The Drosophila sanpodo gene controls sibling cell fate and encodes a tropomodulin homolog, an actin/tropomyosin-associated protein

Development ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 125 (10) ◽  
pp. 1845-1856 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.A. Dye ◽  
J.K. Lee ◽  
R.C. Atkinson ◽  
R. Brewster ◽  
P.L. Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Notch Signaling ◽  
Peripheral Nervous System ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Genetic Interaction ◽  
Cell Fate Determination ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Protein Loss ◽  
Sensory Structures

Notch signaling is required in many invertebrate and vertebrate cells to promote proper cell fate determination. Mutations in sanpodo cause many different neuronal peripheral nervous system precursor cells to generate two identical daughter neurons, instead of a neuron and sibling cell. This phenotype is similar to that observed when Notch function is lost late in embryonic development and opposite to the numb loss-of-function phenotype. Genetic interaction studies show that sanpodo is epistatic to numb. sanpodo encodes a homolog of tropomodulin, an actin/tropomyosin-associated protein. Loss of sanpodo leads to an aberrant F-actin distribution and causes differentiation defects of actin-containing sensory structures. Our data suggest that an actin-based process is involved in Notch signaling.

Alternative cell fate choice induced by low-level expression of a regulator of protein phosphatase 2A in the Drosophila peripheral nervous system

Development ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 120 (6) ◽  
pp. 1591-1599 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Shiomi ◽  
M. Takeichi ◽  
Y. Nishida ◽  
Y. Nishi ◽  
T. Uemura
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Peripheral Nervous System ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Protein Phosphatase ◽  
Regulatory Subunit ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
B Subunit ◽  
Accessory Cells ◽  
Phosphatase 2A ◽  
Altered Cell

The Drosophila gene twins encodes the regulatory B subunit of type 2A protein phosphatase. Here we report that its partial loss-of-function mutations caused abnormal morphogenesis in the adult peripheral nervous system. In wild-type flies, the mechanoreceptor, one major class of sensory organs, is composed of four specialized cells (one neuron and three accessory cells) that are derived from a single precursor cell. The hypomorphic twins mutations did not block division of this precursor, but most likely altered cell fate in this lineage to produce only accessory cells that form sensory structures. Stepwise reductions of twins protein enhanced this transformation. In these mutants, another regulatory subunit, A, and the catalytic subunit, C, of the phosphatase were expressed at normal levels. Therefore, the modulation of the phosphatase activity by the B subunit appears to be crucial for specification of neural cell identity.

Homologous patterns in the embryonic development of the peripheral nervous system in the grasshopper Schistocerca gregaria and the fly Drosophila melanogaster

Development ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 112 (1) ◽  
pp. 241-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Meier ◽  
F. Chabaud ◽  
H. Reichert
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Peripheral Nervous System ◽  
Sensory Neurons ◽  
Schistocerca Gregaria ◽  
Spatiotemporal Pattern ◽  
Developmental Mechanisms ◽  
Pioneer Neurons ◽  
Sensory Structures

To determine the generality of developmental mechanisms involved in the construction of the insect nervous system, the embryonic development of the peripheral nervous system in the grasshopper Schistocerca gregaria was characterized at the level of identified neurons and nerve branches and then compared to that previously described from the fly Drosophila melanogaster. For this, immunocytochemistry using a neuron-specific antibody was carried out on staged grasshopper embryos. Our results show that initially a simple peripheral nerve scaffolding is established in each segment of the animal. This scaffolding consists of a pair of intersegmental nerves that are formed by identified afferent and efferent pioneer neurons and a pair of segmental nerves that are formed by afferent pioneers situated in limb buds. Subsequently, identified sets of sensory neurons differentiate in a stereotyped spatiotemporal pattern in dorsal, lateral and ventral clusters in each segment and project their axons onto these nerves. Although segment-specific differences exist, serial homologs of the developing nerves and sensory neurons can be identified. A comparison of these results with those obtained from Drosophila shows that virtually the same pattern of peripheral nerves and sensory structures is formed in both species. This indicates that the construction of the peripheral nervous system in extremely divergent modern insects relies on conserved developmental mechanisms that evolved in ancestral insects over 300 million years ago.

scholarly journals dEHBP1 controls exocytosis and recycling of Delta during asymmetric divisions

2012 ◽  
Vol 196 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Giagtzoglou ◽  
Shinya Yamamoto ◽  
Diana Zitserman ◽  
Hillary K. Graves ◽  
Karen L. Schulze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Notch Signaling ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Cell Fate Determination ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Notch Ligand ◽  
Forward Genetic Screen ◽  
Cell Fate Decisions ◽  
Adaptor Molecule ◽  
Asymmetric Divisions ◽  
Dividing Cells

Notch signaling governs binary cell fate determination in asymmetrically dividing cells. Through a forward genetic screen we identified the fly homologue of Eps15 homology domain containing protein-binding protein 1 (dEHBP1) as a novel regulator of Notch signaling in asymmetrically dividing cells. dEHBP1 is enriched basally and at the actin-rich interface of pII cells of the external mechanosensory organs, where Notch signaling occurs. Loss of function of dEHBP1 leads to up-regulation of Sanpodo, a regulator of Notch signaling, and aberrant trafficking of the Notch ligand, Delta. Furthermore, Sec15 and Rab11, which have been previously shown to regulate the localization of Delta, physically interact with dEHBP1. We propose that dEHBP1 functions as an adaptor molecule for the exocytosis and recycling of Delta, thereby affecting cell fate decisions in asymmetrically dividing cells.

scholarly journals A Gain-of-Function Screen for Genes That Affect the Development of the Drosophila Adult External Sensory Organ

Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 155 (2) ◽  
pp. 733-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salim Abdelilah-Seyfried ◽  
Yee-Ming Chan ◽  
Chaoyang Zeng ◽  
Nicholas J Justice ◽  
Susan Younger-Shepherd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Peripheral Nervous System ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
P Element ◽  
External Support ◽  
Sensory Organ ◽  
Sensory Organs ◽  
Gain Of Function ◽  
Asymmetric Cell Divisions ◽  
Single Precursor

Abstract The Drosophila adult external sensory organ, comprising a neuron and its support cells, is derived from a single precursor cell via several asymmetric cell divisions. To identify molecules involved in sensory organ development, we conducted a tissue-specific gain-of-function screen. We screened 2293 independent P-element lines established by P. Rørth and identified 105 lines, carrying insertions at 78 distinct loci, that produced misexpression phenotypes with changes in number, fate, or morphology of cells of the adult external sensory organ. On the basis of the gain-of-function phenotypes of both internal and external support cells, we subdivided the candidate lines into three classes. The first class (52 lines, 40 loci) exhibits partial or complete loss of adult external sensory organs. The second class (38 lines, 28 loci) is associated with increased numbers of entire adult external sensory organs or subsets of sensory organ cells. The third class (15 lines, 10 loci) results in potential cell fate transformations. Genetic and molecular characterization of these candidate lines reveals that some loci identified in this screen correspond to genes known to function in the formation of the peripheral nervous system, such as big brain, extra macrochaetae, and numb. Also emerging from the screen are a large group of previously uncharacterized genes and several known genes that have not yet been implicated in the development of the peripheral nervous system.

scholarly journals Notch signaling coordinates ommatidial rotation in the Drosophila eye via transcriptional regulation of the EGF-Receptor ligand Argos

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yildiz Koca ◽  
Benjamin E. Housden ◽  
William J. Gault ◽  
Sarah J. Bray ◽  
Marek Mlodzik
Keyword(s):  
Notch Signaling ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Planar Cell Polarity ◽  
Egf Receptor ◽  
Control Cell ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Egfr Signaling ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Egfr Signaling Pathway ◽  
Ommatidial Rotation

AbstractIn all metazoans, a small number of evolutionarily conserved signaling pathways are reiteratively used during development to orchestrate critical patterning and morphogenetic processes. Among these, Notch (N) signaling is essential for most aspects of tissue patterning where it mediates the communication between adjacent cells to control cell fate specification. In Drosophila, Notch signaling is required for several features of eye development, including the R3/R4 cell fate choice and R7 specification. Here we show that hypomorphic alleles of Notch, belonging to the Nfacet class, reveal a novel phenotype: while photoreceptor specification in the mutant ommatidia is largely normal, defects are observed in ommatidial rotation (OR), a planar cell polarity (PCP)-mediated cell motility process. We demonstrate that during OR Notch signaling is specifically required in the R4 photoreceptor to upregulate the transcription of argos (aos), an inhibitory ligand to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), to fine-tune the activity of EGFR signaling. Consistently, the loss-of-function defects of Nfacet alleles and EGFR-signaling pathway mutants are largely indistinguishable. A Notch-regulated aos enhancer confers R4 specific expression arguing that aos is directly regulated by Notch signaling in this context via Su(H)-Mam-dependent transcription.

scholarly journals Jagged–Delta asymmetry in Notch signaling can give rise to a Sender/Receiver hybrid phenotype

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. E402-E409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Boareto ◽  
Mohit Kumar Jolly ◽  
Mingyang Lu ◽  
José N. Onuchic ◽  
Cecilia Clementi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Notch Signaling ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Tumor Stroma ◽  
Notch Receptor ◽  
Toggle Switch ◽  
Cell Fate Determination ◽  
Asymmetric Effect ◽  
Fate Determination

Notch signaling pathway mediates cell-fate determination during embryonic development, wound healing, and tumorigenesis. This pathway is activated when the ligand Delta or the ligand Jagged of one cell interacts with the Notch receptor of its neighboring cell, releasing the Notch Intracellular Domain (NICD) that activates many downstream target genes. NICD affects ligand production asymmetrically––it represses Delta, but activates Jagged. Although the dynamical role of Notch–Jagged signaling remains elusive, it is widely recognized that Notch–Delta signaling behaves as an intercellular toggle switch, giving rise to two distinct fates that neighboring cells adopt––Sender (high ligand, low receptor) and Receiver (low ligand, high receptor). Here, we devise a specific theoretical framework that incorporates both Delta and Jagged in Notch signaling circuit to explore the functional role of Jagged in cell-fate determination. We find that the asymmetric effect of NICD renders the circuit to behave as a three-way switch, giving rise to an additional state––a hybrid Sender/Receiver (medium ligand, medium receptor). This phenotype allows neighboring cells to both send and receive signals, thereby attaining similar fates. We also show that due to the asymmetric effect of the glycosyltransferase Fringe, different outcomes are generated depending on which ligand is dominant: Delta-mediated signaling drives neighboring cells to have an opposite fate; Jagged-mediated signaling drives the cell to maintain a similar fate to that of its neighbor. We elucidate the role of Jagged in cell-fate determination and discuss its possible implications in understanding tumor–stroma cross-talk, which frequently entails Notch–Jagged communication.

Jun mediates Frizzled-induced R3/R4 cell fate distinction and planar polarity determination in the Drosophila eye

Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (16) ◽  
pp. 3619-3629 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Weber ◽  
N. Paricio ◽  
M. Mlodzik
Keyword(s):  
Cell Fate ◽  
Genetic Interaction ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Planar Polarity ◽  
Jnk Signaling ◽  
Drosophila Eye ◽  
Polarity Determination ◽  
Signaling Components

Jun acts as a signal-regulated transcription factor in many cellular decisions, ranging from stress response to proliferation control and cell fate induction. Genetic interaction studies have suggested that Jun and JNK signaling are involved in Frizzled (Fz)-mediated planar polarity generation in the Drosophila eye. However, simple loss-of-function analysis of JNK signaling components did not show comparable planar polarity defects. To address the role of Jun and JNK in Fz signaling, we have used a combination of loss- and gain-of-function studies. Like Fz, Jun affects the bias between the R3/R4 photoreceptor pair that is critical for ommatidial polarity establishment. Detailed analysis of jun(−) clones reveals defects in R3 induction and planar polarity determination, whereas gain of Jun function induces the R3 fate and associated polarity phenotypes. We find also that affecting the levels of JNK signaling by either reduction or overexpression leads to planar polarity defects. Similarly, hypomorphic allelic combinations and overexpression of the negative JNK regulator Puckered causes planar polarity eye phenotypes, establishing that JNK acts in planar polarity signaling. The observation that Dl transcription in the early R3/R4 precursor cells is deregulated by Jun or Hep/JNKK activation, reminiscent of the effects seen with Fz overexpression, suggests that Jun is one of the transcription factors that mediates the effects of fz in planar polarity generation.

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