Synergistic effects of /β-catenin and /β-spectrin on epidermal morphogenesis in .

The F-actin, spectrin, and microtubule cytoskeletons are important mediators of embryonic epidermal morphogenesis in . While SMA-1/β-spectrin is known to organize actin bundles that connect to cadherin-based adhesions, the role of microtubules in the developing epidermis is not well understood. To determine if the spectrin cytoskeleton also plays a role in organizing epidermal microtubules, we conducted feeding RNA interference of four microtubule-associated protein genes in β-spectrin null animals. Knockdown of , , , or in homozygotes did not reveal a genetic interaction; however, knockdown of β-catenin in synergistically increased embryonic lethality and epidermal defects.