title: A functional genomic screen combined with time-lapse microscopy uncovers a novel set of genes involved in dorsal closure of Drosophila embryos.
abstract: Morphogenesis, the establishment of the animal body, requires the coordinated rearrangement of cells and tissues regulated by a very strictly-determined genetic program. Dorsal closure of the epithelium in the Drosophila melanogaster embryo is one of the best models for such a complex morphogenetic event. To explore the genetic regulation of dorsal closure, we carried out a large-scale RNA interference-based screen in combination with in vivo time-lapse microscopy and identified several genes essential for the closure or affecting its dynamics. One of the novel dorsal closure genes, the small GTPase activator pebble (pbl), was selected for detailed analysis. We show that pbl regulates actin accumulation and protrusion dynamics in the leading edge of the migrating epithelial cells. In addition, pbl affects dorsal closure dynamics by regulating head involution, a morphogenetic process mechanically coupled with dorsal closure. Finally, we provide evidence that pbl is involved in closure of the adult thorax, suggesting its general requirement in epithelial closure processes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary. jankovic@brc.hu
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jankovics
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Henn
authors.forename: Ágnes
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Bujna
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vilmos
authors.forename: Nóra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.forename: Miklós
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erdélyi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000235:genetics*; D023281:Genomics; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D034622:RNA Interference; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins