Myosin VIIA, important for human auditory function, is necessary for Drosophila auditory organ development

Sokol V Todi; Elena Sivan-Loukianova; Julie S Jacobs; Daniel P Kiehart; Daniel F Eberl

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002115

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Myosin VIIA, important for human auditory function, is necessary for Drosophila auditory organ development

Journal article

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Myosin VIIA, important for human auditory function, is necessary for Drosophila auditory organ development

Sokol V Todi, Elena Sivan-Loukianova, Julie S Jacobs, Daniel P Kiehart and Daniel F Eberl

PloS one, Vol.3(5), pp.e2115-e2115

05/07/2008

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002115

PMCID: PMC2362849

PMID: 18461180

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Abstract

Myosin VIIA (MyoVIIA) is an unconventional myosin necessary for vertebrate audition [1]-[5]. Human auditory transduction occurs in sensory hair cells with a staircase-like arrangement of apical protrusions called stereocilia. In these hair cells, MyoVIIA maintains stereocilia organization [6]. Severe mutations in the Drosophila MyoVIIA orthologue, crinkled (ck), are semi-lethal [7] and lead to deafness by disrupting antennal auditory organ (Johnston's Organ, JO) organization [8]. ck/MyoVIIA mutations result in apical detachment of auditory transduction units (scolopidia) from the cuticle that transmits antennal vibrations as mechanical stimuli to JO. Using flies expressing GFP-tagged NompA, a protein required for auditory organ organization in Drosophila, we examined the role of ck/MyoVIIA in JO development and maintenance through confocal microscopy and extracellular electrophysiology. Here we show that ck/MyoVIIA is necessary early in the developing antenna for initial apical attachment of the scolopidia to the articulating joint. ck/MyoVIIA is also necessary to maintain scolopidial attachment throughout adulthood. Moreover, in the adult JO, ck/MyoVIIA genetically interacts with the non-muscle myosin II (through its regulatory light chain protein and the myosin binding subunit of myosin II phosphatase). Such genetic interactions have not previously been observed in scolopidia. These factors are therefore candidates for modulating MyoVIIA activity in vertebrates. Our findings indicate that MyoVIIA plays evolutionarily conserved roles in auditory organ development and maintenance in invertebrates and vertebrates, enhancing our understanding of auditory organ development and function, as well as providing significant clues for future research.

Humans

Auditory Perception - physiology

Myosins - genetics

Drosophila - physiology

Drosophila Proteins - physiology

Dyneins - physiology

Animals

Sensory Receptor Cells - physiology

Conserved Sequence

Drosophila Proteins - genetics

Dyneins - genetics

Mutation

Myosins - physiology

Evolution, Molecular

Details

Title: Subtitle: Myosin VIIA, important for human auditory function, is necessary for Drosophila auditory organ development
Creators: Sokol V Todi - Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
Elena Sivan-Loukianova
Julie S Jacobs
Daniel P Kiehart
Daniel F Eberl
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: PloS one, Vol.3(5), pp.e2115-e2115
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002115
PMID: 18461180
PMCID: PMC2362849
NLM abbreviation: PLoS One
ISSN: 1932-6203
eISSN: 1932-6203
Publisher: Public Library of Science; United States
Grant note: R01 DC007673 / NIDCD NIH HHS DC04848 / NIDCD NIH HHS R01 DC004848 / NIDCD NIH HHS R01 DC004848-04 / NIDCD NIH HHS DC07673 / NIDCD NIH HHS R01 DC004848-05 / NIDCD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 05/07/2008
Academic Unit: Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biology; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9984070710102771

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