Research article

A role for Phospholipase D in Drosophila embryonic cellularization

Mary LaLonde^{* 1} , Hilde Janssens^{* 1} , Suyong Yun¹ , Juan Crosby¹ , Olga Redina^1,3 , Virginie Olive¹ , Yelena M Altshuller¹ , Seok-Yong Choi¹ , Guangwei Du¹ , J Peter Gergen² and Michael A Frohman¹

¹Department of Pharmacology and Center for Developmental Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5140, USA

²Department of Biochemistry and Center for Developmental Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5140, USA

³Institute of Cytology & Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia

author email corresponding author email* Contributed equally

BMC Developmental Biology 2006, 6:60doi:10.1186/1471-213X-6-60

Published:	7 December 2006

Abstract

Background

Cellularization of the Drosophila embryo is an unusually synchronous form of cytokinesis in which polarized membrane extension proceeds in part through incorporation of new membrane via fusion of apically-translocated Golgi-derived vesicles.

Results

We describe here involvement of the signaling enzyme Phospholipase D (Pld) in regulation of this developmental step. Functional analysis using gene targeting revealed that cellularization is hindered by the loss of Pld, resulting frequently in early embryonic developmental arrest. Mechanistically, chronic Pld deficiency causes abnormal Golgi structure and secretory vesicle trafficking.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that Pld functions to promote trafficking of Golgi-derived fusion-competent vesicles during cellularization.