title: Control of Drosophila gastrulation by apical localization of adherens junctions and RhoGEF2.
abstract: A hallmark of epithelial invagination is the constriction of cells on their apical sides. During Drosophila gastrulation, apical constrictions under the control of the transcription factor Twist lead to the invagination of the mesoderm. Twist-controlled G protein signaling is involved in mediating the invagination but is not sufficient to account for the full activity of Twist. We identified a Twist target, the transmembrane protein T48, which acts in conjunction with G protein signaling to orchestrate shape changes. Together with G protein signaling, T48 recruits adherens junctions and the cytoskeletal regulator RhoGEF2 to the sites of apical constriction, ensuring rapid and intense changes in cell shape.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47, 50674 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kölsch
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seher
authors.forename: Gregorio J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Ballester
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leptin
mesh_terms: D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D051186:Armadillo Domain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D048430:Cell Shape; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005775:Gastrula / Q000502:physiology; D020962:Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D051879:Twist-Related Protein 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C495305:ARM protein, Drosophila; D051186:Armadillo Domain Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C508614:FOG protein, Drosophila; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C516623:T48 protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors; C497753:Twi protein, Drosophila; D051879:Twist-Related Protein 1; C465504:sav protein, Drosophila; D020962:Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins