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J. Cell Biol.,
Volume 142, Number 2, July 27, 1998 457-471
Imperial Cancer Research Fund, London WC2A 3PX, United Kingdom
To investigate the role of microtubules in
regulating cell polarity in Schizosaccharomyces pombe,
we have developed a system in which normally cylindrical fission yeast synchronously form branched cells at
high frequency upon treatment with the microtubule-depolymerizing drug thiabendazole (TBZ). Branching
depends on both elevated temperature and cell cycle
state and occurs at high frequency only when TBZ is
added to cells that have not yet passed through New-End Take-Off (NETO), the normal transition from
monopolar to bipolar growth. This suggests that microtubules may be of greatest physiological importance for
the maintenance of cell shape at specific points in the
cell cycle. The localization of three different proteins normally found at cell ends
cortical F-actin, tea1, and
an ral3 (scd2)-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion
is disrupted by TBZ treatment. However, these
proteins can eventually return to cell ends in the absence of microtubules, indicating that although their localization to ends normally depends on microtubules,
they may recover by alternative mechanisms. In addition, TBZ induces a shift in ral3-GFP distribution from
cell ends to the cell middle, suggesting that a protein
complex containing ral3 may be part of the cue that
specifies the position of branch formation.
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