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Cytokinesis, mechanosensation, GPR-1/2, C. elegans
Abstract:
Cytokinesis and spindle positioning require the cortical force regulator G Protein
Regulator 1/2 (GPR-1/2). GPR-1/2 is thought to localize to sites of cortical force
generation. Does GPR-1/2 also act as a sensor for mechanical stimulation? I
mechanically stimulated the cortex by indenting it with a glass needle and observed the
cortical localization of a YFP::GPR-1 transgene. I found that cortical YFP::GPR-1
accumulated at the site of mechanical indentation. This phenomenon occurred on most of
the cortical areas except the site of prospective cytokinesis furrow formation. This result
suggests that GPR-1/2 can sense mechanical properties of the cortex, which may be
important for GPR-1/2 function regulating spindle positioning and cytokinesis.
