Polarity

Question 1

Cell polarity definition

Answer 1

The organization of proteins inside, and at the surface of cells, such that regions of the cell have distinct protein compositions and the cell can thereby have different capabilities, morphologies and functions

Question 2

Whats the common polarity pathway

Answer 2

Marking the site- internal and external signals have to be idientified
Decoding the site - Cell needs to know somethings happened
Establishing the site - key proteins come to that site and start organising the cytoskeleton making other proteins come to that point
Maintaining the site- How does that site continue to function

Question 3

Why do we use budding yeast to study polarity

Answer 3

-Yeast undergo significant morphological changes in response to signals
-Yeast is genetically tractable

Question 4

Marking the site- Budding Yeast

Answer 4

-Budding events can be followed by staining cells with dye known as calcofluor (binds to chitin)

Question 5

What genes are required for the yeast axial budding pattern

Answer 5

BUD10, BUD3, BUD4 and septins

Question 6

What genes are required for the yeast bipolar budding pattern

Answer 6

BUD8, BUD9, RAX2 and components of actin cytoskeleton

Question 7

In Yeast, what is the most important family of proteins for polarity

Answer 7

Cdc42

Question 8

What is Cdc42

Answer 8

A small GTPase of the Rho family, its regulated through cycles of activation and inactivation by its binding partners Cdc24 and several GAPs