Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40042443›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of cell biology2025

Cell signaling facilitates apical constriction by basolaterally recruiting Arp2/3 via Rac and WAVE.

Pu Zhang, Taylor N Medwig-Kinney, Eleanor A Breiner, Jadyn M Perez, April N Song, Bob Goldstein

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of cell biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. TheMolecular biology of the cell · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. ThebioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Pu ZhangBiology Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4174-8202
Taylor N Medwig-KinneyBiology Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7989-3291
Eleanor A BreinerBiology Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.ORCID 0009-0002-5476-5319
Jadyn M PerezBiology Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.ORCID 0009-0003-6987-1322
April N SongBiology Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.ORCID 0009-0000-2748-6379
Bob GoldsteinBiology Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6961-675X

Funding

Enhancing and expanding the CGC Strain CollectionP40OD010440 · OD · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI Aric L Daul, Ann E. Rougvie · 2012 to 2026
$7.5M
C. elegans Gastrulation: a Model for Understanding Apical Constriction MechanismsR35GM134838 · NIGMS · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI ROBERT P GOLDSTEIN · 2020 to 2026
$2.9M
American Cancer Society A24-0591-001L'Oréal For Women in Science ProgramNIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM134838NIH HHS P40 OD010440NIH HHS R35GM134838ODCDC CDC HHS P40 OD010440University of North Carolina
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Apical constriction is a critical cell shape change that drives cell internalization and tissue bending. How precisely localized actomyosin regulators drive apical constriction remains poorly understood. Caenorhabditis elegans gastrulation provides a valuable model to address this question. The Arp2/3 complex is essential in C. elegans gastrulation. To understand how Arp2/3 is locally regulated, we imaged embryos with endogenously tagged Arp2/3 and its nucleation-promoting factors (NPFs). The three NPFs-WAVE, WASP, and WASH-controlled Arp2/3 localization at distinct subcellular locations. We exploited this finding to study distinct populations of Arp2/3 and found that only WAVE depletion caused penetrant gastrulation defects. WAVE localized basolaterally with Arp2/3 and controlled F-actin levels near cell-cell contacts. WAVE and Arp2/3 localization depended on CED-10/Rac. Establishing ectopic cell contacts recruited WAVE and Arp2/3, identifying the contact as a symmetry-breaking cue for localization of these proteins. These results suggest that cell-cell signaling via Rac activates WAVE and Arp2/3 basolaterally and that basolateral Arp2/3 makes an important contribution to apical constriction.

Indexed as

Actin-Related Protein 2-3 ComplexCaenorhabditis elegansCaenorhabditis elegans Proteinsrac GTP-Binding ProteinsSignal TransductionWiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein FamilyActinsAnimalsCell PolarityCell ShapeEmbryo, NonmammalianGastrulationActin-Related Protein 2-3 ComplexActinsCaenorhabditis elegans ProteinsCED-10 protein, C elegansrac GTP-Binding ProteinsWiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein Family

Identifiers

PMID40042443
PMCPMC11893165

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.