1 requires a maternally expressed gene we name spn-4. The predicted SPN-4 protein contains a single RNA recognition motif (RRM), and belongs to a small subfamily of RRM proteins that includes one Drosophila and two human family members. Remarkably, in mutant embryos lacking spn-4 function the transversely oriented ‘P1’ mitotic spindle appears to re-specify the axis of cell polarity, and the division remains asymmetric. spn-4 also is required for other developmental processes, including the specification of mesendoderm, the restriction of mesectoderm fate to P1 descendants, and germline quiescence during embryogenesis. We suggest that SPN-4 post-transcriptionally regulates the expression of multiple developmental regulators. Such SPN-4 targets might then act more specifically to generate a subset of the anterior-posterior asymmetries initially specified after fertilization by the more generally required PAR and PKC-3 proteins.

On the evolution of early development in the Nematoda

The phylum Nematoda serves as an excellent model system for exploring how development evolves, using a comparative approach to developmental genetics. More than 100 laboratories are studying developmental mechanisms in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, and many of the methods that have been developed for C. elegans can be applied to other nematodes. This review summarizes what is known so far about steps in early development that have evolved in the nematodes, and proposes potential experiments that could make use of these data to further our understanding of how development evolves. The promise of such a comparative approach to developmental genetics is to fill a wide gap in our understanding of evolution--a gap spanning from mutations in developmental genes through to their phenotypic results, on which natural selection may act.

zyg-8, a gene required for spindle positioning in C. elegans, encodes a doublecortin-related kinase that promotes microtubule assembly

Proper spindle positioning is essential for spatial control of cell division. Here, we show that zyg-8 plays a key role in spindle positioning during asymmetric division of one-cell stage C. elegans embryos by promoting microtubule assembly during anaphase. ZYG-8 harbors a kinase domain and a domain related to Doublecortin, a microtubule-associated protein (MAP) affected in patients with neuronal migration disorders. Sequencing of zyg-8 mutant alleles demonstrates that both domains are essential for function. ZYG-8 binds to microtubules in vitro, colocalizes with microtubules in vivo, and promotes stabilization of microtubules to drug or cold depolymerization in COS-7 cells. Our findings demonstrate that ZYG-8 is a MAP crucial for proper spindle positioning in C. elegans, and indicate that the function of the Doublecortin domain in modulating microtubule dynamics is conserved across metazoan evolution.

Pod-2, along with pod-1, defines a new class of genes required for polarity in the early Caenorhabditis elegans embryo

The asymmetric division of the one-cell Caenorhabditis elegans zygote gives rise to two cells of different size and fate, thereby establishing the animal's anterior--posterior (a-p) axis. Through genetics, a number of genes required for this polarity have been characterized, but many components remain unidentified. Recently, our laboratory discovered a mutation in the pod-1 gene (for polarity and osmotic defective) that uniquely perturbed polarity and osmotic protection. Here, we describe a new C. elegans polarity gene identified during screens for conditional embryonic lethals. Embryos in which this gene has been mutated show a loss of physical and developmental asymmetries in the one-cell embryo, including the mislocalization of PAR and POD-1 proteins required for early polarity. Furthermore, mutant embryos are osmotically sensitive, allowing us to designate this gene pod-2. Thus, pod-2, along with pod-1, defines a new class of C. elegans polarity genes. Genetic analyses indicate that pod-2 functions in the same pathway as pod-1. Temperature-shift studies indicate that pod-2 is required during oogenesis, indicating that aspects of embryonic polarization may precede fertilization. pod-2 mutant embryos also exhibit a unique germline inheritance defect in which germline identity localizes to the wrong spot in the one-cell embryo and is therefore inherited by the wrong cell at the four-cell stage. Our data suggest that pod-2 may be required to properly position an a-p polarity cue.

CDC-42 regulates PAR protein localization and function to control cellular and embryonic polarity in C. elegans

BACKGROUND

The polarization of the anterior-posterior axis (A-P) of the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote depends on the activity of the par genes and the presence of intact microfilaments. Functional links between the PAR proteins and the cytoskeleton, however, have not been fully explored. It has recently been shown that in mammalian cells, some PAR homologs form a complex with activated Cdc42, a Rho GTPase that is implicated in the control of actin organization and cellular polarity. A role for Cdc42 in the establishment of embryonic polarity in C. elegans has not been described.

RESULTS

To investigate the function of Cdc42 in the control of cellular and embryonic polarity in C. elegans, we used RNA-mediated interference (RNAi) to inhibit cdc-42 activity in the early embryo. Here, we demonstrate that RNAi of cdc-42 disrupts manifestations of polarity in the early embryo, that these phenotypes depend on par-2 and par-3 gene function, and that cdc-42 is required for the localization of the PAR proteins.

CONCLUSIONS

Our genetic analysis of the regulatory relationships between cdc-42 and the par genes demonstrates that Cdc42 organizes embryonic polarity by controlling the localization and activity of the PAR proteins. Combined with the recent biochemical analysis of their mammalian homologs, these results simultaneously identify both a regulator of the PAR proteins, activated Cdc42, and effectors for Cdc42, the PAR complex.

CDC-42 controls early cell polarity and spindle orientation in C. elegans

BACKGROUND

Generation of asymmetry in the one-cell embryo of C. elegans establishes the anterior--posterior axis (A-P), and is necessary for the proper identity of early blastomeres. Conserved PAR proteins are asymmetrically distributed and are required for the generation of this early asymmetry. The small G protein Cdc42 is a key regulator of polarity in other systems, and recently it has been shown to interact with the mammalian homolog of PAR-6. The function of Cdc42 in C. elegans had not yet been investigated, however.

RESULTS

Here, we show that C. elegans cdc-42 plays an essential role in the polarity of the one-cell embryo and the proper localization of PAR proteins. Inhibition of cdc-42 using RNA interference results in embryos with a phenotype that is nearly identical to par-3, par-6, and pkc-3 mutants, and asymmetric localization of these and other PAR proteins is lost. We further show that C. elegans CDC-42 physically interacts with PAR-6 in a yeast two-hybrid system, consistent with data on the interaction of human homologs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that CDC-42 acts in concert with the PAR proteins to control the polarity of the C. elegans embryo, and provide evidence that the interaction of CDC-42 and the PAR-3/PAR-6/PKC-3 complex has been evolutionarily conserved as a functional unit.

Polarity controls forces governing asymmetric spindle positioning in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo

Cell divisions that create daughter cells of different sizes are crucial for the generation of cell diversity during animal development. In such asymmetric divisions, the mitotic spindle must be asymmetrically positioned at the end of anaphase. The mechanisms by which cell polarity translates to asymmetric spindle positioning remain unclear. Here we examine the nature of the forces governing asymmetric spindle positioning in the single-cell-stage Caenorhabditis elegans embryo. To reveal the forces that act on each spindle pole, we removed the central spindle in living embryos either physically with an ultraviolet laser microbeam, or genetically by RNA-mediated interference of a kinesin. We show that pulling forces external to the spindle act on the two spindle poles. A stronger net force acts on the posterior pole, thereby explaining the overall posterior displacement seen in wild-type embryos. We also show that the net force acting on each spindle pole is under control of the par genes that are required for cell polarity along the anterior-posterior embryonic axis. Finally, we discuss simple mathematical models that describe the main features of spindle pole behaviour. Our work suggests a mechanism for generating asymmetry in spindle positioning by varying the net pulling force that acts on each spindle pole, thus allowing for the generation of daughter cells with different sizes.

Asymmetric cell division during animal development

Although most cells produce two equal daughters during mitosis, some can divide asymmetrically by segregating protein determinants into one of their two daughter cells. Interesting parallels exist between such asymmetric divisions and the polarity established in epithelial cells, and heterotrimeric G proteins might connect these aspects of cell polarity. The discovery of asymmetrically segregating proteins in vertebrates indicates that the results obtained in invertebrate model organisms might also apply to mammalian stem cells.

Meiotic maturation induces animal-vegetal asymmetric distribution of aPKC and ASIP/PAR-3 in Xenopus oocytes

The asymmetric distribution of cellular components is an important clue for understanding cell fate decision during embryonic patterning and cell functioning after differentiation. In C. elegans embryos, PAR-3 and aPKC form a complex that colocalizes to the anterior periphery of the one-cell embryo, and are indispensable for anterior-posterior polarity that is formed prior to asymmetric cell division. In mammals, ASIP (PAR-3 homologue) and aPKCgamma form a complex and colocalize to the epithelial tight junctions, which play critical roles in epithelial cell polarity. Although the mechanism by which PAR-3/ASIP and aPKC regulate cell polarization remains to be clarified, evolutionary conservation of the PAR-3/ASIP-aPKC complex suggests their general role in cell polarity organization. Here, we show the presence of the protein complex in Xenopus laevis. In epithelial cells, XASIP and XaPKC colocalize to the cell-cell contact region. To our surprise, they also colocalize to the animal hemisphere of mature oocytes, whereas they localize uniformly in immature oocytes. Moreover, hormonal stimulation of immature oocytes results in a change in the distribution of XaPKC 2–3 hours after the completion of germinal vesicle breakdown, which requires the kinase activity of aPKC. These results suggest that meiotic maturation induces the animal-vegetal asymmetry of aPKC.

A mammalian PAR-3-PAR-6 complex implicated in Cdc42/Rac1 and aPKC signalling and cell polarity

Cellular asymmetry is critical for the development of multicellular organisms. Here we show that homologues of proteins necessary for asymmetric cell division in Caenorhabditis elegans associate with each other in mammalian cells and tissues. mPAR-3 and mPAR-6 exhibit similar expression patterns and subcellular distributions in the CNS and associate through their PDZ (PSD-95/Dlg/ZO-1) domains. mPAR-6 binds to Cdc42/Rac1 GTPases, and mPAR-3 and mPAR-6 bind independently to atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) isoforms. In vitro, mPAR-3 acts as a substrate and an inhibitor of aPKC. We conclude that mPAR-3 and mPAR-6 have a scaffolding function, coordinating the activities of several signalling proteins that are implicated in mammalian cell polarity.

[Cortex-wall connections in the apical cell of Sphacelaria]

The apical cell of Sphacelaria (Fucophyceae) exhibits a permanent polarized organization throughout asymmetric divisions. The apex organization was studied by immunolocalization of tubulin, vitronectin, alpha-actinin and beta 1 integrin. Microfilaments were stained directly by fluorescein phalloidin. The apex was highly organized around a patch of microfilaments densely packed at the tip, where vitronectin-like and alpha-actinin-like proteins colocalized. In the same area, an actin-dependent targeted secretion of sulfated polysaccharides was shown. The permanent localization of these components throughout cell elongation suggests that a cortical site involving transmembrane connections between the cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix is required for cell polarity. A model of the organization of the tip is proposed.

Pharmacological and genetic evidence for a role of rootlet and phycoplast microtubules in the positioning and assembly of cleavage furrows in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, specialized cytoskeletal structures known as rootlet microtubules are present throughout interphase and mitosis. During cytokinesis, an array of microtubules termed the phycoplast is nucleated from rootlet microtubules and forms coincidentally with the cleavage furrow [Johnson and Porter, 1968: J. Cell Biol. 38:403-425; Holmes and Dutcher, 1989: J. Cell Sci. 94:273-285; Gaffel and el-Gammel, 1990: Protoplasma 156:139-148; Schibler and Huang, 1991: J. Cell Biol. 113:605-614]. We have obtained two independent lines of evidence that support the hypothesis that the rootlet and phycoplast microtubules play a direct role in cleavage furrow placement and assembly. First, the destabilization of spindle and phycoplast microtubules by pharmacological agents was accompanied by the aberrant distribution of actin and a failure of cytokinesis. Second, we characterized mutant strains that failed to complete cytokinesis properly. Actin and myosin were mislocalized to additional rootlet microtubules in the cyt2-1 strain, and this mislocalization was correlated with the presence of additional cleavage furrows. This evidence suggests that microtubules are necessary for the correct positioning and assembly of functional cleavage furrows in C. reinhardtii.

OOC-3, a novel putative transmembrane protein required for establishment of cortical domains and spindle orientation in the P(1) blastomere of C. elegans embryos

Asymmetric cell divisions require the establishment of an axis of polarity, which is subsequently communicated to downstream events. During the asymmetric cell division of the P(1) blastomere in C. elegans, establishment of polarity depends on the establishment of anterior and posterior cortical domains, defined by the localization of the PAR proteins, followed by the orientation of the mitotic spindle along the previously established axis of polarity. To identify genes required for these events, we have screened a collection of maternal-effect lethal mutations on chromosome II of C. elegans. We have identified a mutation in one gene, ooc-3, with mis-oriented division axes at the two-cell stage. Here we describe the phenotypic and molecular characterization of ooc-3. ooc-3 is required for the correct localization of PAR-2 and PAR-3 cortical domains after the first cell division. OOC-3 is a novel putative transmembrane protein, which localizes to a reticular membrane compartment, probably the endoplasmic reticulum, that spans the whole cytoplasm and is enriched on the nuclear envelope and cell-cell boundaries. Our results show that ooc-3 is required to form the cortical domains essential for polarity after cell division.

The C. elegans par-4 gene encodes a putative serine-threonine kinase required for establishing embryonic asymmetry

During the first cell cycle of Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis, asymmetries are established that are essential for determining the subsequent developmental fates of the daughter cells. The maternally expressed par genes are required for establishing this polarity. The products of several of the par genes have been found to be themselves asymmetrically distributed in the first cell cycle. We have identified the par-4 gene of C. elegans, and find that it encodes a putative serine-threonine kinase with similarity to a human kinase associated with Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome, LKB1 (STK11), and a Xenopus egg and embryo kinase, XEEK1. Several strong par-4 mutant alleles are missense mutations that alter conserved residues within the kinase domain, suggesting that kinase activity is essential for PAR-4 function. We find that the PAR-4 protein is present in the gonads, oocytes and early embryos of C. elegans, and is both cytoplasmically and cortically distributed. The cortical distribution begins at the late 1-cell stage, is more pronounced at the 2- and 4-cell stages and is reduced at late stages of embryonic development. We find no asymmetry in the distribution of PAR-4 protein in C. elegans embryos. The distribution of PAR-4 protein in early embryos is unaffected by mutations in the other par genes.

Anucleate Caenorhabditis elegans sperm can crawl, fertilize oocytes and direct anterior-posterior polarization of the 1-cell embryo

It has long been appreciated that spermiogenesis, the cellular transformation of sessile spermatids into motile spermatozoa, occurs in the absence of new DNA transcription. However, few studies have addressed whether the physical presence of a sperm nucleus is required either during spermiogenesis or for subsequent sperm functions during egg activation and early zygotic development. To determine the role of the sperm nucleus in these processes, we analyzed two C. elegans mutants whose spermatids lack DNA. Here we show that these anucleate sperm not only differentiate into mature functional spermatozoa, but they also crawl toward and fertilize oocytes. Furthermore, we show that these anucleate sperm induce both normal egg activation and anterior-posterior polarity in the 1-cell C. elegans embryo. The latter finding demonstrates for the first time that although the anterior-posterior embryonic axis in C. elegans is specified by sperm, the sperm pronucleus itself is not required. Also unaffected is the completion of oocyte meiosis, formation of an impermeable eggshell, migration of the oocyte pronucleus, and the separation and expansion of the sperm-contributed centrosomes. Our investigation of these mutants confirms that, in C. elegans, neither the sperm chromatin mass nor a sperm pronucleus is required for spermiogenesis, proper egg activation, or the induction of anterior-posterior polarity.

Formation of the avian primitive streak from spatially restricted blastoderm: evidence for polarized cell division in the elongating streak

Gastrulation in the amniote begins with the formation of a primitive streak through which precursors of definitive mesoderm and endoderm ingress and migrate to their embryonic destinations. This organizing center for amniote gastrulation is induced by signal(s) from the posterior margin of the blastodisc. The mode of action of these inductive signal(s) remains unresolved, since various origins and developmental pathways of the primitive streak have been proposed. In the present study, the fate of chicken blastodermal cells was traced for the first time in ovo from prestreak stages XI-XII through HH stage 3, when the primitive streak is initially established and prior to the migration of mesoderm. Using replication-defective retrovirus-mediated gene transfer and vital dye labeling, precursor cells of the stage 3 primitive streak were mapped predominantly to a specific region where the embryonic midline crosses the posterior margin of the epiblast. No significant contribution to the early primitive streak was seen from the anterolateral epiblast. Instead, the precursor cells generated daughter cells that underwent a polarized cell division oriented perpendicular to the anteroposterior embryonic axis. The resulting daughter cell population was arranged in a longitudinal array extending the complete length of the primitive streak. Furthermore, expression of cVg1, a posterior margin-derived signal, at the anterior marginal zone induced adjacent epiblast cells, but not those lateral to or distant from the signal, to form an ectopic primitive streak. The cVg1-induced epiblast cells also exhibited polarized cell divisions during ectopic primitive streak formation. These results suggest that blastoderm cells located immediately anterior to the posterior marginal zone, which secretes an inductive signal, undergo spatially directed cytokineses during early primitive streak formation.

Mutations in ooc-5 and ooc-3 disrupt oocyte formation and the reestablishment of asymmetric PAR protein localization in two-cell Caenorhabditis elegans embryos

The early development of Caenorhabditis elegans embryos is characterized by a series of asymmetric divisions in which the mitotic spindle is repeatedly oriented on the same axis due to a rotation of the nuclear-centrosome complex. To identify genes involved in the control of spindle orientation, we have screened maternal-effect lethal mutants for alterations in cleavage pattern. Here we describe mutations in ooc-5 and ooc-3, which were isolated on the basis of a nuclear rotation defect in the P(1) cell of two-cell embryos. These mutations are novel in that they affect the asymmetric localization of PAR proteins at the two-cell stage, but not at the one-cell stage. In wild-type two-cell embryos, PAR-3 protein is present around the entire periphery of the AB cell and prevents nuclear rotation in this cell. In contrast, PAR-2 functions to allow nuclear rotation in the P(1) cell by restricting PAR-3 localization to the anterior periphery of P(1). In ooc-5 and ooc-3 mutant embryos, PAR-3 was mislocalized around the periphery of P(1), while PAR-2 was reduced or absent. The germ-line-specific P granules were also mislocalized at the two-cell stage. Mutations in ooc-5 and ooc-3 also result in reduced-size oocytes and embryos. However, par-3 ooc double-mutant embryos can exhibit nuclear rotation, indicating that small size per se does not prevent rotation and that PAR-3 mislocalization contributes to the failure of rotation in ooc mutants. We therefore postulate that wild-type ooc-5 and ooc-3 function in oogenesis and in the reestablishment of asymmetric domains of PAR proteins at the two-cell stage.

The coronin-like protein POD-1 is required for anterior-posterior axis formation and cellular architecture in the nematode caenorhabditis elegans

Establishment of anterior-posterior (a-p) polarity in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo depends on filamentous (F-) actin. Previously, we isolated an F-actin-binding protein that was enriched in the anterior cortex of the one-cell embryo and was hypothesized to link developmental polarity to the actin cytoskeleton. Here, we identify this protein, POD-1, as a new member of the coronin family of actin-binding proteins. We have generated a deletion within the pod-1 gene. Elimination of POD-1 from early embryos results in a loss of physical and molecular asymmetries along the a-p axis. For example, PAR-1 and PAR-3, which themselves are polarized and required for a-p polarity, are delocalized in pod-1 mutant embryos. However, unlike loss of PAR proteins, loss of POD-1 gives rise to the formation of abnormal cellular structures, namely large vesicles of endocytic origin, membrane protrusions, unstable cell divisions, a defective eggshell, and deposition of extracellular material. We conclude that, analogous to coronin, POD-1 plays an important role in intracellular trafficking and organizing specific aspects of the actin cytoskeleton. We propose models to explain how the role of POD-1 in basic cellular processes could be linked to the generation of polarity along the embryonic a-p axis.

Early patterning of the C. elegans embryo

Studies of about 20 maternally expressed genes are providing an understanding of mechanisms of patterning and cell-fate determination in the early Caenorhabditis elegans embryo. The analyses have revealed that fates of the early blastomeres are specified by a combination of intrinsically asymmetric cell divisions and two types of cell-cell interactions: inductions and polarizing interactions. In this review we summarize the current level of understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes in the specification of cell fates in the pregastrulation embryo.

A highly conserved centrosomal kinase, AIR-1, is required for accurate cell cycle progression and segregation of developmental factors in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos

S. cerevisiae Ipl1, Drosophila Aurora, and the mammalian centrosomal protein IAK-1 define a new subfamily of serine/threonine kinases that regulate chromosome segregation and mitotic spindle dynamics. Mutations in ipl1 and aurora result in the generation of severely aneuploid cells and, in the case of aurora, monopolar spindles arising from a failure in centrosome separation. Here we show that a related, essential protein from C. elegans, AIR-1 (Aurora/Ipl1 related), is localized to mitotic centrosomes. Disruption of AIR-1 protein expression in C. elegans embryos results in severe aneuploidy and embryonic lethality. Unlike aurora mutants, this aneuploidy does not arise from a failure in centrosome separation. Bipolar spindles are formed in the absence of AIR-1, but they appear to be disorganized and are nucleated by abnormal-looking centrosomes. In addition to its requirement during mitosis, AIR-1 may regulate microtubule-based developmental processes as well. Our data suggests AIR-1 plays a role in P-granule segregation and the association of the germline factor PIE-1 with centrosomes.

Centrosome dynamics in early embryos of Caenorhabditis elegans

The early Caenorhabditis elegans embryo divides with a stereotyped pattern of cleavages to produce cells that vary in developmental potential. Differences in cleavage plane orientation arise between the anterior and posterior cells of the 2-cell embryo as a result of asymmetries in centrosome positioning. Mechanisms that position centrosomes are thought to involve interactions between microtubules and the cortex, however, these mechanisms remain poorly defined. Interestingly, in the early embryo the shape of the centrosome predicts its subsequent movement. We have used rhodamine-tubulin and live imaging techniques to study the development of asymmetries in centrosome morphology and positioning. In contrast to studies using fixed embryos, our images provide a detailed characterization of the dynamics of centrosome flattening. In addition, our observations of centrosome behavior in vivo challenge previous assumptions regarding centrosome separation by illustrating that centrosome flattening and daughter centrosome separation are distinct processes, and by revealing that nascent daughter centrosomes may become separated from the nucleus. Finally, we provide evidence that the midbody specifies a region of the cortex that directs rotational alignment of the centrosome-nucleus complex and that the process is likely to involve multiple interactions between microtubules and the cortex; the process of alignment involves oscillations and overshoots, suggesting a multiplicity of cortical sites that interact with microtubules.

A genetic screen for temperature-sensitive cell-division mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans

A novel screen to isolate conditional cell-division mutants in Caenorhabditis elegans has been developed. The screen is based on the phenotypes associated with existing cell-division mutations: some disrupt postembryonic divisions and affect formation of the gonad and ventral nerve cord-resulting in sterile, uncoordinated animals-while others affect embryonic divisions and result in lethality. We obtained 19 conditional mutants that displayed these phenotypes when shifted to the restrictive temperature at the appropriate developmental stage. Eighteen of these mutations have been mapped; 17 proved to be single alleles of newly identified genes, while 1 proved to be an allele of a previously identified gene. Genetic tests on the embryonic lethal phenotypes indicated that for 13 genes, embryogenesis required maternal expression, while for 6, zygotic expression could suffice. In all cases, maternal expression of wild-type activity was found to be largely sufficient for embryogenesis. Cytological analysis revealed that 10 mutants possessed embryonic cell-division defects, including failure to properly segregate DNA, failure to assemble a mitotic spindle, late cytokinesis defects, prolonged cell cycles, and improperly oriented mitotic spindles. We conclude that this approach can be used to identify mutations that affect various aspects of the cell-division cycle.

The let-99 gene is required for proper spindle orientation during cleavage of the C. elegans embryo

The orientation of cell division is a critical aspect of development. In 2-cell C. elegans embryos, the spindle in the posterior cell is aligned along the long axis of the embryo and contributes to the unequal partitioning of cytoplasm, while the spindle in the anterior cell is oriented transverse to the long axis. Differing spindle alignments arise from blastomere-specific rotations of the nuclear-centrosome complex at prophase. We have found that mutations in the maternally expressed gene let-99 affect spindle orientation in all cells during the first three cleavages. During these divisions, the nuclear-centrosome complex appears unstable in position. In addition, in almost half of the mutant embryos, there are reversals of the normal pattern of spindle orientations at second cleavage: the spindle of the anterior cell is aligned with the long axis of the embryo and nuclear rotation fails in the posterior cell causing the spindle to form transverse to the long axis. In most of the remaining embryos, spindles in both cells are transverse at second cleavage. The distributions of several asymmetrically localized proteins, including P granules and PAR-3, are normal in early let-99 embryos, but are perturbed by the abnormal cell division orientations at second cleavage. The accumulation of actin and actin capping protein, which marks the site involved in nuclear rotation in 2-cell wild-type embryos, is abnormal but is not reversed in let-99 mutant embryos. Based on these data, we conclude that let-99(+) is required for the proper orientation of spindles after the establishment of polarity, and we postulate that let-99(+) plays a role in interactions between the astral microtubules and the cortical cytoskeleton.

Maternal control of pattern formation in early Caenorhabditis elegans embryos

Genetic screens for recessive, maternal-effect, embryonic-lethal mutations have identified about 25 genes that control early steps of pattern formation in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. These maternal genes are discussed as belonging to one of three groups. The par group genes establish and maintain polarity in the one-cell zygote in response to sperm entry, defining an anterior/posterior body axis at least in part through interactions with the cyto-skeleton mediated by cortically localized proteins. Blastomere identity group genes act down-stream of the par group to specify the identities of individual embryonic cells, or blastomeres, using both cell autonomous and non-cell autonomous mechanisms. Requirements for the blastomere identity genes are consistent with previous studies suggesting that early asymmetric cleavages in the C. elegans embryo generate six "founder" cells that account for much of the C. elegans body plan. Intermediate group genes, most recently identified, may link the establishment of polarity in the zygote by par group genes to the localization of blastomere identity group gene functions. This review summarizes the known requirements for the members of each group, although it seems clear that additional regulatory genes controlling pattern formation in the early embryo have yet to be identified. An emerging challenge is to link the function of the genes in these three groups into interacting pathways that can account for the specification of the six founder cell identities in the early embryo, five of which produce somatic cell types and one of which produces the germline.

The maternal par genes and the segregation of cell fate specification activities in early Caenorhabditis elegans embryos

After fertilization in C. elegans, activities encoded by the maternally expressed par genes appear to establish cellular and embryonic polarity. Loss-of-function mutations in the par genes disrupt anterior-posterior (a-p) asymmetries in early embryos and result in highly abnormal patterns of cell fate. Little is known about how the early asymmetry defects are related to the cell fate patterning defects in par mutant embryos, or about how the par gene products affect the localization and activities of developmental regulators known to specify the cell fate patterns made by individual blastomeres. Examples of such regulators of blastomere identity include the maternal proteins MEX-3 and GLP-1, expressed at high levels anteriorly, and SKN-1 and PAL-1, expressed at high levels posteriorly in early embryos. To better define par gene functions, we examined the expression patterns of MEX-3, PAL-1 and SKN-1, and we analyzed mex-3, pal-1, skn-1 and glp-1 activities in par mutant embryos. We have found that mutational inactivation of each par gene results in a unique phenotype, but in no case do we observe a complete loss of a-p asymmetry. We conclude that no one par gene is required for all a-p asymmetry and we suggest that, in some cases, the par genes act independently of each other to control cell fate patterning and polarity. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for understanding how the initial establishment of polarity in the zygote by the par gene products leads to the proper localization of more specifically acting regulators of blastomere identity.

The Rho-GEF Rom2p localizes to sites of polarized cell growth and participates in cytoskeletal functions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Rom2p is a GDP/GTP exchange factor for Rho1p and Rho2p GTPases; Rho proteins have been implicated in control of actin cytoskeletal rearrangements. ROM2 and RHO2 were identified in a screen for high-copy number suppressors of cik1 delta, a mutant defective in microtubule-based processes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A Rom2p::3XHA fusion protein localizes to sites of polarized cell growth, including incipient bud sites, tips of small buds, and tips of mating projections. Disruption of ROM2 results in temperature-sensitive growth defects at 11 degrees C and 37 degrees C. rom2 delta cells exhibit morphological defects. At permissive temperatures, rom2 delta cells often form elongated buds and fail to form normal mating projections after exposure to pheromone; at the restrictive temperature, small budded cells accumulate. High-copy number plasmids containing either ROM2 or RHO2 suppress the temperature-sensitive growth defects of cik1 delta and kar3 delta strains. KAR3 encodes a kinesin-related protein that interacts with Cik1p. Furthermore, rom2 delta strains exhibit increased sensitivity to the microtubule depolymerizing drug benomyl. These results suggest a role for Rom2p in both polarized morphogenesis and functions of the microtubule cytoskeleton.

The microtubule motor cytoplasmic dynein is required for spindle orientation during germline cell divisions and oocyte differentiation in Drosophila

During animal development cellular differentiation is often preceded by an asymmetric cell division whose polarity is determined by the orientation of the mitotic spindle. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, the oocyte differentiates in a 16-cell syncytium that arises from a cystoblast which undergoes 4 synchronous divisions with incomplete cytokinesis. During these divisions, spindle orientation is highly ordered and is thought to impart a polarity to the cyst that is necessary for the subsequent differentiation of the oocyte. Using mutations in the Drosophila cytoplasmic dynein heavy chain gene, Dhc64C, we show that cytoplasmic dynein is required at two stages of oogenesis. Early in oogenesis, dynein mutations disrupt spindle orientation in dividing cysts and block oocyte determination. The localization of dynein in mitotic cysts suggests spindle orientation is mediated by the microtubule motor cytoplasmic dynein. Later in oogenesis, dynein function is necessary for proper differentiation, but does not appear to participate in morphogen localization within the oocyte. These results provide evidence for a novel developmental role for the cytoplasmic dynein motor in cellular determination and differentiation.

MEX-3 is a KH domain protein that regulates blastomere identity in early C. elegans embryos

After the first division of the C. elegans embryo, the posterior blastomere can produce numerous muscles while the anterior blastomere cannot. We show here that maternal-effect lethal mutations in the gene mex-3 cause descendants of the anterior blastomere to produce muscles by a pattern of development similar to that of a descendant of the wild-type posterior blastomere. mex-3 encodes a probable RNA-binding protein that is distributed unequally in early embryos and that is a component of germline-specific granules called P granules. We propose that MEX-3 contributes to anterior-posterior asymmetry by regulating one or more mRNAs involved in specifying the fate of the posterior blastomere.

par-6, a gene involved in the establishment of asymmetry in early C. elegans embryos, mediates the asymmetric localization of PAR-3

The generation of asymmetry in the one-cell embryo of Caenorhabditis elegans is necessary to establish the anterior-posterior axis and to ensure the proper identity of early blastomeres. Maternal-effect lethal mutations with a partitioning defective phenotype (par) have identified several genes involved in this process. We have identified a new gene, par-6, which acts in conjunction with other par genes to properly localize cytoplasmic components in the early embryo. The early phenotypes of par-6 embryos include the generation of equal-sized blastomeres, improper localization of P granules and SKN-1 protein, and abnormal second division cleavage patterns. Overall, this phenotype is very similar to that caused by mutations in a previously described gene, par-3. The probable basis for this similarity is revealed by our genetic and immunolocalization results; par-6 acts through par-3 by localizing or maintaining the PAR-3 protein at the cell periphery. In addition, we find that loss-of-function par-6 mutations act as dominant bypass suppressors of loss-of-function mutations in par-2.

PAR-2 is asymmetrically distributed and promotes association of P granules and PAR-1 with the cortex in C. elegans embryos

The par genes participate in the process of establishing cellular asymmetries during the first cell cycle of Caenorhabditis elegans development. The par-2 gene is required for the unequal first cleavage and for asymmetries in cell cycle length and spindle orientation in the two resulting daughter cells. We have found that the PAR-2 protein is present in adult gonads and early embryos. In gonads, the protein is uniformly distributed at the cell cortex, and this subcellular localization depends on microfilaments. In the one-cell embryo, PAR-2 is localized to the posterior cortex and is partitioned into the posterior daughter, P1, at the first cleavage. PAR-2 exhibits a similar asymmetric cortical localization in P1, P2, and P3, the asymmetrically dividing blastomeres of germ line lineage. This distribution in embryos is very similar to that of PAR-1 protein. By analyzing the distribution of the PAR-2 protein in various par mutant backgrounds we found that proper asymmetric distribution of PAR-2 depends upon par-3 activity but not upon par-1 or par-4. par-2 activity is required for proper cortical localization of PAR-1 and this effect requires wild-type par-3 gene activity. We also find that, although par-2 activity is not required for posterior localization of P granules at the one-cell stage, it is required for proper cortical association of P granules in P1.

Role of inscuteable in orienting asymmetric cell divisions in Drosophila

Drosophila neuroblasts and epithelial cells in the procephalic neurogenic region divide perpendicular to the surface, and segregate the proteins Numb and Prospero into the basal daughter cell. We demonstrate here that orientation of the mitotic spindle and correct localization of Numb and Prospero in these cells require the inscuteable gene. Moreover, ectopic expression of inscuteable in other epithelial cells leads to spindle reorientation. The Inscuteable protein localizes to the apical cell cortex before mitosis, suggesting that Inscuteable functions in establishing polarity for asymmetric cell division.

Molecular genetics of asymmetric cleavage in the early Caenorhabditis elegans embryo

Asymmetric cleavage plays an important role in Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis. In addition to generating cellular diversity, several early asymmetric cleavages contribute to the spatial organization of the embryo. Genetic and molecular analyses of several genes, including six par genes and the mex-1 and mes-1 genes, together with experimental embryological studies, have provided insights into mechanisms controlling polarity and spindle orientations during these cleavages. In particular, these studies focus attention on microfilament-based motility and changing protein distributions at the cell cortex.

A non-muscle myosin required for embryonic polarity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Daughter cells with distinct fates can arise through intrinsically asymmetrical divisions. Before such divisions, factors crucial for determining cell fates become asymmetrically localized in the mother cell. In Caenorhabditis elegans, PAR proteins are required for the early asymmetrical divisions that establish embryonic polarity, and are asymmetrically localized in early blastomeres, although the mechanism of their distribution is not known. Here we report the identification in C. elegans of nonmuscle myosin II heavy chain (designated NMY-2) by means of its interaction with the PAR-1 protein, a putative Ser/Thr protein kinase. Furthermore, injections of nmy-2 antisense RNA into ovaries of adult worms cause embryonic partitioning defects and lead to mislocalization of PAR proteins. We therefore conclude the NMY-2 is required for establishing cellular polarity in C. elegans embryos.

An inductive interaction in 4-cell stage C. elegans embryos involves APX-1 expression in the signalling cell

During the 4-cell stage of C. elegans embryogenesis, the P2 blastomere provides a signal that allows two initially equivalent sister blastomeres, called ABa and ABp, to adopt different fates. Preventing P2 signalling in wild-type embryos results in defects in ABp development that are similar to those caused by mutations in the glp-1 and apx-1 genes, which are homologs of the Drosophila genes Notch and Delta, respectively. Previous studies have shown that GLP-1 protein is expressed in 4-cell stage embryos in both ABa and ABp. In this report, we show that APX-1 protein is expressed in the P2 blastomere and that a temperature-sensitive apx-1 mutant has a temperature-sensitive period between the 4-cell and 8-cell stages. We propose that APX-1 is part or all of the P2 signal that induces ABp to adopt a fate different than ABa.

Segregation of germ granules in living Caenorhabditis elegans embryos: cell-type-specific mechanisms for cytoplasmic localisation

Germ granules are ribonucleoprotein particles that are thought to function in germline specification in invertebrates and possibly in vertebrates. In Caenorhabditis elegans, these structures, termed P granules, are partitioned to the germline P cells during the early embryonic divisions. By injecting a fluorescently labelled anti-P-granule antibody into the C. elegans germline syncitium, we followed P-granule segregation in live embryos using laser-scanning confocal microscopy. We show that, in early P cells (P0 and P1), P-granule partitioning is achieved primarily by their migration through the cytoplasm towards the site of formation of the germline daughter cell. A different mechanism appears to operate in later P cells (P2 and P3): P granules associate with the nucleus and move with it toward the site of formation of the germline daughter cell, where they are then deposited. At each division, there is also disassembly or degradation of those P granules that remain in the cytoplasm destined for the somatic daughter cell. Microfilaments, microtubules and the product of the gene mes-1 are required for the normal pattern of P-granule segregation in P2.

Asymmetrically distributed PAR-3 protein contributes to cell polarity and spindle alignment in early C. elegans embryos

The par-3 gene is required for establishing polarity in early C. elegans embryos. Embryos from par-3 homozygous mothers show defects in segregation of cytoplasmic determinants and in positioning of the early cleavage spindles. We report here that the PAR-3 protein is asymmetrically distributed at the periphery of the zygote and asymmetrically dividing blastomeres of the germline lineage. The PAR-3 distribution is roughly the reciprocal of PAR-1, another protein required for establishing embryonic polarity in C. elegans. Analysis of the distribution of PAR-3 and PAR-1 in other par mutants reveals that par-2 activity is required for proper localization of PAR-3 and that PAR-3 is required for proper localization of PAR-1. In addition, the distribution of the PAR-3 protein correlates with differences in cleavage spindle orientation and suggests a mechanism by which PAR-3 contributes to control of cleavage pattern.

Loss of spatial control of the mitotic spindle apparatus in a Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutant strain lacking basal bodies

The bld2-1 mutation in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is the only known mutation that results in the loss of centrioles/basal bodies and the loss of coordination between spindle position and cleavage furrow position during cell division. Based on several different assays, bld2-1 cells lack basal bodies in > 99% of cells. The stereotypical cytoskeletal morphology and precise positioning of the cleavage furrow observed in wild-type cells is disrupted in bld2-1 cells. The positions of the mitotic spindle and of the cleavage furrow are not correlated with respect to each other or with a specific cellular landmark during cell division in bld2-1 cells. Actin has a variable distribution during mitosis in bld2-1 cells, but this aberrant distribution is not correlated with the spindle positioning defect. In both wild-type and bld2-1 cells, the position of the cleavage furrow is coincident with a specialized set of microtubules found in green algae known as the rootlet microtubules. We propose that the rootlet microtubules perform the functions of astral microtubules and that functional centrioles are necessary for the organization of the cytoskeletal superstructure critical for correct spindle and cleavage furrow placement in Chlamydomonas.