STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF DROSOPHILA MYOSIN

Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute

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Abstract

Myosin V functions as an actin-dependent ATPase. In Drosophila, a single gene encodes for myosin V. It is enriched in the head and possibly the retinal cells. In some eye mutants which are missing retinal cells, there is little myosin V expressed in head extracts. We are using Drosophila S2 tissue culture cells to examine the localization of endogenous myosin V. It is found in association with perinuclear membranes. We have also expressed GFP-tagged myosin V in these cells and examined its dynamics in living cells. We find the GFP-tagged myosin to be in perinuclear regions of the cytoplasm and inside the nucleus. Live imaging shows that the fluorescent spots of myosin V move about inside the cell