title: FGF coordinates air sac development by activation of the EGF ligand Vein through the transcription factor PntP2.
abstract: How several signaling pathways are coordinated to generate complex organs through regulation of tissue growth and patterning is a fundamental question in developmental biology. The larval trachea of Drosophila is composed of differentiated functional cells and groups of imaginal tracheoblasts that build the adult trachea during metamorphosis. Air sac primordium cells (ASP) are tracheal imaginal cells that form the dorsal air sacs that supply oxygen to the flight muscles of the Drosophila adult. The ASP emerges from the tracheal branch that connects to the wing disc by the activation of both Bnl-FGF/Btl and EGFR signaling pathways. Together, these pathways promote cell migration and proliferation. In this study we demonstrate that Vein (vn) is the EGF ligand responsible for the activation of the EGFR pathway in the ASP. We also find that the Bnl-FGF/Btl pathway regulates the expression of vn through the transcription factor PointedP2 (PntP2). Furthermore, we show that the FGF target gene escargot (esg) attenuates EGFR signaling at the tip cells of the developing ASP, reducing their mitotic rate to allow proper migration. Altogether, our results reveal a link between Bnl-FGF/Btl and EGFR signaling and provide novel insight into how the crosstalk of these pathways regulates migration and growth.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE, CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), P. de la Barceloneta 37, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Josefa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE, CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), P. de la Barceloneta 37, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Neus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bota-Rabassedas
authors.affiliation: Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE, CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), P. de la Barceloneta 37, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Franch-Marro
mesh_terms: D000400:Air Sacs / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020880:Neuregulins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018010:Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020880:Neuregulins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor; D018010:Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide; D014157:Transcription Factors; C102644:bnl protein, Drosophila; C467520:esg protein, Drosophila; C083884:pnt protein, Drosophila; C102104:vn protein, Drosophila; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; C102301:BTL protein, Drosophila; C066532:Egfr protein, Drosophila; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases