Centrosomes and microtubule organisation during Drosophila development

Abstract

Are the microtubule-organising centers of the different cell types of a metazoan interchangeable? If not, what are the differences between them? Do they play any role in the differentiation processes to which these cells are subjected? Nearly one hundred years of centrosome research has established the essential role of this organelle as the main microtubule-organising center of animal cells. But only now are we starting to unveil the answers to the challenging questions which are raised when the centrosome is studied within the context of a pluricellular organism. In this review we present some of the many examples which illustrate how centrosomes and microtubule organisation changes through development in Drosophila and discuss some of its implications.

The relative roles of centrosomal and kinetochore-driven microtubules in Drosophila spindle formation

“…One of these structures could be the centriole. In D. melanogaster, spermatocyte and somatic cell centrioles are 2.5 and 0.2 μm long, respectively [31,32], suggesting that centriole/ centrosome size plays an important role in meiotic spindle formation. This view is fully supported by studies on mutants that disrupt centrosome function.…”

Three-dimensional structure of basal body triplet revealed by electron cryo-tomography

“…Biogenesis of the centriole and basal body has been studied in a variety of model organisms (Ringo, 1967; Dippell, 1968; Allen, 1969; Anderson and Brenner, 1971; Anderson, 1972; Cavalier‐Smith, 1974; González et al , 1998; Pelletier et al , 2006; Giddings et al , 2010; Guichard et al , 2010). Genes involved in centriole biogenesis, either regulatory or structural, are generally well conserved, suggesting a common assembly pathway across species (Carvalho‐Santos et al , 2010).…”

Centrosome instability: when good centrosomes go bad

“…Furthermore, surveys of different Drosophila tissues revealed diverse centriole architecture, even within an individual. Some Drosophila tissues have long centrioles composed of microtubule triplets, while others have short centrioles made of a mixture of microtubule doublets and singlets [ 17 ]. It is this tissue-specific structural diversity within an individual that highlights the complex nature of centriole assembly.…”