yuri gagarinis required for actin, tubulin and basal body functions inDrosophilaspermatogenesis

• DOI: 10.1242/jcs.026559
• Publication Date: 2008-05-14T00:34:51Z
• Authors: Michael J. Texada; Rebecca A. Simonette; Cassidy B. Johnson; William J. Deery; Kathleen M. Becki...
• Keywords: Axoneme; Basal body; Spermatid; Centriole

Males of the genus Drosophila produce sperm remarkable length. Investigation giant production in melanogaster has demonstrated that specialized actin and microtubule structures play key roles. The gene yuri gagarin (yuri) encodes a novel protein previously identified through its role gravitaxis. A male-sterile mutation revealed roles for Yuri functions tubulin spermatogenesis. is component motile cones individualize spermatids essential their formation. Furthermore, required accumulation dense complex, microtubule-rich structure on nuclei thought to strengthen during elongation. In mutant, late clusters syncytial are deformed disorganized. basal bodies also mispositioned nuclei, association structure, centriolar adjunct (CA), with body lost. Some these nuclear defects might underlie further unexpected abnormality: occasionally locate wrong ends spermatid cysts. axonemes grow out from affected suggesting possible CA axoneme