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Essential role of MARCKS in cortical actin dynamics during gastrulation movements

Hidekazu Iioka1, Naoto Ueno, Noriyuki Kinoshita

  • 1Dept. of Developmental Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, 38 Nishigonaka, Myodaiji Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan.

The Journal of Cell Biology
|January 14, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) is crucial for embryonic development in Xenopus. Its blockade disrupts cell shape, movement, and actin formation, highlighting its role in morphogenetic movements.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) is an actin-binding protein.
  • MARCKS is expressed during Xenopus embryogenesis and associated with the cell membrane.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of MARCKS in cytoskeletal regulation during Xenopus gastrulation.
  • To determine MARCKS's role in embryonic cell morphology, motility, adhesion, and actin dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of morphogenetic movements in Xenopus embryos with impaired MARCKS function.
  • Assessment of cell morphology, motility, adhesion, and cortical actin formation.
  • Investigation of the noncanonical Wnt pathway's effect on protrusions and MARCKS's involvement.

Main Results:

  • Blockade of MARCKS function impaired key morphogenetic movements, including convergent extension.
  • MARCKS is essential for controlling embryonic cell morphology, motility, adhesion, and protrusive activity.
  • MARCKS is necessary for noncanonical Wnt pathway-mediated lamellipodia and filopodia formation and cortical actin organization.

Conclusions:

  • MARCKS plays a critical role in regulating cortical actin formation.
  • This regulation by MARCKS is requisite for dynamic morphogenetic movements during Xenopus gastrulation.
  • MARCKS is a key mediator of cell behaviors essential for embryonic development.

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