Date of Award
8-1-2018
Document Type
Masters Thesis
Degree Name
M.S.
Organizational Unit
Biological Sciences
First Advisor
Todd Blankenship, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Michelle K. Knowles, Ph.D.
Third Advisor
Cedric Asensio
Fourth Advisor
Schuyler van Engelenburg
Keywords
Drosophila embryo, Syncytial furrow formation
Abstract
In the Drosophila embryo, nuclear divisions 10-13 occur in a syncytium with transient membrane furrows separating neighboring nuclei before the occurrence of cellularization. This process is driven by cytoskeletal and membrane trafficking networks, and while RalA and Rab8 have been identified to drive membrane addition to furrows, less is known about the control of dynamic F-actin networks needed for furrow formation. Here, the role of the DOCK protein Sponge (Spg) in furrow formation is explored through shRNA knockdown and live-imaging of syncytial Drosophila embryos. I have found that Spg is required for furrow ingression and that without Spg, furrows can only reach 25% of their wild-type length. This is due to a lack of branched F-actin on apical caps and furrows, and Spg is found to be a key regulator in bringing components of the Arp pathway to these structures. Finally, I have demonstrated the requirement for this branched F-actin network in potentiating ingression and linear F-actin networks that are localized along the length of syncytial furrows.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Shannon M. Henry
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
en
File Size
63 p.
Recommended Citation
Henry, Shannon M., "Spg Directs Arp2/3 Mediated F-actin Networks to Support Syncytial Furrow Ingression in Drosophila" (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1505.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1505
Copyright date
2018
Discipline
Biology, Cellular biology, Developmental biology