title: miR-965 controls cell proliferation and migration during tissue morphogenesis in the Drosophila abdomen.
abstract: Formation of the Drosophila adult abdomen involves a process of tissue replacement in which larval epidermal cells are replaced by adult cells. The progenitors of the adult epidermis are specified during embryogenesis and, unlike the imaginal discs that make up the thoracic and head segments, they remain quiescent during larval development. During pupal development, the abdominal histoblast cells proliferate and migrate to replace the larval epidermis. Here, we provide evidence that the microRNA, miR-965, acts via string and wingless to control histoblast proliferation and migration. Ecdysone signaling downregulates miR-965 at the onset of pupariation, linking activation of the histoblast nests to the hormonal control of metamorphosis. Replacement of the larval epidermis by adult epidermal progenitors involves regulation of both cell-intrinsic events and cell communication. By regulating both cell proliferation and cell migration, miR-965 contributes to the robustness of this morphogenetic system.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Pushpa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2858-9163
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000196:embryology*; D000818:Animals; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D009024:Morphogenesis; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D051155:Wnt1 Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; C074622:wg protein, Drosophila; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; C059217:stg protein, Drosophila
keywords: D. melanogaster; cell migration; cell proliferation; developmental biology; microRNA; stem cells