43rd ANNUAL DROSOPHILA RESEARCH CONFERENCE
April 10-14, 2002

PROGRAM AND ABSTRACT VOLUME
Workshop Abstract

3W
Completion of dorsal closure in Drosophila embryos requires function of the microtubule cytoskeleton. W.L. Rickoll¹, L. Keller², D.P. Kiehart³. 1) Department of Biology, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA 98416; 2) Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N., A1-162, Seattle, WA 98109; 3) Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708. (253) 879-3120.

Previous studies have shown that completion of dorsal closure in Drosophila embryos requires function of the actin and non-muscle myosin cytoskeleton. We have completed an ultrastructural analysis of dorsal closure in Drosophila using embryos prepared by high-pressure freezing/freeze substitution. Our observations of wild type embryos suggested that the microtubule cytoskeleton could be required for dorsal closure. To test this hypothesis, we punctured embryos with fine tungsten needles during early dorsal closure and incubated them in colchicine (0.1mM, 1.0mM, and 10mM) or in control medium without colchicine. Dorsal closure was inhibited in colchicine-treated embryos, and the microtubular cytoskeleton was disrupted. Dorsal closure was not blocked in control embryos. This study provides evidence that the microtubule cytoskeleton is required for completion of dorsal closure in Drosophila embryos.