title: Integrins regulate apical constriction via microtubule stabilization in the Drosophila eye disc epithelium.
abstract: During morphogenesis, extracellular signals trigger actomyosin contractility in subpopulations of cells to coordinate changes in cell shape. To illuminate the link between signaling-mediated tissue patterning and cytoskeletal remodeling, we study the progression of the morphogenetic furrow (MF), the wave of apical constriction that traverses the Drosophila eye imaginal disc preceding photoreceptor neurogenesis. Apical constriction depends on actomyosin contractility downstream of the Hedgehog (Hh) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathways. We identify a role for integrin adhesion receptors in MF progression. We show that Hh and BMP regulate integrin expression, the loss of which disrupts apical constriction and slows furrow progression; conversely, elevated integrins accelerate furrow progression. We present evidence that integrins regulate MF progression by promoting microtubule stabilization, since reducing microtubule stability rescues integrin-mediated furrow acceleration. Thus, integrins act as a genetic link between tissue-level signaling events and morphological change at the cellular level, leading to morphogenesis and neurogenesis in the eye.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A1S6, Canada.
authors.forename: Vilaiwan M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A1S6, Canada.
authors.forename: Kasandra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.affiliation: Biological Sciences Department, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN 46208, USA.
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lewellyn
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A1S6, Canada. Electronic address: everheye@sfu.ca.
authors.forename: Esther M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Verheyen
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D054910:Compound Eye, Arthropod / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D009024:Morphogenesis
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains; C064196:dpp protein, Drosophila; C082188:if protein, Drosophila; C077245:hh protein, Drosophila