bicoid mRNA localises to the Drosophila oocyte anterior by random Dynein-mediated transport and anchoring

Abstract

bicoid mRNA localises to the Drosophila oocyte anterior from stage 9 of oogenesis onwards to provide a local source for Bicoid protein for embryonic patterning. Live imaging at stage 9 reveals that bicoid mRNA particles undergo rapid Dynein-dependent movements near the oocyte anterior, but with no directional bias. Furthermore, bicoid mRNA localises normally in shot2A2, which abolishes the polarised microtubule organisation. FRAP and photo-conversion experiments demonstrate that the RNA is stably anchored at the anterior, independently of microtubules. Thus, bicoid mRNA is localised by random active transport and anterior anchoring. Super-resolution imaging reveals that bicoid mRNA forms 110-120nm particles with variable RNA content, but constant size. These particles appear to be well-defined structures that package the RNA for transport and anchoring.

Article and author information

Author details

  1. Vítor Trovisco

    The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  2. Katsiaryna Belaya

    The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  3. Dmitry Nashchekin

    The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  4. Uwe Irion

    The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
    ORCID icon "This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0003-2823-5840
  5. George Sirinakis

    The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  6. Richard Butler

    The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  7. Jack J Lee

    Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  8. Elizabeth R Gavis

    Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  9. Daniel St Johnston

    The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
    For correspondence
    d.stjohnston@gurdon.cam.ac.uk
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
    ORCID icon "This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0001-5582-3301

Funding

European Commission (Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), Marie Curie Intraeuropean felowship, 236621)

  • Vítor Trovisco

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC/EURORNAQ , BB/F010303)

  • Daniel St Johnston

Darwin Trust Scholarship

  • Katsiaryna Belaya

Wellcome (Strategic Award, 095297)

  • George Sirinakis

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.

Reviewing Editor

  1. Mani Ramaswami, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

Version history

  1. Received: May 5, 2016
  2. Accepted: October 25, 2016
  3. Accepted Manuscript published: October 28, 2016 (version 1)
  4. Accepted Manuscript updated: October 31, 2016 (version 2)
  5. Accepted Manuscript updated: November 2, 2016 (version 3)
  6. Version of Record published: November 28, 2016 (version 4)

Copyright

© 2016, Trovisco et al.

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.

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  1. Vítor Trovisco
  2. Katsiaryna Belaya
  3. Dmitry Nashchekin
  4. Uwe Irion
  5. George Sirinakis
  6. Richard Butler
  7. Jack J Lee
  8. Elizabeth R Gavis
  9. Daniel St Johnston
(2016)
bicoid mRNA localises to the Drosophila oocyte anterior by random Dynein-mediated transport and anchoring
eLife 5:e17537.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17537

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