title: The cell adhesion molecule Fasciclin2 regulates brush border length and organization in Drosophila renal tubules.
abstract: Multicellular organisms rely on cell adhesion molecules to coordinate cell-cell interactions, and to provide navigational cues during tissue formation. In Drosophila, Fasciclin 2 (Fas2) has been intensively studied due to its role in nervous system development and maintenance; yet, Fas2 is most abundantly expressed in the adult renal (Malpighian) tubule rather than in neuronal tissues. The role Fas2 serves in this epithelium is unknown. Here we show that Fas2 is essential to brush border maintenance in renal tubules of Drosophila. Fas2 is dynamically expressed during tubule morphogenesis, localizing to the brush border whenever the tissue is transport competent. Genetic manipulations of Fas2 expression levels impact on both microvilli length and organization, which in turn dramatically affect stimulated rates of fluid secretion by the tissue. Consequently, we demonstrate a radically different role for this well-known cell adhesion molecule, and propose that Fas2-mediated intermicrovillar homophilic adhesion complexes help stabilize the brush border.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Davidson Building Room 324, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.|Section for Cell &Neurobiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5903-7196
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Halberg
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Davidson Building Room 324, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.|MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Henry Wellcome Building, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK.
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rainey
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK | Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK.|Section of Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 13, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark.
authors.forename: Iben R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Veland
authors.affiliation: Institut für Neuro- und Verhaltensbiologie, Universität Münster, Badestrasse 9, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Neuert
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Davidson Building Room 324, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Dornan
authors.affiliation: Institut für Neuro- und Verhaltensbiologie, Universität Münster, Badestrasse 9, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klämbt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Davidson Building Room 324, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Shireen-Anne
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Davidson Building Room 324, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Julian A T
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dow
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D008871:Microvilli / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; C051642:fasciclin II