rhokinase

Rok keeps its finger on the pulse of apical constriction

Early in Drosophila embryogenesis, contractile pulses of myosin assembly and disassembly constrict the apical domains of a group of epithelial cells to drive their invagination into a ventral furrow. Vasquez et al. reveal that Rho kinase and myosin phosphatase dynamically regulate these myosin pulses and that the stepwise constriction resulting from this helps maintain tissue integrity during epithelial invagination. This biosights episode presents the paper by Vasquez et al. from the August 4, 2014, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with two of the paper's authors, Claudia Vasquez and Adam Martin (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Shroom takes embryos to new dimensions

During development, the planar polarized distribution of Rho kinase and Myosin II helps Drosophila germ-band cells intercalate so that the embryo extends along its anterior-posterior axis. Simões et al. reveal how Rho GTPase and the actin-binding protein Shroom combine to regulate the localization of Rho kinase and actomyosin contractility during axis elongation. This biosights episode presents the paper by Simões et al. from the February 17, 2014, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with first author Sérgio de Matos Simões (formerly at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York and currently at the University of Toronto). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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