Abstract
The deadlock gene is required for a number of key developmental events in Drosophila oogenesis. Females homozygous for mutations in the deadlock gene lay few eggs and those exhibit severe patterning defects along both the anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral axis. In this study, we analyzed eggs and ovaries from deadlock mutants and determined that deadlock is required for germline maintenance, stability of mitotic spindles, localization of patterning determinants, oocyte growth and fusome biogenesis in males and females. Deadlock encodes a novel protein which colocalizes with the oocyte nucleus at midstages of oogenesis and with the centrosomes of early embryos. Our genetic and immunohistological experiments point to a role for Deadlock in microtubule function during oogenesis.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Body Patterning*
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Cell Division / physiology
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Centrosome / metabolism*
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Cytoskeleton / metabolism
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Drosophila Proteins / genetics
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Drosophila Proteins / metabolism*
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Drosophila melanogaster / anatomy & histology*
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Drosophila melanogaster / embryology*
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Drosophila melanogaster / genetics
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Embryo, Nonmammalian / anatomy & histology
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Embryo, Nonmammalian / physiology
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Female
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In Situ Hybridization
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Male
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Microtubule-Associated Proteins / genetics
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Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism*
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Microtubules / metabolism
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Nuclear Proteins / genetics
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Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
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Oocytes / cytology
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Oocytes / physiology
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Oogenesis / physiology*
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Ovary / cytology
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Ovary / physiology
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Spindle Apparatus / metabolism
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Stem Cells / physiology
Substances
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Drosophila Proteins
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Microtubule-Associated Proteins
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Nuclear Proteins
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del protein, Drosophila