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Drosophila big brain does not act as a water channel, but mediates cell adhesion
Author(s) -
Tatsumi Kimiko,
Tsuji Shoji,
Miwa Hideki,
Morisaku Toshinori,
Nuriya Mutsuo,
Orihara Minako,
Kaneko Kazunari,
Okano Hideyuki,
Yasui Masato
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2009.05.035
Subject(s) - neurogenesis , microbiology and biotechnology , transfection , cell adhesion , cell , schneider 2 cells , chemistry , aquaporin , biology , biophysics , gene , biochemistry , rna , rna interference
The neurogenic gene Drosophila big brain ( bib ) has a high sequence homology to aquaporin‐4. However, its cellular functions in Drosophila neurogenesis have remained elusive. Here we investigated cell adhesion, and the ion and water permeability of Bib. The adhesive function was examined by a cell aggregation assay using L cells. Bib‐transfected L cells formed aggregated clusters, while control‐L cells remained as a single cell suspension. Ion permeation was not confirmed in L cells stably expressing Bib. When expressed in COS7 cells, Bib exhibited limited water permeability. This newly found cell adhesive function of Bib may be important for Drosophila neurogenesis.