title: Drosophila syndecan regulates tracheal cell migration by stabilizing Robo levels.
abstract: Here we identify a new role for Syndecan (Sdc), the only transmembrane heparan sulphate proteoglycan in Drosophila, in tracheal development. Sdc is required cell autonomously for efficient directed migration and fusion of dorsal branch cells, but not for dorsal branch formation per se. The cytoplasmic domain of Sdc is dispensable, indicating that Sdc does not transduce a signal by itself. Although the branch-specific phenotype of sdc mutants resembles those seen in the absence of Slit/Robo2 signalling, genetic interaction experiments indicate that Sdc also helps to suppress Slit/Robo2 signalling. We conclude that Sdc cell autonomously regulates Slit/Robo2 signalling in tracheal cells to guarantee ordered directional migration and branch fusion.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Glycobiology and Developmental Genetics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Herestraat 49 bus 602, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Joachim G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ceulemans
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caussinus
authors.forename: Maria F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Baietti
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Affolter
authors.forename: Bassem A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: David
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D023061:Gene Order; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D055550:Protein Stability; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015398:Signal Transduction; D053667:Syndecans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014132:Trachea / Q000378:metabolism; D000097905:Roundabout Proteins
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D053667:Syndecans; D000097905:Roundabout Proteins; C569428:Sdc protein, Drosophila