Oligomerization and positive feedback on membrane binding stabilize PAR-3 asymmetries in the C. elegans zygote - PubMed
6 hours ago
- #PAR-3 asymmetry
- #positive feedback
- #C. elegans polarity
- PAR-3 can form unipolar asymmetries without mutual antagonism, contrasting the traditional paradigm of complementary polar domains from antagonistic PAR proteins.
- Two positive feedback loops are identified: intrinsic dynamics of PAR-3 membrane binding and oligomerization encode negative feedback on dissociation, and membrane-bound PAR-3 promotes its own recruitment via PAR-6 and PKC-3.
- Single-molecule analyses and modeling show these feedback loops are individually required and jointly sufficient for dynamically stable, locally inducible PAR-3 asymmetries without posterior inhibition.
- The mechanisms involve conserved interactions of PAR-3 with membrane binding, oligomerization, PAR-6, and PKC-3, suggesting broad implications for PAR-mediated polarity in metazoa.