Apical-basal polarity of the spectrin cytoskeleton in the C. elegans vulva
Trevor J Barker1, Fung-Yi Chan2,3, Ana X Carvalho3,2
1Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
Abstract:
The C. elegans vulva is a polarized epithelial tube that has been studied extensively as a model for cell-cell signaling, cell fate specification, and tubulogenesis. Here we used endogenous fusions to show that the spectrin cytoskeleton is polarized in this organ, with conventional beta-spectrin ( UNC-70 ) found only at basolateral membranes and beta heavy spectrin ( SMA-1 ) found only at apical membranes. The sole alpha-spectrin ( SPC-1 ) is present at both locations but requires SMA-1 for its apical localization. Thus, beta spectrins are excellent markers for vulva cell membranes and polarity.
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