scholarly journals Precise targeting of myotubes to muscle attachment sites patterns the musculoskeletal system

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuo Yang ◽  
Allison Weske ◽  
Yingqiu Du ◽  
Juliana M. Valera ◽  
Aaron N. Johnson

SummaryNascent myotubes undergo a dramatic morphological transformation during myogenesis in which the myotubes elongate over several cell diameters and choose the correct muscle attachment sites. Although this process of myotube guidance is essential to pattern the musculoskeletal system, the mechanisms that control myotube guidance remain poorly understood. Using transcriptomics, we found that components of the Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) signaling pathway were enriched in nascent myotubes in Drosophila embryos. Null mutations in the FGF receptor heartless (htl), or its ligands, caused significant myotube guidance defects. Mechanistically, paracrine FGF signals to Htl in the mesoderm regulate the activity of Rho/Rac GTPases in nascent myotubes to effect changes in the actin cytoskeleton. FGF signals are thus essential regulators of myotube guidance that act through cytoskeletal regulatory proteins to pattern the musculoskeletal system.


2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ksenija Djukic ◽  
Petar Milovanovic ◽  
Michael Hahn ◽  
Bjoern Busse ◽  
Michael Amling ◽  
...  


1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 4145-4154
Author(s):  
P Armand ◽  
A C Knapp ◽  
A J Hirsch ◽  
E F Wieschaus ◽  
M D Cole

We have found that a novel basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein is expressed almost exclusively in the epidermal attachments sites for the somatic muscles of Drosophila melanogaster. A Drosophila cDNA library was screened with radioactively labeled E12 protein, which can dimerize with many HLH proteins. One clone that emerged from this screen encoded a previously unknown protein of 360 amino acids, named delilah, that contains both basic and HLH domains, similar to a group of cellular transcription factors implicated in cell type determination. Delilah protein formed heterodimers with E12 that bind to the muscle creatine kinase promoter. In situ hybridization with the delilah cDNA localized the expression of the gene to a subset of cells in the epidermis which form a distinct pattern involving both the segmental boundaries and intrasegmental clusters. This pattern was coincident with the known sites of attachment of the somatic muscles to tendon cells in the epidermis. delilah expression persists in snail mutant embryos which lack mesoderm, indicating that expression of the gene was not induced by attachment of the underlying muscles. The similarity of this gene to other bHLH genes suggests that it plays an important role in the differentiation of epidermal cells into muscle attachment sites.



1999 ◽  
Vol 145 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doris Martin ◽  
Susan Zusman ◽  
Xitong Li ◽  
Erin L. Williams ◽  
Narmada Khare ◽  
...  

We report the molecular and functional characterization of a new α chain of laminin in Drosophila. The new laminin chain appears to be the Drosophila counterpart of both vertebrate α2 (also called merosin) and α1 chains, with a slightly higher degree of homology to α2, suggesting that this chain is an ancestral version of both α1 and α2 chains. During embryogenesis, the protein is associated with basement membranes of the digestive system and muscle attachment sites, and during larval stage it is found in a specific pattern in wing and eye discs. The gene is assigned to a locus called wing blister (wb), which is essential for embryonic viability. Embryonic phenotypes include twisted germbands and fewer pericardial cells, resulting in gaps in the presumptive heart and tracheal trunks, and myotubes detached from their target muscle attachment sites. Most phenotypes are in common with those observed in Drosophila laminin α3, 5 mutant embryos and many are in common with those observed in integrin mutations. Adult phenotypes show blisters in the wings in viable allelic combinations, similar to phenotypes observed in integrin genes. Mutation analysis in the eye demonstrates a function in rhabdomere organization. In summary, this new laminin α chain is essential for embryonic viability and is involved in processes requiring cell migration and cell adhesion.



2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra B. Lemke ◽  
Thomas Weidemann ◽  
Anna-Lena Cost ◽  
Carsten Grashoff ◽  
Frank Schnorrer

Cells in a developing organism are subjected to particular mechanical forces, which shape tissues and instruct cell fate decisions. How these forces are sensed and transmitted at the molecular level is thus an important question, which has mainly been investigated in cultured cells in vitro. Here, we elucidate how mechanical forces are transmitted in an intact organism. We studied Drosophila muscle attachment sites, which experience high mechanical forces during development and require integrin-mediated adhesion for stable attachment to tendons. Hence, we quantified molecular forces across the essential integrin-binding protein Talin, which links integrin to the actin cytoskeleton. Generating flies expressing three FRET-based Talin tension sensors reporting different force levels between 1 and 11 pN enabled us to quantify physiologically-relevant, molecular forces. By measuring primary Drosophila muscle cells, we demonstrate that Drosophila Talin experiences mechanical forces in cell culture that are similar to those previously reported for Talin in mammalian cell lines. However, in vivo force measurements at developing flight muscle attachment sites revealed that average forces across Talin are comparatively low and decrease even further while attachments mature and tissue-level tension increases. Concomitantly, Talin concentration at attachment sites increases five-fold as quantified by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, suggesting that only few Talin molecules are mechanically engaged at any given time. We therefore propose that high tissue forces are shared amongst a large excess of adhesion molecules of which less than 15% are experiencing detectable forces at the same time. Our findings define an important new concept of how cells can adapt to changes in tissue mechanics to prevent mechanical failure in vivo.



2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 3075-3084 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Wang ◽  
Caihong Xia ◽  
Wei Bian ◽  
Li Liu ◽  
Wei Lin ◽  
...  

FGF8, a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family, has been shown to play important roles in different developing systems. Mouse embryonic carcinoma P19 cells could be induced by retinoic acid (RA) to differentiate into neuroectodermal cell lineages, and this process is cell aggregation dependent. In this report, we show that FGF8 expression is transiently up-regulated upon P19 cell aggregation, and the aggregation-dependent FGF8 elevation is pluripotent stem cell related. Overexpressing FGF8 promotes RA-induced monolayer P19 cell neural differentiation. Inhibition of FGF8 expression by RNA interference or blocking FGF signaling by the FGF receptor inhibitor, SU5402, attenuates neural differentiation of the P19 cell. Blocking the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway by overexpressing Smad6 in P19 cells, we also show that FGF signaling plays a BMP inhibition–independent role in P19 cell neural differentiation.



Development ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 453-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. Cornell ◽  
D. Kimelman

The early patterning of mesoderm in the Xenopus embryo requires signals from several intercellular factors, including mesoderm-inducing agents that belong to the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and TGF-beta families. In animal hemisphere explants (animal caps), basic FGF and the TGF-beta family member activin are capable of converting pre-ectodermal cells to a mesodermal fate, although activin is much more effective at inducing dorsal and anterior mesoderm than is basic FGF. Using a dominant-negative form of the Xenopus type 1 FGF receptor, we show that an FGF signal is required for the full induction of mesoderm by activin. Animal caps isolated from embryos that have been injected with the truncated FGF receptor and cultured with activin do not extend and the induction of some genes, including cardiac actin and Xbra, is greatly diminished, while the induction of other genes, including the head organizer-specific genes gsc and Xlim-1, is less sensitive. These results are consistent with the phenotype of the truncated FGF receptor-injected embryo and imply that the activin induction of mesoderm depends on FGF, with some genes requiring a higher level of FGF signaling than others.



Fossil Record ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce M. Rothschild

Abstract. A recent report suggesting perceived limitations of and opportunities in the study of paleopathology suggested the importance of incorporation of scientific methodologies. It seems reasonable to also explore how those methodologies are developed and, indeed, how one approaches paleopathology as a science. The development of one such paleopathologist is delineated from his serendipitous observations to application of hypothesis generation and subsequent testing approach developed during basic medical science education. This approach resulted in recognition of how much he thought he knew was actually contrary to the facts. A critical factor was the collaborative approach with specialists in other fields, wherein linguistic confusion was overcome and perspectives refined by point–counterpoint analysis of hypotheses. The limited reliability of tertiary information was clearly exposed through examination of primary sources – original articles rather than what might be referred to as "meta-analyses". It became clear that linguistics was not the only challenge; application of techniques had to be observed and validated. Without validation one might obtain precision (method repeatedly reveals same results) but at the expense of accuracy (assurance that the method actually assesses the question). Paleontological studies are generally limited to examination of organisms and their traces. Archeologically based studies incorporate additional sources of information (e.g., historic), but are no less subject to such semantic and methodological issues. Proof of concept studies provided new windows to recognition not only of disease but to previous anatomical challenges (e.g., localization of direct muscle attachment sites and distribution). Trans-phylogenetic representation of disease falsified speculation that "evolution" would preclude analysis through time. Pathology is an intrinsic component of life and transcends both species and time. Knowledge gained in a given species and time can be applied to similar disease manifestations in other species in modern time. Once speculations were tested and either verified or falsified, paleo-epidemiologic approach allowed identification of patterns of spread and even application of that knowledge to recognition of human migration patterns. Proof of concept studies provided new windows to recognition not only of disease but to previous anatomical challenges (e.g., localization of direct muscle attachment sites and distribution).



Genetics ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 132 (2) ◽  
pp. 519-528 ◽  
Author(s):  
T A Bunch ◽  
R Salatino ◽  
M C Engelsgjerd ◽  
L Mukai ◽  
R F West ◽  
...  

Abstract This paper presents the characterization of nine alleles of myospheroid, which encodes the beta PS subunit of the Drosophila PS integrins. On Southern blots, the mysXB87, mysXN101 and mysXR04 genes yield restriction digest patterns similar to that seen for wild-type chromosomes, however the mys1 and mysXG43 genes contain detectable deletions. mys1, mysXB87 and mysXG43 make little or no stable protein product, and genetically behave as strong lethal alleles. For the mysXN101 mutation, protein product is seen on immunoblots and a reduced amount of beta PS protein is seen at muscle attachment sites of embryos; this mutant protein retains some wild-type function, as revealed by complementation tests with weak alleles. Protein is also seen on immunoblots from mysXR04 embryos, and this allele behaves as an antimorph, being more deleterious in some crosses than the complete deficiency for the locus. mysts2 and mysnj42 are typically lethal in various combinations with other alleles at high temperatures only, but even at high physiological temperatures, neither appears to eliminate gene function completely. The complementation behaviors of mysts1 and mysts3 are quite unusual and suggest that these mutations involve regulatory phenomena. For mysts3, the data are most easily explained by postulating transvection effects at the locus. The results for mysts1 are less straightforward, but point to the possibility of a chromosome pairing-dependent negative interaction.



Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document