Abstract
Morphogenesis of the Drosophila embryonic trachea involves a stereotyped pattern of epithelial tube branching and fusion. Here, we report unexpected phenotypes resulting from maternal and zygotic (M/Z) loss of the homophilic cell adhesion molecule Echinoid (Ed), as well as the subcellular localization of Ed in the trachea. edM/Z embryos have convoluted trachea reminiscent of septate junction (SJ) and luminal matrix mutants. However, Ed does not localize to SJs, and edM/Z embryos have intact SJs and show normal luminal accumulation of the matrix-modifying protein Vermiform. Surprisingly, tracheal length is not increased in edM/Z mutants, but a previously undescribed combination of reduced intersegmental spacing and deep epidermal grooves produces a convoluted tracheal phenotype. In addition, edM/Z mutants have unique fusion defects involving supernumerary fusion cells, ectopic fusion events and atypical branch breaks. Tracheal-specific expression of Ed rescues these fusion defects, indicating that Ed acts in trachea to control fusion cell fate.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 2509-2519 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Developmental Dynamics |
Volume | 239 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 2010 |
Keywords
- Anastomosis
- Branch fusion
- Cellular junctions
- Drosophila
- Echinoid
- Morphogenesis
- Trachea
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental Biology