Dynamic decapentaplegic signaling regulates patterning and adhesion in the Drosophila pupal retina.
The correct organization of cells within an epithelium is essential for proper tissue and organ morphogenesis. The role of Decapentaplegic/Bone morphogenetic protein (Dpp/BMP) signaling in cellular morphogenesis during epithelial development is poorly understood. In this paper, we used the developing Drosophila pupal retina--looking specifically at the reorganization of glial-like support cells that lie between the retinal ommatidia--to better understand the role of Dpp signaling during epithelial patterning. Our results indicate that Dpp pathway activity is tightly regulated across time in the pupal retina and that epithelial cells in this tissue require Dpp signaling to achieve their correct shape and position within the ommatidial hexagon. These results point to the Dpp pathway as a third component and functional link between two adhesion systems, Hibris-Roughest and DE-cadherin. A balanced interplay between these three systems is essential for epithelial patterning during morphogenesis of the pupal retina. Importantly, we identify a similar functional connection between Dpp activity and DE-cadherin and Rho1 during cell fate determination in the wing, suggesting a broader link between Dpp function and junctional integrity during epithelial development.
Cordero
Julia B
JB
Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Larson
David E
DE
Craig
Caroline R
CR
Hays
Rebecca
R
Cagan
Ross
R
D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D019070:Cell Lineage; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000196:embryology; D011679:Pupa / Q000502:physiology; D012160:Retina / Q000196:embryology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013696:Temperature; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000196:embryology; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D015820:Cadherins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C064196:dpp protein, Drosophila; C511153:Rho1 protein, Drosophila; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins