scholarly journals Gain-of-Function Alleles ofBeardedInterfere with Alternative Cell Fate Decisions inDrosophilaAdult Sensory Organ Development

1996 ◽  
Vol 176 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Leviten ◽  
James W. Posakony
Genetics ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
pp. 1491-1505
Author(s):  
D F Lyman ◽  
B Yedvobnick

Abstract The neurogenic Notch locus of Drosophila encodes a receptor necessary for cell fate decisions within equivalence groups, such as proneural clusters. Specification of alternate fates within clusters results from inhibitory communication among cells having comparable neural fate potential. Genetically, Hairless (H) acts as an antagonist of most neurogenic genes and may insulate neural precursor cells from inhibition. H function is required for commitment to the bristle sensory organ precursor (SOP) cell fate and for daughter cell fates. Using Notch gain-of-function alleles and conditional expression of an activated Notch transgene, we show that enhanced signaling produces H-like loss-of-function phenotypes by suppressing bristle SOP cell specification or by causing an H-like transformation of sensillum daughter cell fates. Furthermore, adults carrying Notch gain of function and H alleles exhibit synergistic enhancement of mutant phenotypes. Over-expression of an H+ transgene product suppressed virtually all phenotypes generated by Notch gain-of-function genotypes. Phenotypes resulting from over-expression of the H+ transgene were blocked by the Notch gain-of-function products, indicating a balance between Notch and H activity. The results suggest that H insulates SOP cells from inhibition and indicate that H activity is suppressed by Notch signaling.


Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 155 (2) ◽  
pp. 733-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salim Abdelilah-Seyfried ◽  
Yee-Ming Chan ◽  
Chaoyang Zeng ◽  
Nicholas J Justice ◽  
Susan Younger-Shepherd ◽  
...  

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.


Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (11) ◽  
pp. 3745-3752 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Jennings ◽  
J. de Celis ◽  
C. Delidakis ◽  
A. Preiss ◽  
S. Bray

The proteins encoded by Notch and the Enhancer of split complex are components of a cell-cell interaction mechanism which is important in many cell fate decisions throughout development. One such decision is the formation of the sensory organ precursor cell during the development of the peripheral nervous system in Drosophila. Cells acquire the potential to be neural through the expression of the proneural genes, and the Notch pathway is required to limit neural fate to a single cell from a proneural cluster. However, despite extensive analysis, the precise pathways linking the proneural with Notch and Enhancer of split gene functions remain obscure. For example, it has been suggested that achaete-scute complex proteins directly activate Enhancer of split genes leaving the action of Notch in the pathway unclear. Using monoclonal antibodies that recognise products of the Enhancer of split complex, we show that these proteins accumulate in the cells surrounding the developing sensory organ precursor cell and that their expression is dependent on the activity of Notch and does not directly correlate with expression of Achaete. We further clarify the pathway by showing that ubiquitous expression of an activated Notch receptor leads to widespread accumulation of Enhancer of split proteins even in the absence of achaete-scute complex proteins. Thus Enhancer of split protein expression in response to Notch activity does not require achaete-scute complex proteins.


Development ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 128 (14) ◽  
pp. 2699-2710 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiwei Pi ◽  
Hui-Ju Wu ◽  
Cheng-Ting Chien

During Drosophila external sensory organ development, one sensory organ precursor (SOP) arises from a proneural cluster, and undergoes asymmetrical cell divisions to produce an external sensory (es) organ made up of different types of daughter cells. We show that phyllopod (phyl), previously identified to be essential for R7 photoreceptor differentiation, is required in two stages of es organ development: the formation of SOP cells and cell fate specification of SOP progeny. Loss-of-function mutations in phyl result in failure of SOP formation, which leads to missing bristles in adult flies. At a later stage of es organ development, phyl mutations cause the first cell division of the SOP lineage to generate two identical daughters, leading to the fate transformation of neurons and sheath cells to hair cells and socket cells. Conversely, misexpression of phyl promotes ectopic SOP formation, and causes opposite fate transformation in SOP daughter cells. Thus, phyl functions as a genetic switch in specifying the fate of the SOP cells and their progeny. We further show that seven in absentia (sina), another gene required for R7 cell fate differentiation, is also involved in es organ development. Genetic interactions among phyl, sina and tramtrack (ttk) suggest that phyl and sina function in bristle development by antagonizing ttk activity, and ttk acts downstream of phyl. It has been shown previously that Notch (N) mutations induce formation of supernumerary SOP cells, and transformation from hair and socket cells to neurons. We further demonstrate that phyl acts epistatically to N. phyl is expressed specifically in SOP cells and other neural precursors, and its mRNA level is negatively regulated by N signaling. Thus, these analyses demonstrate that phyl acts downstream of N signaling in controlling cell fates in es organ development.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elise Houssin ◽  
Mathieu Pinot ◽  
Karen Bellec ◽  
Roland Le Borgne

SummaryIn multiple cell lineages, Delta-Notch signaling regulates cell fate decisions owing to unidirectional signaling between daughter cells. In Drosophila pupal sensory organ lineage, Notch regulates pIIa/pIIb fate decision at cytokinesis. Notch and Delta that localize apically and basally at the pIIa-pIIb interface, are expressed at low levels and their residence time at the plasma membrane is in the order of the minute. How Delta can effectively interact with Notch to trigger signaling from a large plasma membrane remains poorly understood. Here, we report that the signaling interface possesses a unique apicobasal polarity with Par3/Bazooka localizing in the form of nano-clusters at the apical and basal level. Notch is preferentially targeted to the pIIa-pIIb interface where it co-clusters with Bazooka and the Notch cofactor Sanpodo. Clusters whose assembly relies on Bazooka and Sanpodo activities, are also positive for Neuralized, the E3 ligase required for Delta-activity. We propose that the nano-clusters act as snap buttons at the new pIIa-pIIb interface to allow efficient intra-lineage signaling.


Development ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. dev.191437
Author(s):  
Karen Bellec ◽  
Mathieu Pinot ◽  
Isabelle Gicquel ◽  
Roland Le Borgne

Drosophila sensory organ precursors divide asymmetrically to generate pIIa/pIIb cells whose identity relies on activation of Notch at cytokinesis. While Notch is present apically and basally relative to the midbody at the pIIa-pIIb interface, the basal pool of Notch is reported to be the main contributor for Notch activation in the pIIa cell. Intra-lineage signaling requires appropriate apico-basal targeting of Notch, its ligand Delta and its trafficking partner Sanpodo. We previously reported that AP-1 and Stratum regulate the trafficking of Notch and Sanpodo from the trans-Golgi network to the basolateral membrane. Loss of AP-1 or Stratum caused mild Notch gain-of-function phenotypes. Here, we report that their concomitant loss results in a penetrant Notch gain-of-function phenotype indicating that they control parallel pathways. While unequal partitioning of cell fate determinants and cell polarity were unaffected, we observed increased amounts of signaling-competent Notch as well as Delta and Sanpodo at the apical pIIa-pIIb interface at the expense of the basal pool of Notch. We propose that AP-1 and Stratum operate in parallel pathways to localize Notch and control where receptor activation takes place.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ritika Giri ◽  
Shannon C Brady ◽  
Richard William Carthew

Cell fate decisions can be envisioned as bifurcating dynamical systems, and the decision that Drosophila cells make to undergo sensory organ differentiation has been sucessfully described as such. We have extended these studies by focusing on the Senseless protein, which orchestrates the sensory fate transition. Wing cells contain intermediate Senseless numbers prior to their fate transition, after which they express much greater numbers of Senseless molecules as they differentiate. However, the dynamics are not consistent with it being a simple bistable system. Cells with intermediate Senseless are best modeled as residing in four discrete states, each with a distinct protein number and occupying a specific region of the tissue. Although the four states are stable over time, the number of molecules in each state vary with time. Remarkably, the fold-change in molecule number between adjacent states is invariant and robust to absolute protein number variation. Thus, cells transitioning to sensory fates exhibit metastability with relativistic properties.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Bellec ◽  
Mathieu Pinot ◽  
Isabelle Gicquel ◽  
Roland Le Borgne

AbstractDrosophila sensory organ precursors divide asymmetrically to generate pIIa/pIIb cells whose identity relies on the differential activation of Notch at cytokinesis. While Notch is present apically and basally relative to the midbody at the pIIa-pIIb interface, only the basal pool of Notch is reported to contribute to Notch activation in the pIIa cell. Correct intra-lineage signalling requires appropriate apico-basal targeting of Notch, its ligand Delta and its trafficking partner Sanpodo. We previously reported that AP-1 and Stratum regulate the intracellular trafficking of Notch and Sanpodo from the trans-Golgi network to the basolateral membrane. Loss of AP-1 or Stratum caused mild Notch gain-of-function phenotypes. Here, we report that the concomitant loss of AP-1 and Stratum results in a much more penetrant Notch gain-of-function phenotype indicating that AP-1 and Strat control two parallel pathways. While unequal partitioning of cell fate determinants and cell polarity were unaffected, Numb-mediated symmetry breaking is impaired. We further observed increased amounts of signaling competent Notch as well as Delta and Sanpodo at the apical pIIa-pIIb interface and the loss of the basal pool of Notch. We propose that AP-1 and Stratum operate in two parallel pathways to ensure the correct apico-basal localization of Notch controlling where receptor activation takes place.


Development ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 120 (6) ◽  
pp. 1433-1441 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Schweisguth ◽  
J.W. Posakony

Successive alternative cell fate choices in the imaginal disc epithelium lead to the differentiation of a relatively invariant pattern of multicellular adult sensory organs in Drosophila. We show here that the activity of Suppressor of Hairless is required for both the sensory organ precursor (SOP) versus epidermal cell fate decision, and for the trichogen (shaft) versus tormogen (socket) cell fate choice. Complete loss of Suppressor of Hairless function causes most proneural cluster cells to accumulate high levels of the achaete and Delta proteins and to adopt the SOP fate. Late or partial reduction in Suppressor of Hairless activity leads to the apparent transformation of the tormogen (socket) cell into a second trichogen (shaft) cell, producing a ‘double shaft’ phenotype. We find that overexpression of Suppressor of Hairless has the opposite phenotypic effects. SOP determination is prevented by an early excess of Suppressor of Hairless activity, while at a later stage, the trichogen (shaft) cell is transformed into a second tormogen (socket) cell, resulting in ‘double socket’ bristles. We conclude that, for two different cell fate decisions in adult sensory organ development, decreasing or increasing the level of Suppressor of Hairless function confers mutant phenotypes that closely resemble those associated with gain and loss of Hairless activity, respectively. These results, along with the intermediate SOP phenotype observed in Suppressor of Hairless; Hairless double mutant imaginal discs, suggest that the two genes act antagonistically to commit imaginal disc cells stably to alternative fates.


eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elise Houssin ◽  
Mathieu Pinot ◽  
Karen Bellec ◽  
Roland Le Borgne

In multiple cell lineages, Delta-Notch signalling regulates cell fate decisions owing to unidirectional signalling between daughter cells. In Drosophila pupal sensory organ lineage, Notch regulates the intra-lineage pIIa/pIIb fate decision at cytokinesis. Notch and Delta that localise apically and basally at the pIIa-pIIb interface are expressed at low levels and their residence time at the plasma membrane is in the order of minutes. How Delta can effectively interact with Notch to trigger signalling from a large plasma membrane area remains poorly understood. Here, we report that the signalling interface possesses a unique apicobasal polarity with Par3/Bazooka localising in the form of nano-clusters at the apical and basal level. Notch is preferentially targeted to the pIIa-pIIb interface, where it co-clusters with Bazooka and its cofactor Sanpodo. Clusters whose assembly relies on Bazooka and Sanpodo activities are also positive for Neuralized, the E3 ligase required for Delta-activity. We propose that the nano-clusters act as snap buttons at the new pIIa-pIIb interface to allow efficient intra-lineage signalling.


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