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The molecular motor dynein is involved in targeting Swallow and bicoid RNA to the anterior pole of Drosophila oocytes

Nature Cell Biology volume 2, pages 185–190 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

Localization of bicoid (bcd) messenger RNA to the anterior pole of the Drosophila oocyte requires the exuperantia ( exu), swallow (swa) and staufen (stau) genes. We show here that Swa protein transiently co-localizes with bcd RNA in mid-oogenesis. Swa also localizes to the anterior pole of the oocyte in the absence of bcd RNA. This localization does not require Exu, but depends on intact microtubules. In mutant ovaries with duplicated polarity of microtubules, Swa and bcd RNA are ectopically localized at the posterior pole, as well as being present at the anterior pole. We identify dynein light chain-1 (Ddlc-1), a component of the minus-end-directed microtubule motor cytoplasmic dynein, as a Swa-binding protein. We propose that Swa acts as an adaptor for the dynein complex and thereby enables dynein to transport bcd RNA along microtubules to their minus ends at the anterior pole of the oocyte.

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Figure 1: Characterization of the Swa mutant proteins and the developmental profile of Swa.
Figure 2: Localization of Swa in wild-type ovaries and eggs.
Figure 3: Swa distribution in Swa mutant egg chambers can be mimicked by microtubule depolymerization.
Figure 4: Distribution of Swa protein and bcd RNA in wild-type and mutant stage-10 egg chambers.
Figure 5: Dynein light chain binds to the Swa coiled-coil domain in vivo and in vitro.

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Acknowledgements

We thank H. Knaut, S. Luschnig, C. Bökel, J. Müller and J. Großhans for discussions and suggestions; S. King for the anti-Ddlc-1 antibody; J. Shulman for an in situ hybridization protocol; and D. Gilmour, H. Knaut and J. Müller for comments on the manuscript.

Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to F.S.

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  1. Abteilung Genetik, MPI für Entwicklungsbiologie, Spemannstrasse 35/III, Tübingen, D-72076, Germany

    Frank Schnorrer, Kerstin Bohmann & Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard

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Correspondence to Frank Schnorrer.

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Schnorrer, F., Bohmann, K. & Nüsslein-Volhard, C. The molecular motor dynein is involved in targeting Swallow and bicoid RNA to the anterior pole of Drosophila oocytes. Nat Cell Biol 2, 185–190 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35008601

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