title: The planar cell polarity effector protein Wdpcp (Fritz) controls epithelial cell cortex dynamics via septins and actomyosin.
abstract: Planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling controls polarized behaviors in diverse tissues, including the collective cell movements of gastrulation and the planar polarized beating of motile cilia. A major question in PCP signaling concerns the mechanisms linking this signaling cascade with more general cytoskeletal elements to drive polarized behavior. Previously, we reported that the PCP effector protein Wdpcp (formerly known as Fritz) interacts with septins and is critical for collective cell migration and cilia formation. Here, we report that Wdpcp is broadly involved in maintaining cortical tension in epithelial cells. In vivo 3D time-lapse imaging revealed that Wdpcp is necessary for basolateral plasma membrane stability in epithelial tissues, and we further show that Wdpcp controls cortical septin localization to maintain cortical rigidity in mucociliary epithelial cells. Finally, we show that Wdpcp acts via actomyosin to maintain balanced cortical tension in the epithelium. These data suggest that, in addition to its role in controlling plasma membrane dynamics in collective mesenchymal cell movements, Wdpcp is also essential for normal cell cortex stability during epithelial homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: parktj@unist.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Tae Joo
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
authors.forename: Su Kyoung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Howard Hughes Medical Inst., United States. Electronic address: Wallingford@austin.utexas.edu.
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wallingford
mesh_terms: D000205:Actomyosin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002465:Cell Movement; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D058112:Septins / Q000378:metabolism*; D059008:Time-Lapse Imaging / Q000379:methods; D014982:Xenopus laevis; D000099274:Frizzled-Related Proteins
chemical_list: D000205:Actomyosin; D006023:Glycoproteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D058112:Septins; D000099274:Frizzled-Related Proteins
keywords: Actomyosin; Cilia; Fritz; Planar cell polarity; Septin; Wdpcp