Figure 3

Septins are upregulated in colonial cells. (a) Unlike the average for all genes in the genome, septins, the septin-associated Polo and Aurora kinases, and Anillin are each significantly upregulated in colonial cells. FPKM, fragments per kilobase per million reads. Error bars are standard error: *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. (b) Conserved and similar residues shared between S. rosetta septins and human septins (red) on monomer surfaces predicted to interact in human septin filaments [74] suggest that S. rosetta septins also form filaments. (c) Septins regulate cytokinesis in metazoans and fungi [14, 16], providing a potential connection to the narrow intercellular bridges (arrowhead), likely formed through incomplete cytokinesis, that connect neighboring cells in S. rosetta colonies.