Understanding How Actomyosin Dynamics Drive Apical Constriction by Systematically Tagging and Mapping Actin-Binding Proteins

Endogenous localization of 49 actin regulators in Caenorhabditis elegans gastrulation reveals near-complete coverage of early-embryo actin-binding proteins and distinct apical versus basolateral patterns.

• Why it matters: Apical constriction is central to tissue shaping, yet most actin regulators’ spatial distribution in this process is unknown, limiting mechanistic testing.
• What they did: The authors built an atlas of 49 actin regulators’ endogenous localization in C. elegans gastrulation and used it to test mechanistic hypotheses about actin assembly and membrane linkage.
• The result: Many regulators localize basolaterally in an Arp2/3-dependent manner, linear actin assembly factors enrich apically, and apically constricting cells show an extra requirement for membrane-cortical linkers.