title: Attractive and repulsive functions of Slit are mediated by different receptors in the Drosophila trachea.
abstract: Oxygen delivery in many animals is enabled by the formation of unicellular capillary tubes that penetrate target tissues to facilitate gas exchange. We show that the tortuous outgrowth of tracheal unicellular branches towards their target tissues is controlled by complex local interactions with target cells. Slit, a phylogenetically conserved axonal guidance signal, is expressed in several tracheal targets and is required both for attraction and repulsion of tracheal branches. Robo and Robo2 are expressed in different branches, and are both necessary for the correct orientation of branch outgrowth. At the CNS midline, Slit functions as a repellent for tracheal branches and this function is mediated primarily by Robo. Robo2 is necessary for the tracheal response to the attractive Slit signal and its function is antagonized by Robo. We propose that the attractive and repulsive tracheal responses to Slit are mediated by different combinations of Robo and Robo2 receptors on the cell surface.
authors.affiliation: Umeå Centre for Molecular Pathogenesis, Umeå University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Englund
authors.forename: Pär
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Steneberg
authors.forename: Lyudmila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Falileeva
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xylourgidis
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Samakovlis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000196:embryology; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005724:Ganglia / Q000196:embryology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017344:Genes, Insect; D007763:Lac Operon; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology; D010641:Phenotype; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014132:Trachea / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology*; D000097905:Roundabout Proteins
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D000097905:Roundabout Proteins; C421243:Robo2 protein, Drosophila; C066819:sli protein, Drosophila