Carboxy-terminal polyglutamylation regulates signaling and phase separation of the Dishevelled protein.

Polyglutamylation is a reversible posttranslational modification that is catalyzed by enzymes of the tubulin tyrosine ligase-like (TTLL) family. Here, we found that TTLL11 generates a previously unknown type of polyglutamylation that is initiated by the addition of a glutamate residue to the free C-terminal carboxyl group of a substrate protein. TTLL11 efficiently polyglutamylates the Wnt signaling protein Dishevelled 3 (DVL3), thereby changing the interactome of DVL3.

The role of prickle proteins in vertebrate development and pathology.

Prickle is an evolutionarily conserved family of proteins exclusively associated with planar cell polarity (PCP) signalling. This signalling pathway provides directional and positional cues to eukaryotic cells along the plane of an epithelial sheet, orthogonal to both apicobasal and left-right axes. Through studies in the fruit fly Drosophila, we have learned that PCP signalling is manifested by the spatial segregation of two protein complexes, namely Prickle/Vangl and Frizzled/Dishevelled.

X-ray microtomography imaging of craniofacial hard tissues in selected reptile species with different types of dentition.

Background: Reptiles exhibit a large heterogeneity in teeth morphology. The main variability comprises the different tooth shape, the type of tooth attachment to the underlying bone, or the ability to replace the teeth.

Findings: Here, we provide full datasets of microtomography scans and 3D models of reptilian dentitions and skulls.

Role of Cell Death in Cellular Processes During Odontogenesis.

The development of a tooth germ in a precise size, shape, and position in the jaw, involves meticulous regulation of cell proliferation and cell death. Apoptosis, as the most common type of programmed cell death during embryonic development, plays a number of key roles during odontogenesis, ranging from the budding of the oral epithelium during tooth initiation, to later tooth germ morphogenesis and removal of enamel knot signaling center. Here, we summarize recent knowledge about the distribution and function of apoptotic cells during odontogenesis in several vertebrate lineages, with a special focus on amniotes (mammals and reptiles).