An Ana2/Ctp/Mud complex regulates spindle orientation in Drosophila neuroblasts

Cheng Wang, Song Li, Jens Januschke, Fabrizio Rossi, Yasushi Izumi, Gisela Garcia-Alvarez, Serene Sze Ling Gwee, Swee Beng Soon, Harpreet Kaur Sidhu, Fengwei Yu, Fumio Matsuzaki, Cayetano Gonzalez, Hongyan Wang

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    55 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Drosophila neural stem cells, larval brain neuroblasts (NBs), align their mitotic spindles along the apical/basal axis during asymmetric cell division (ACD) to maintain the balance of self-renewal and differentiation. Here, we identified a protein complex composed of the tumor suppressor anastral spindle 2 (Ana2), a dynein light-chain protein Cut up (Ctp), and Mushroom body defect (Mud), which regulates mitotic spindle orientation. We isolated two ana2 alleles that displayed spindle misorientation and NB overgrowth phenotypes in larval brains. The centriolar protein Ana2 anchors Ctp to centrioles during ACD. The centriolar localization of Ctp is important for spindle orientation. Ana2 and Ctp localize Mud to the centrosomes and cell cortex and facilitate/maintain the association of Mud with Pins at the apical cortex. Our findings reveal that the centrosomal proteins Ana2 and Ctp regulate Mud function to orient the mitotic spindle during NB asymmetric division.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)520-33
    Number of pages14
    JournalDevelopmental Cell
    Volume21
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 13 Sept 2011

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