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Microtubules induce self-organization of polarized PAR domains in C. elegans zygotes

A hallmark of polarized cells is the segregation of the PAR polarity regulators into asymmetric domains at the cell cortex(1, 2). Antagonistic interactions involving two conserved kinases, atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) and PAR-1, have been implicated in polarity maintenance(1, 2), but the mechani...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Motegi, Fumio, Zonies, Seth, Hao, Yingsong, Cuenca, Adrian A., Griffin, Erik, Seydoux, Geraldine
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: 2011
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3208083/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21983565
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncb2354
Descripción
Sumario:A hallmark of polarized cells is the segregation of the PAR polarity regulators into asymmetric domains at the cell cortex(1, 2). Antagonistic interactions involving two conserved kinases, atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) and PAR-1, have been implicated in polarity maintenance(1, 2), but the mechanisms that initiate the formation of asymmetric PAR domains are not understood. Here, we describe one pathway used by the sperm-donated centrosome to polarize the PAR proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans zygotes. Before polarization, cortical aPKC excludes PAR-1 kinase and its binding partner PAR-2 by phosphorylation. During symmetry breaking, microtubules nucleated by the centrosome locally protect PAR-2 from phosphorylation by aPKC, allowing PAR-2 and PAR-1 to access the cortex nearest the centrosome. Cortical PAR-1 phosphorylates PAR-3, causing the PAR-3/aPKC complex to leave the cortex. Our findings illustrate how microtubules, independent of actin dynamics, stimulate the self-organization of PAR proteins by providing local protection against a global barrier imposed by aPKC.