Functional analysis of Drosophila Myosin VI in larval neuromuscular junction synapses.
Published: 2007
Language: eng
Number of pages: 96
ISBN-13: 9780494272824
Description: Myosin VI is an actin-based motor protein that moves toward the negative end of actin filaments. Mutation of the Drosophila Myosin VI gene jaguar leads to locomotory defects in adults and larvae. This phenotype implicates a role for Myosin VI in the neuromuscular system. Drosophila jaguar mutants displayed a reduced neuromuscular junction (NMJ), with fewer nerve terminal boutons. These phenotypes are novel and were not previously reported in any other analysis of Myosin Vl. Intra-bouton analysis in Myosin VI depleted nerve terminals showed a vesicle distribution defect, shown by synaptotagmin staining, and a reduced number of active zones per bouton, exhibited by nc82 staining. Finally, the pre-synaptic actin expression pattern was analyzed using actin-GFP and the normal actin pattern appeared disrupted in jaguar mutants. The results of this study, for the first time, demonstrate a role for Myosin VI in neuromuscular junction development.
Notes: Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 3066.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Toronto, 2007.

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