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Distinct sites in E-cadherin regulate different steps in Drosophila tracheal tube fusion.
Cited 38 time in
Web of Science
Cited 42 time in Scopus
- Authors
- Issue Date
- 2003-12
- Publisher
- Company of Biologists
- Citation
- Development 130(24), 5989-5999
- Keywords
- E-cadherin ; Drosophila ; Cytoskeleton
- Abstract
- We have investigated how E-cadherin controls the
elaboration of adherens junction associated cytoskeletal
structures crucial for assembling tubular networks. During
Drosophila development, tracheal branches are joined at
branch tips through lumens that traverse doughnut-shaped
fusion cells. Fusion cells form E-cadherin contacts
associated with a track that contains F-actin, microtubules,
and Shot, a plakin that binds F-actin and microtubules.
Live imaging reveals that fusion occurs as the fusion cell
apical surfaces meet after invaginating along the track.
Initial track assembly requires E-cadherin binding to b-
catenin. Surprisingly, E-cadherin also controls track
maturation via a juxtamembrane site in the cytoplasmic
domain. Fusion cells expressing an E-cadherin mutant in
this site form incomplete tracks that contain F-actin and
Shot, but lack microtubules. These results indicate that Ecadherin
controls track initiation and maturation using
distinct, evolutionarily conserved signals to F-actin and
microtubules, and employs Shot to promote adherens
junction-associated cytoskeletal assembly.
- ISSN
- 0950-1991
- Language
- English
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