Analysis of Sequence and Function of Drosophila Microvillus Cadherins, Cad74A, Cad87A, and Cad88C

• Main Author: Hwang, Michael Shang-Hsien
• Other Authors: Godt, Dorothea
• Language: en_ca
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Drosophila; Microvillus; Cadherins; Oogenesis; 0379
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1807/29562

Microvilli are actin-based protrusions at the apical surface of epithelial cells and have diverse functions. My bioinformatic analysis suggests that human Cadherin 23, which is critical for normal microvillus development, has three paralogous homologues in Drosophila, Cad74A, Cad87A, and Cad88C. All three fly cadherins are present in follicle cell microvilli in late stages of oogenesis. The combined loss of Cad74A, Cad87A, and Cad88C did not produce any obvious defects in follicle cell microvilli or egg morphology. However, in a Cad74A Cad88C double mutant, Cad87A is strongly reduced at the apical surface of follicle cells. Furthermore, females overexpressing Cad74A produced abnormal eggs. This phenotype was rescued by increasing or reducing Cad87A expression. Together, my data suggest genetic interactions between the three cadherins, and that Cad74A and Cad87A may be involved in eggshell formation.