Two distinct mechanisms for long-range patterning by Decapentaplegic in the Drosophila wing

Real-time monitoring of an endogenous Fgf8a gradient attests to its role as a morphogen during zebrafish gastrulation

Morphogen gradients impart positional information to cells in a homogenous tissue field. Fgf8a, a highly conserved growth factor, has been proposed to act as a morphogen during zebrafish gastrulation. However, technical limitations have so far prevented direct visualization of the endogenous Fgf8a gradient and confirmation of its morphogenic activity. Here, we monitor Fgf8a propagation in the developing neural plate using a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated EGFP knock-in at the endogenous fgf8a locus. By combining sensitive imaging with single-molecule fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, we demonstrate that Fgf8a, which is produced at the embryonic margin, propagates by diffusion through the extracellular space and forms a graded distribution towards the animal pole. Overlaying the Fgf8a gradient curve with expression profiles of its downstream targets determines the precise input-output relationship of Fgf8a-mediated patterning. Manipulation of the extracellular Fgf8a levels alters the signaling outcome, thus establishing Fgf8a as a bona fide morphogen during zebrafish gastrulation. Furthermore, by hindering Fgf8a diffusion, we demonstrate that extracellular diffusion of the protein from the source is crucial for it to achieve its morphogenic potential.

Is Drosophila Dpp/BMP morphogen spreading required for wing patterning and growth?

Secreted signaling molecules act as morphogens to control patterning and growth in many developing tissues. Since locally produced morphogens spread to form a concentration gradient in the surrounding tissue, spreading is generally thought to be the key step in the non-autonomous actions. Here, we review recent advances in tool development to investigate morphogen function using the role of decapentaplegic (Dpp)/bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-type ligand in the Drosophila wing disc as an example. By applying protein binder tools to distinguish between the roles of Dpp spreading and local Dpp signaling, we found that Dpp signaling in the source cells is important for wing patterning and growth but Dpp spreading from this source cells is not as strictly required as previously thought. Given recent studies showing unexpected requirements of long-range action of different morphogens, manipulating endogenous morphogen gradients by synthetic protein binder tools could shed more light on how morphogens act in developing tissues.

SALL1 enforces microglia-specific DNA binding and function of SMADs to establish microglia identity

Spalt-like transcription factor 1 (SALL1) is a critical regulator of organogenesis and microglia identity. Here we demonstrate that disruption of a conserved microglia-specific super-enhancer interacting with the Sall1 promoter results in complete and specific loss of Sall1 expression in microglia. By determining the genomic binding sites of SALL1 and leveraging Sall1 enhancer knockout mice, we provide evidence for functional interactions between SALL1 and SMAD4 required for microglia-specific gene expression. SMAD4 binds directly to the Sall1 super-enhancer and is required for Sall1 expression, consistent with an evolutionarily conserved requirement of the TGFβ and SMAD homologs Dpp and Mad for cell-specific expression of Spalt in the Drosophila wing. Unexpectedly, SALL1 in turn promotes binding and function of SMAD4 at microglia-specific enhancers while simultaneously suppressing binding of SMAD4 to enhancers of genes that become inappropriately activated in enhancer knockout microglia, thereby enforcing microglia-specific functions of the TGFβ-SMAD signaling axis.

Hedgehog morphogen gradient is robust towards variations in tissue morphology in Drosophila

During tissue development, gradients of secreted signaling molecules known as morphogens provide cells with positional information. The mechanisms underlying morphogen spreading have been widely studied, however, it remains largely unexplored whether the shape of morphogen gradients is influenced by tissue morphology. Here, we developed an analysis pipeline to quantify the distribution of proteins within a curved tissue. We applied it to the Hedgehog morphogen gradient in the Drosophila wing and eye-antennal imaginal discs, which are flat and curved tissues, respectively. Despite a different expression profile, the slope of the Hedgehog gradient was comparable between the two tissues. Moreover, inducing ectopic folds in wing imaginal discs did not affect the slope of the Hedgehog gradient. Suppressing curvature in the eye-antennal imaginal disc also did not alter the Hedgehog gradient slope but led to ectopic Hedgehog expression. In conclusion, through the development of an analysis pipeline that allows quantifying protein distribution in curved tissues, we show that the Hedgehog gradient is robust towards variations in tissue morphology.

Heterodimerization-dependent secretion of bone morphogenetic proteins in Drosophila

Combinatorial signaling is key to instruct context-dependent cell behaviors. During embryonic development, adult homeostasis, and disease, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) act as dimers to instruct specific cellular responses. BMP ligands can form both homodimers or heterodimers; however, obtaining direct evidence of the endogenous localization and function of each form has proven challenging. Here, we make use of precise genome editing and direct protein manipulation via protein binders to dissect the existence and functional relevance of BMP homodimers and heterodimers in the Drosophila wing imaginal disc. This approach identified in situ the existence of Dpp (BMP2/4)/Gbb (BMP5/6/7/8) heterodimers. We found that Gbb is secreted in a Dpp-dependent manner in the wing imaginal disc. Dpp and Gbb form a gradient of heterodimers, whereas neither Dpp nor Gbb homodimers are evident under endogenous physiological conditions. We find that the formation of heterodimers is critical for obtaining optimal signaling and long-range BMP distribution.

Coordinated growth of linked epithelia is mediated by the Hippo pathway

An epithelium in a living organism seldom develops in isolation. Rather, most epithelia are tethered to other epithelial or non-epithelial tissues, necessitating growth coordination between layers. We investigated how two tethered epithelial layers of the Drosophila larval wing imaginal disc, the disc proper (DP) and the peripodial epithelium (PE), coordinate their growth. DP growth is driven by the morphogens Hedgehog (Hh) and Dpp, but regulation of PE growth is poorly understood. We find that the PE adapts to changes in growth rates of the DP, but not vice versa, suggesting a "leader and follower" mechanism. Moreover, PE growth can occur by cell shape changes, even when proliferation is inhibited. While Hh and Dpp pattern gene expression in both layers, growth of the DP is exquisitely sensitive to Dpp levels, while growth of the PE is not; the PE can achieve an appropriate size even when Dpp signaling is inhibited. Instead, both the growth of the PE and its accompanying cell shape changes require the activity of two components of the mechanosensitive Hippo pathway, the DNA-binding protein Scalloped (Sd) and its co-activator (Yki), which could allow the PE to sense and respond to forces generated by DP growth. Thus, an increased reliance on mechanically-dependent growth mediated by the Hippo pathway, at the expense of morphogen-dependent growth, enables the PE to evade layer-intrinsic growth control mechanisms and coordinate its growth with the DP. This provides a potential paradigm for growth coordination between different components of a developing organ.

Coupling cell proliferation rates to the duration of recruitment controls final size of the Drosophila wing

Organ growth driven by cell proliferation is an exponential process. As a result, even small variations in proliferation rates, when integrated over a relatively long developmental time, will lead to large differences in size. How organs robustly control their final size despite perturbations in cell proliferation rates throughout development is a long-standing question in biology. Using a mathematical model, we show that in the developing wing of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, variations in proliferation rates of wing-committed cells are inversely proportional to the duration of cell recruitment, a differentiation process in which a population of undifferentiated cells adopt the wing fate by expressing the selector gene, vestigial. A time-course experiment shows that vestigial-expressing cells increase exponentially while recruitment takes place, but slows down when recruitable cells start to vanish, suggesting that undifferentiated cells may be driving proliferation of wing-committed cells. When this observation is incorporated in our model, we show that the duration of cell recruitment robustly determines a final wing size even when cell proliferation rates of wing-committed cells are perturbed. Finally, we show that this control mechanism fails when perturbations in proliferation rates affect both wing-committed and recruitable cells, providing an experimentally testable hypothesis of our model.

Patterning principles of morphogen gradients

Metazoan embryos develop from a single cell into three-dimensional structured organisms while groups of genetically identical cells attain specialized identities. Cells of the developing embryo both create and accurately interpret morphogen gradients to determine their positions and make specific decisions in response. Here, we first cover intellectual roots of morphogen and positional information concepts. Focusing on animal embryos, we then provide a review of current understanding on how morphogen gradients are established and how their spans are controlled. Lastly, we cover how gradients evolve in time and space during development, and how they encode information to control patterning. In sum, we provide a list of patterning principles for morphogen gradients and review recent advances in quantitative methodologies elucidating information provided by morphogens.

Deltex modulates Dpp morphogen gradient formation and affects the Dpp signaling in Drosophila

Deltex (Dx) is a context-dependent regulator of Notch signaling and regulates Notch signaling in a non-canonical fashion by facilitating the endocytosis of its receptor. In an RNAi- based modifier screen of kinases and phosphatases Thickveins (Tkv), the receptor of Decapentaplegic (Dpp), was identified as one of the interactors of Dx. Dpp, a Drosophila TGF-β/Bone Morphogenetic Protein homolog acts as a morphogen to specify cell fate along the anterior-posterior axis of the wing. Tight regulation of Dpp signaling is thus indispensable for its proper functioning. Here we present Dx as a novel modulator of Dpp signaling. We show evidence for the very first time that dx genetically interacts with dpp and its pathway components. Immunocytochemical analysis shows that Dx co-localizes with Dpp and its receptor Tkv in the Drosophila third instar larval tissues. Further, Dx is also seen to modulate the expression of dpp and its target genes. Here, we attribute this modulation to the endocytosis and trafficking of Dpp through Dx. This study thus presents a whole new avenue of Dpp signaling regulation via the cytoplasmic protein Dx.

'Neighbourhood watch' model: embryonic epiblast cells assess positional information in relation to their neighbours

In many developing and regenerating systems, tissue pattern is established through gradients of informative morphogens, but we know little about how cells interpret these. Using experimental manipulation of early chick embryos, including misexpression of an inducer (VG1 or ACTIVIN) and an inhibitor (BMP4), we test two alternative models for their ability to explain how the site of primitive streak formation is positioned relative to the rest of the embryo. In one model, cells read morphogen concentrations cell-autonomously. In the other, cells sense changes in morphogen status relative to their neighbourhood. We find that only the latter model can account for the experimental results, including some counter-intuitive predictions. This mechanism (which we name the ‘neighbourhood watch’ model) illuminates the classic ‘French Flag Problem’ and how positional information is interpreted by a sheet of cells in a large developing system.

Summary: In a large developing system, the chick embryo before gastrulation, cells may interpret gradients of positional signals relative to their neighbours to position the primitive streak, establishing bilateral symmetry.

Silencing of Decapentaplegic (Dpp) gene inhibited the wing expansion in the white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

The Decapentaplegic gene controls wing patterning and spreading by regulating downstream genes in many insect species. However, the molecular characteristics, expression, and biological function of Dpp in Sogatella furcifera remain poorly understood. In this study, we cloned the Dpp gene from S. furcifera and examined its expression levels in different development stages, wing typed adults, and tissues. Then, the function of SfDpp gene was analyzed using an RNA interference (RNAi)-based approach. The results showed that the full-length complementary DNA  of the SfDpp gene consists of 1034 bp and contains a 954-bp open reading frame encoding 317 amino acids. SfDpp has a transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) propeptide superfamily domain and a TGF-β superfamily domain, typical of members of the TGF-β superfamily. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that the expression of SfDpp reached its highest expression level 40 min after eclosion. RNAi-based gene silencing inhibited transcript levels of the corresponding messenger RNA in S. furcifera nymphs injected with double-stranded RNA of SfDpp and resulted in death of 29.17% and 26.67% of 4th and 5th instar nymphs, respectively. The wing deformity rate of the adults was 74.12% and 3.41% after SfDpp gene silencing in 4th and 5th instar nymphs, respectively. Examining wing development-associated genes showed that two target genes of Dpp (Vestigial and Spalt) were both dramatically downregulated after SfDpp was silenced. Our results demonstrate that downregulated SfDpp in early development causes wing expansion failure in S. furcifera. Thus, Dpp may be a target gene for restricting the migration of rice-damaging planthoppers.

An exciting period of Drosophila developmental biology: Of imaginal discs, clones, compartments, parasegments and homeotic genes"

In this review we recall a number of important discoveries that took place in Drosophila during seventies and eighties of the last century. The development of cell lineage methods and of powerful modifications of same, such as the Minute technique, led to the discovery of compartments and provided a clearer picture of the body organization: it came to be seen as a chain of metameric lineage units along the A/P body axis. Further, genetic screens allowed the identification of the genes involved in the establishment of the metameric scaffold - the segmentation genes- and also of Hox genes that are responsible for the specific development of individual body parts. As cloning methods became available, many of the most relevant of these developmental genes were cloned and a molecular analysis of development initiated. The discovery of the homeobox, a molecular mark of the Hox and other relevant developmental genes, allowed the finding of Hox genes in animal species, like humans, in which they could not be identified by genetic methods. Analysis of the structure and function of Hox genes provided a general image of the genetic design of the metazoan body.

The NDNF-like factor Nord is a Hedgehog-induced extracellular BMP modulator that regulates Drosophila wing patterning and growth

Hedgehog (Hh) and Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) pattern the developing Drosophila wing by functioning as short- and long-range morphogens, respectively. Here, we show that a previously unknown Hh-dependent mechanism fine-tunes the activity of BMPs. Through genome-wide expression profiling of the Drosophila wing imaginal discs, we identify nord as a novel target gene of the Hh signaling pathway. Nord is related to the vertebrate Neuron-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (NDNF) involved in congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and several types of cancer. Loss- and gain-of-function analyses implicate Nord in the regulation of wing growth and proper crossvein patterning. At the molecular level, we present biochemical evidence that Nord is a secreted BMP-binding protein and localizes to the extracellular matrix. Nord binds to Decapentaplegic (Dpp) or the heterodimer Dpp-Glass-bottom boat (Gbb) to modulate their release and activity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Nord is a dosage-dependent BMP modulator, where low levels of Nord promote and high levels inhibit BMP signaling. Taken together, we propose that Hh-induced Nord expression fine-tunes both the range and strength of BMP signaling in the developing Drosophila wing.

Chromatin remodelling and retrotransposons activities during regeneration in Drosophila

Regeneration is a response mechanism aiming to reconstruct lost or damaged structures. To achieve this, the cells repopulating the lost tissue often have to change their original identity, a process that involves chromatin remodelling.We have analysed the issue of chromatin remodelling during regeneration in the wing disc of Drosophila . In this disc the ablation of the central region (the pouch) induces the regenerative response of the cells from the lateral region (the hinge), which reconstitute the wing pouch. We have examined euchromatin and heterochromatin histone marks during the process and find that heterochromatin marks disappear but are recovered when regeneration is complete. Euchromatin marks are not modified. We also describe the transcription of two retrotransposons, Roo and F-element in the regenerating cells. We have established a temporal correlation between the alterations of heterochromatin marks and the levels of transcription of two retrotransposons, Roo and F-element, both during embryonic development and in the regeneration process.

Asymmetric requirement of Dpp/BMP morphogen dispersal in the Drosophila wing disc

How morphogen gradients control patterning and growth in developing tissues remains largely unknown due to lack of tools manipulating morphogen gradients. Here, we generate two membrane-tethered protein binders that manipulate different aspects of Decapentaplegic (Dpp), a morphogen required for overall patterning and growth of the Drosophila wing. One is "HA trap" based on a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) against the HA tag that traps HA-Dpp to mainly block its dispersal, the other is "Dpp trap" based on a Designed Ankyrin Repeat Protein (DARPin) against Dpp that traps Dpp to block both its dispersal and signaling. Using these tools, we found that, while posterior patterning and growth require Dpp dispersal, anterior patterning and growth largely proceed without Dpp dispersal. We show that dpp transcriptional refinement from an initially uniform to a localized expression and persistent signaling in transient dpp source cells render the anterior compartment robust against the absence of Dpp dispersal. Furthermore, despite a critical requirement of dpp for the overall wing growth, neither Dpp dispersal nor direct signaling is critical for lateral wing growth after wing pouch specification. These results challenge the long-standing dogma that Dpp dispersal is strictly required to control and coordinate overall wing patterning and growth.

Sizes, proportions and environment

The sizes of living organisms range over twenty orders of magnitude. Within the same species, the size of individuals also varies according to the environmental conditions to which they are subjected. From the studies conducted on organisms as diverse as the drosophila, the salamander or the mouse, laws and conserved mechanisms emerge that shed light on the fundamental aspects of growth, but also on more medical issues such as tissue regeneration, metabolic homeostasis and cancer.

Diversity and robustness of bone morphogenetic protein pattern formation

Pattern formation by bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) demonstrates remarkable plasticity and utility in several contexts, such as early embryonic development, tissue patterning and the maintenance of stem cell niches. BMPs pattern tissues over many temporal and spatial scales: BMP gradients as short as 1-2 cell diameters maintain the stem cell niche of the Drosophila germarium over a 24-h cycle, and BMP gradients of several hundred microns establish dorsal-ventral tissue specification in Drosophila, zebrafish and Xenopus embryos in timescales between 30 min and several hours. The mechanisms that shape BMP signaling gradients are also incredibly diverse. Although ligand diffusion plays a dominant role in forming the gradient, a cast of diffusible and non-diffusible regulators modulate gradient formation and confer robustness, including scale invariance and adaptability to perturbations in gene expression and growth. In this Review, we document the diverse ways that BMP gradients are formed and refined, and we identify the core principles that they share to achieve reliable performance.

A unified mechanism for the control of Drosophila wing growth by the morphogens Decapentaplegic and Wingless

Development of the Drosophila wing-a paradigm of organ development-is governed by 2 morphogens, Decapentaplegic (Dpp, a BMP) and Wingless (Wg, a Wnt). Both proteins are produced by defined subpopulations of cells and spread outwards, forming gradients that control gene expression and cell pattern as a function of concentration. They also control growth, but how is unknown. Most studies have focused on Dpp and yielded disparate models in which cells throughout the wing grow at similar rates in response to the grade or temporal change in Dpp concentration or to the different amounts of Dpp "equalized" by molecular or mechanical feedbacks. In contrast, a model for Wg posits that growth is governed by a progressive expansion in morphogen range, via a mechanism in which a minimum threshold of Wg sustains the growth of cells within the wing and recruits surrounding "pre-wing" cells to grow and enter the wing. This mechanism depends on the capacity of Wg to fuel the autoregulation of vestigial (vg)-the selector gene that specifies the wing state-both to sustain vg expression in wing cells and by a feed-forward (FF) circuit of Fat (Ft)/Dachsous (Ds) protocadherin signaling to induce vg expression in neighboring pre-wing cells. Here, we have subjected Dpp to the same experimental tests used to elucidate the Wg model and find that it behaves indistinguishably. Hence, we posit that both morphogens act together, via a common mechanism, to control wing growth as a function of morphogen range.

The many bits of positional information

Half a century after Lewis Wolpert's seminal conceptual advance on how cellular fates distribute in space, we provide a brief historical perspective on how the concept of positional information emerged and influenced the field of developmental biology and beyond. We focus on a modern interpretation of this concept in terms of information theory, largely centered on its application to cell specification in the early Drosophila embryo. We argue that a true physical variable (position) is encoded in local concentrations of patterning molecules, that this mapping is stochastic, and that the processes by which positions and corresponding cell fates are determined based on these concentrations need to take such stochasticity into account. With this approach, we shift the focus from biological mechanisms, molecules, genes and pathways to quantitative systems-level questions: where does positional information reside, how it is transformed and accessed during development, and what fundamental limits it is subject to?

Wing serial homologues and the diversification of insect outgrowths: insights from the pupae of scarab beetles

Modification of serially homologous structures is a common avenue towards functional innovation in developmental evolution, yet ancestral affinities among serial homologues may be obscured as structure-specific modifications accumulate over time. We sought to assess the degree of homology to wings of three types of body wall projections commonly observed in scarab beetles: (i) the dorsomedial support structures found on the second and third thoracic segments of pupae, (ii) the abdominal support structures found bilaterally in most abdominal segments of pupae, and (iii) the prothoracic horns which depending on species and sex may be restricted to pupae or also found in adults. We functionally investigated 14 genes within, as well as two genes outside, the canonical wing gene regulatory network to compare and contrast their role in the formation of each of the three presumed wing serial homologues. We found 11 of 14 wing genes to be functionally required for the proper formation of lateral and dorsal support structures, respectively, and nine for the formation of prothoracic horns. At the same time, we document multiple instances of divergence in gene function across our focal structures. Collectively, our results support the hypothesis that dorsal and lateral support structures as well as prothoracic horns share a developmental origin with insect wings. Our findings suggest that the morphological and underlying gene regulatory diversification of wing serial homologues across species, life stages and segments has contributed significantly to the extraordinary diversity of arthropod appendages and outgrowths.

Global constraints within the developmental program of the Drosophila wing

Organismal development is a complex process, involving a vast number of molecular constituents interacting on multiple spatio-temporal scales in the formation of intricate body structures. Despite this complexity, development is remarkably reproducible and displays tolerance to both genetic and environmental perturbations. This robustness implies the existence of hidden simplicities in developmental programs. Here, using the Drosophila wing as a model system, we develop a new quantitative strategy that enables a robust description of biologically salient phenotypic variation. Analyzing natural phenotypic variation across a highly outbred population and variation generated by weak perturbations in genetic and environmental conditions, we observe a highly constrained set of wing phenotypes. Remarkably, the phenotypic variants can be described by a single integrated mode that corresponds to a non-intuitive combination of structural variations across the wing. This work demonstrates the presence of constraints that funnel environmental inputs and genetic variation into phenotypes stretched along a single axis in morphological space. Our results provide quantitative insights into the nature of robustness in complex forms while yet accommodating the potential for evolutionary variations. Methodologically, we introduce a general strategy for finding such invariances in other developmental contexts.

The Hippo pathway coactivator Yorkie can reprogram cell fates and create compartment-boundary-like interactions at clone margins

During development, tissue-specific patterns of gene expression are established by transcription factors and then stably maintained via epigenetic mechanisms. Cancer cells often express genes that are inappropriate for that tissue or developmental stage. Here, we show that high activity levels of Yki, the Hippo pathway coactivator that causes overgrowth in Drosophila imaginal discs, can also disrupt cell fates by altering expression of selector genes like engrailed (en) and Ultrabithorax (Ubx). Posterior clones expressing activated Yki can down-regulate en and express an anterior selector gene, cubitus interruptus (ci). The microRNA bantam and the chromatin regulator Taranis both function downstream of Yki in promoting ci expression. The boundary between Yki-expressing posterior clones and surrounding wild-type cells acquires properties reminiscent of the anteroposterior compartment boundary; Hedgehog signaling pathway activation results in production of Dpp. Thus, at least in principle, heterotypic interactions between Yki-expressing cells and their neighbors could activate boundary-specific signaling mechanisms.

Limited Availability of General Co-Repressors Uncovered in an Overexpression Context during Wing Venation in Drosophila melanogaster

Cell fate is determined by the coordinated activity of different pathways, including the conserved Notch pathway. Activation of Notch results in the transcription of Notch targets that are otherwise silenced by repressor complexes. In Drosophila, the repressor complex comprises the transcription factor Suppressor of Hairless (Su(H)) bound to the Notch antagonist Hairless (H) and the general co-repressors Groucho (Gro) and C-terminal binding protein (CtBP). The latter two are shared by different repressors from numerous pathways, raising the possibility that they are rate-limiting. We noted that the overexpression during wing development of H mutants H^dNT and H^LD compromised in Su(H)-binding induced ectopic veins. On the basis of the role of H as Notch antagonist, overexpression of Su(H)-binding defective H isoforms should be without consequence, implying different mechanisms but repression of Notch signaling activity. Perhaps excess H protein curbs general co-repressor availability. Supporting this model, nearly normal wings developed upon overexpression of H mutant isoforms that bound neither Su(H) nor co-repressor Gro and CtBP. Excessive H protein appeared to sequester general co-repressors, resulting in specific vein defects, indicating their limited availability during wing vein development. In conclusion, interpretation of overexpression phenotypes requires careful consideration of possible dominant negative effects from interception of limiting factors.

Establishing compartment boundaries in Drosophila wing imaginal discs: An interplay between selector genes, signaling pathways and cell mechanics

The partitioning of cells into groups or 'compartments' separated by straight and sharp boundaries is important for tissue formation in animal development. Cells from neighboring compartments are characterized by distinct fates and functions and their continuous separation at compartment boundaries maintains proper tissue organization. Signaling across compartment boundaries can induce the local expression of morphogens that in turn direct growth and patterning of the surrounding cells. Compartment boundaries play therefore an important role in tissue development. Compartment boundaries were first identified in the early 1970s in the Drosophila wing. Here, we review the role of compartment boundaries in growth and patterning of the developing wing and then discuss the genetic and physical mechanisms underlying cell separation at compartment boundaries in this tissue.

Muscle-derived Myoglianin regulates Drosophila imaginal disc growth

Organ growth and size are finely tuned by intrinsic and extrinsic signaling molecules. In Drosophila, the BMP family member Dpp is produced in a limited set of imaginal disc cells and functions as a classic morphogen to regulate pattern and growth by diffusing throughout imaginal discs. However, the role of TGFβ/Activin-like ligands in disc growth control remains ill-defined. Here, we demonstrate that Myoglianin (Myo), an Activin family member, and a close homolog of mammalian Myostatin (Mstn), is a muscle-derived extrinsic factor that uses canonical dSmad2-mediated signaling to regulate wing size. We propose that Myo is a myokine that helps mediate an allometric relationship between muscles and their associated appendages.

The Drosophila melanogaster Metabolic Response against Parasitic Nematode Infection Is Mediated by TGF-β Signaling

The nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, its mutualistic bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens, and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster establish a unique system to study the basis of infection in relation to host metabolism. Our previous results indicate that the Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β) signaling pathway participates in the D. melanogaster metabolic response against nematode parasitism. However, our understanding of whether the presence of Photorhabdus bacteria in Heterorhabditis nematodes affects the metabolic state of D. melanogaster during infection is limited. Here, we investigated the involvement of TGF-β signaling branches, Activin and Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP), in the D. melanogaster metabolic response against axenic (lacking bacteria) or symbiotic (containing bacteria) H. bacteriophora infection. We show that BMP signaling mediates lipid metabolism against axenic or symbiotic H. bacteriophora and alters the size of fat body lipid droplets against symbiotic nematode infection. Also, following symbiotic H. bacteriophora infection, Activin signaling modulates sugar metabolism. Our results indicate that Activin and BMP signaling interact with the D. melanogaster metabolic response to H. bacteriophora infection regardless of the presence or absence of Photorhabdus. These findings provide evidence for the role of TGF-β signaling in host metabolism, which could lead to the development of novel treatments for parasitic diseases.

Can the French flag and reaction-diffusion models explain flower patterning? Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the French flag model

It has been 50 years since Lewis Wolpert introduced the French flag model proposing the patterning of different cell types based on threshold concentrations of a morphogen diffusing in the tissue. Sixty-seven years ago, Alan Turing introduced the idea of patterns initiating de novo from a reaction-diffusion network. Together these models have been used to explain many patterning events in animal development, so here we take a look at their applicability to flower development. First, although many plant transcription factors move through plasmodesmata from cell to cell, in the flower there is little evidence that they specify fate in a concentration-dependent manner, so they cannot yet be described as morphogens. Secondly, the reaction-diffusion model appears to be a reasonably good description of the formation of spots of pigment on petals, although additional nuances are present. Thirdly, aspects of both of these combine in a new fluctuation-based patterning system creating the scattered pattern of giant cells in Arabidopsis sepals. In the future, more precise imaging and manipulations of the dynamics of patterning networks combined with mathematical modeling will allow us to better understand how the multilayered complex and beautiful patterns of flowers emerge de novo.

Dally-like protein sequesters multiple Wnt ligands in the Drosophila germarium

Cells in multicellular organisms rely on secreted ligands for development and morphogenesis. Several mechanisms modulate the availability and distribution of secreted ligands, determining their ability to signal locally and at long range from their source. One of these mechanisms is Dally-like protein (Dlp), a cell-surface glypican that exhibits biphasic functions in Drosophila wing discs, promoting Wg signaling at long-range from Wg source cells and inhibiting Wg signaling near source cells. In the germarium at the tip of the ovary, Dlp promotes long-range distribution of Wg from cap cells to follicle stem cells. However, the germarium also expresses other Wnts - Wnt2, Wnt4, and Wnt6 - that function locally in escort cells to promote oogenesis. Whether and how local functions of these Wnts are regulated remains unknown. Here we show that the dlp overexpression phenotype is multifaceted and phenocopies multiple Wnt loss-of-function phenotypes. Each aspect of dlp overexpression phenotype is suppressed by co-expression of individual Wnts, and the suppression pattern exhibited by each Wnt suggests that Wnts have functional specificity in the germarium. Further, dlp knockdown phenocopies Wnt gain-of-function phenotypes. Together these data show that Dlp inhibits the functions of each Wnt. All four Wnts co-immunoprecipitate with Dlp in S2R+ ​cells, suggesting that in the germarium, Dlp sequesters Wnts to inhibit local paracrine Wnt signaling. Our results indicate that Dlp modulates the availability of multiple extracellular Wnts for local paracrine Wnt signaling in the germarium.

Interplay between morphogen-directed positional information systems and physiological signaling

The development of an organism from an undifferentiated single cell into a spatially complex structure requires spatial patterning of cell fates across tissues. Positional information, proposed by Lewis Wolpert in 1969, has led to the characterization of many components involved in regulating morphogen signaling activity. However, how morphogen gradients are established, maintained, and interpreted by cells still is not fully understood. Quantitative and systems-based approaches are increasingly needed to define general biological design rules that govern positional information systems in developing organisms. This short review highlights a selective set of studies that have investigated the roles of physiological signaling in modulating and mediating morphogen-based pattern formation. Similarities between neural transmission and morphogen-based pattern formation mechanisms suggest underlying shared principles of active cell-based communication. Within larger tissues, neural networks provide directed information, via physiological signaling, that supplements positional information through diffusion. Further, mounting evidence demonstrates that physiological signaling plays a role in ensuring robustness of morphogen-based signaling. We conclude by highlighting several outstanding questions regarding the role of physiological signaling in morphogen-based pattern formation. Elucidating how physiological signaling impacts positional information is critical for understanding the close coupling of developmental and cellular processes in the context of development, disease, and regeneration.

Regulation of Anisotropic Tissue Growth by Two Orthogonal Signaling Centers

The Drosophila wing has served as a paradigm to mechanistically characterize the role of morphogens in patterning and growth. Wingless (Wg) and Decapentaplegic (Dpp) are expressed in two orthogonal signaling centers, and their gradients organize patterning by regulating the expression of well-defined target genes. By contrast, graded activity of these morphogens is not an absolute requirement for wing growth. Despite their permissive role in regulating growth, here we show that Wg and Dpp are utilized in a non-interchangeable manner by the two existing orthogonal signaling centers to promote preferential growth along the two different axes of the developing wing. Our data indicate that these morphogens promote anisotropic growth by making use of distinct and non-interchangeable molecular mechanisms. Whereas Dpp drives growth along the anterior-posterior axis by maintaining Brinker levels below a growth-repressing threshold, Wg exerts its action along the proximal-distal axis through a double repression mechanism involving T cell factor (TCF).

Insights into mammalian morphogen dynamics from embryonic stem cell systems

Morphogens play an essential role in cell fate specification and patterning including in laying out the mammalian body plan during gastrulation. In vivo studies have shed light on the signaling pathways involved in this process and the phenotypes associated with their disruption, however, several important open questions remain regarding how morphogens function in space and time. Self-organized patterning systems based on embryonic stem cells have emerged as a powerful platform for beginning to address these questions that is complementary to in vivo approaches. Here we review recent progress in understanding morphogen signaling dynamics and patterning in early mammalian development by taking advantage of cutting-edge embryonic stem cell technology.

Dynamics of Spaetzle morphogen shuttling in the Drosophila embryo shapes gastrulation patterning

Establishment of morphogen gradients in the early Drosophila embryo is challenged by a diffusible sextracellular milieu, and by rapid nuclear divisions that occur at the same time. To understand how a sharp gradient is formed within this dynamic environment, we followed the generation of graded nuclear Dorsal protein, the hallmark of pattern formation along the dorso-ventral axis, in live embryos. The dynamics indicate that a sharp extracellular gradient is formed through diffusion-based shuttling of the Spaetzle (Spz) morphogen that progresses through several nuclear divisions. Perturbed shuttling in wntD mutant embryos results in a flat activation peak and aberrant gastrulation. Re-entry of Dorsal into the nuclei at the final division cycle plays an instructive role, as the residence time of Dorsal in each nucleus is translated to the amount of zygotic transcript that will be produced, thereby guiding graded accumulation of specific zygotic transcripts that drive patterned gastrulation. We conclude that diffusion-based ligand shuttling, coupled with dynamic readout, establishes a refined pattern within the diffusible environment of early embryos.

The selector genes midline and H15 control ventral leg pattern by both inhibiting Dpp signaling and specifying ventral fate

mid and H15 encode Tbx20 transcription factors that specify ventral pattern in the Drosophila leg. We find that there are at least two pathways for mid and H15 specification of ventral fate. In the first pathway, mid and H15 negatively regulate Dpp, the dorsal signal in leg development. mid and H15 block the dorsalizing effects of Dpp signaling in the ventral leg. In loss- and gain-of-function experiments in imaginal discs, we show that mid and H15 block the accumulation of phospho-Mad, the activated form of the Drosophila pSmad1/5 homolog. In a second pathway, we find mid and H15 must also directly promote ventral fate because simultaneously blocking Dpp signaling in mid H15 mutants does not rescue the ventral to dorsal transformation in most ventral leg structures. We show that mid and H15 act as transcriptional repressors in ventral leg development. The two genes repress the Dpp target gene Dad, the laterally expressed gene Upd, and the mid VLE enhancer. This repression depends on the eh1 domain, a binding site for the Groucho co-repressor, and is likely direct because Mid localizes to target gene enhancers in PCR-ChIP assays. A mid allele mutant for the repressing domain (eh1), mid^eh1, was found to be compromised in gain-of-function assays and in rescue of mid H15 loss-of-function. We propose that mid and H15 specify ventral fate through inhibition of Dpp signaling and through coordinating the repression of genes in the ventral leg.

An autoregulatory cell cycle timer integrates growth and specification in chick wing digit development

A fundamental question is how proliferation and growth are timed during embryogenesis. Although it has been suggested that the cell cycle could be a timer, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here we describe a cell cycle timer that operates in Sonic hedgehog (Shh)-expressing polarising region cells of the chick wing bud. Our data are consistent with Shh signalling stimulating polarising region cell proliferation via Cyclin D2, and then inhibiting proliferation via a Bmp2-p27^kip1 pathway. When Shh signalling is blocked, polarising region cells over-proliferate and form an additional digit, which can be prevented by applying Bmp2 or by inhibiting D cyclin activity. In addition, Bmp2 also restores posterior digit identity in the absence of Shh signalling, thus indicating that it specifies antero-posterior (thumb to little finger) positional values. Our results reveal how an autoregulatory cell cycle timer integrates growth and specification and are widely applicable to many tissues.

Single cell transcriptomic landscapes of pattern formation, proliferation and growth in Drosophila wing imaginal discs

Organ formation relies on the orchestration of pattern formation, proliferation and growth during development. How these processes are integrated at the individual cell level remains unclear. In the past decades, studies using Drosophila wing imaginal discs as a model system have provided valuable insights into pattern formation, growth control and regeneration. Here, we provide single cell transcriptomic landscapes of pattern formation, proliferation and growth of wing imaginal discs. We found that patterning information is robustly maintained in the single cell transcriptomic data and can provide reference matrices for computationally mapping single cells into discrete spatial domains. Assignment of wing disc single cells to spatial subregions facilitates examination of patterning refinement processes. We also clustered single cells into different proliferation and growth states and evaluated the correlation between cell proliferation/growth states and spatial patterning. Furthermore, single cell transcriptomic analyses allowed us to quantitatively examine disturbances of differentiation, proliferation and growth in a well-established tumor model. We provide a database to explore these datasets at http://drosophilayanlab-virtual-wingdisc.ust.hk:3838/v2/This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.

Nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling of Drosophila Hairless/Su(H) heterodimer as a means of regulating Notch dependent transcription

Activation and repression of Notch target genes is mediated by transcription factor CSL, known as Suppressor of Hairless (Su(H)) in Drosophila and CBF1 or RBPJ in human. CSL associates either with co-activator Notch or with co-repressors such as Drosophila Hairless. The nuclear translocation of transcription factor CSL relies on co-factor association, both in mammals and in Drosophila. The Drosophila CSL orthologue Su(H) requires Hairless for repressor complex formation. Based on its role in transcriptional silencing, H protein would be expected to be strictly nuclear. However, H protein is also cytosolic, which may relate to its role in the stabilization and nuclear translocation of Su(H) protein. Here, we investigate the function of the predicted nuclear localization signals (NLS 1-3) and single nuclear export signal (NES) of co-repressor Hairless using GFP-fusion proteins, reporter assays and in vivo analyses using Hairless wild type and shuttling-defective Hairless mutants. We identify NLS3 and NES to be critical for Hairless function. In fact, H^⁎NLS3 mutant flies match H null mutants, whereas H^{⁎NLS3⁎NES} double mutants display weaker phenotypes in agreement with a crucial role for NES in H export. As expected for a transcriptional repressor, Notch target genes are deregulated in H^⁎NLS3 mutant cells, demonstrating nuclear requirement for its activity. Importantly, we reveal that Su(H) protein strictly follows Hairless protein localization. Together, we propose that shuttling between the nucleo-cytoplasmic compartments provides the possibility to fine tune the regulation of Notch target gene expression by balancing of Su(H) protein availability for Notch activation.

TGF-β Signaling Interferes With the Drosophila Innate Immune and Metabolic Response to Parasitic Nematode Infection

The common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is an outstanding model to study the molecular basis of anti-pathogen immunity. The parasitic nematode Heterorhabditis gerrardi, together with its mutualistic bacteria Photorhabdus asymbiotica, infects a wide range of insects, including D. melanogaster. Recently, we have shown that transforming growth factor-β (TGF-ß) signaling in D. melanogaster is regulated in response to parasitic nematode infection. In the current study, we investigated the contribution of two TGF-ß signaling branches, the activin and the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), to D. melanogaster immune function against H. gerrardi. We used D. melanogaster larvae carrying mutations in the genes coding for the TGF-ß extracellular ligands daw and dpp. We have demonstrated that the number of circulating hemocytes in uninfected daw and dpp mutants decreases twofold compared to background controls, yet no significant changes in hemocyte numbers and survival of the TGF-ß mutants are observed upon nematode infection. However, we have shown that nematode-infected daw mutants express Dual oxidase at higher levels and phenoloxidase activity at lower levels compared to their background controls. To elucidate the contribution of TGF-ß signaling in the metabolic response of D. melanogaster to parasitic nematodes, we estimated lipid and carbohydrate levels in daw and dpp mutant larvae infected with H. gerrardi. We have found that both nematode-infected mutants contain lipid droplets of larger size, with daw mutant larvae also containing elevated glycogen levels. Overall, our findings indicate that the regulation of activin and BMP branches of TGF-ß signaling can alter the immune and metabolic processes in D. melanogaster during response to parasitic nematode infection. Results from this study shed light on the molecular signaling pathways insects activate to regulate mechanisms for fighting potent nematode parasites, which could lead to the identification of novel management strategies for the control of damaging pests.

Essential long-range action of Wingless/Wnt in adult intestinal compartmentalization

Signal transduction activated by Wingless/Wnt ligands directs cell proliferation and fate specification in metazoans, and its overactivation underlies the development of the vast majority of colorectal cancers. In the conventional model, the secretion and movement of Wingless to cells distant from its source of synthesis are essential for long-range signaling in tissue patterning. However, this model was upended recently by an unanticipated finding: replacement of wild-type Drosophila Wingless with a membrane-tethered form produced viable adults with largely normal external morphology, which suggested that Wingless secretion and movement are dispensable for tissue patterning. Herein, we tested this foundational principle in the adult intestine, where Wingless signaling gradients coincide with all major boundaries between compartments. We find that the critical roles of Wingless during adult intestinal development, which include regulation of target gene activation, boundary formation, stem cell proliferation, epithelial cell fate specification, muscle differentiation, gut folding, and signaling crosstalk with the Decapentaplegic pathway, are all disrupted by Wingless tethering. These findings provide new evidence that supports the requirement for the direct, long-range action of Wingless in tissue patterning, with relevance for animal development, tissue homeostasis and Wnt-driven disease.

Activation of butterfly eyespots by Distal-less is consistent with a reaction-diffusion process

Eyespots on the wings of nymphalid butterflies represent colorful examples of pattern formation, yet the developmental origins and mechanisms underlying eyespot center differentiation are still poorly understood. Using CRISPR-Cas9 we re-examine the function of Distal-less (Dll) as an activator or repressor of eyespots, a topic that remains controversial. We show that the phenotypic outcome of CRISPR mutations depends upon which specific exon is targeted. In Bicyclus anynana, exon 2 mutations are associated with both missing and ectopic eyespots, and also exon skipping. Exon 3 mutations, which do not lead to exon skipping, produce only null phenotypes, including missing eyespots, lighter wing coloration and loss of scales. Reaction-diffusion modeling of Dll function, using Wnt and Dpp as candidate morphogens, accurately replicates these complex crispant phenotypes. These results provide new insight into the function of Dll as a potential activator of eyespot development, scale growth and melanization, and suggest that the tuning of Dll expression levels can generate a diversity of eyespot phenotypes, including their appearance on the wing.This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.

Ectopic Dpp signaling promotes stem cell competition through EGFR signaling in the Drosophila testis

Stem cell competition could select the fittest stem cells and potentially control tumorigenesis. However, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here, we find that ectopic Decapentaplegic (Dpp) signal activation by expressing a constitutively active form of Thickveins (Tkv^CA) in cyst stem cells (CySCs) leads to competition between CySCs and germline stem cells (GSCs) for niche occupancy and GSC loss. GSCs are displaced from the niche and undergo differentiation. Interestingly, we find that induction of Tkv^CA results in elevated expression of vein, which further activates Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling in CySCs to promote their proliferation and compete GSCs out of the niche. Our findings elucidate the important role of Dpp signaling in regulating stem cell competition and tumorigenesis, which could be shed light on tumorigenesis and cancer treatment in mammals.

The genes expression difference between winged and wingless bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi based on transcriptomic data

Aphids produce wing and wingless morphs, depending on the environmental conditions during their complex life cycles. Wing and wingless variations play an important role in migration and host alternation, affecting the migration and host alternation processes. Several transcriptional studies have concentrated on aphids and sought to determine how an organism perceives environmental cues and responds in a plastic manner, but the underlying mechanisms have remained unclear. Therefore, to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the wing polyphenism of this fascinating phenomenon, we provide the first report concerning the wing development of aphids in bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi with comparative transcriptional analysis of all the developmental stages by RNA-Seq. We identified several candidate genes related to biogenic amines and hormones that may be specifically involved in wing development. Moreover, we found that the third instar stage might be a critical stage for visibility of alternative morphs as well as changes in the expression of thirty-three genes associated with wing development. Several genes, i.e., Wnt2, Fng, Uba1, Hh, Foxo, Dpp, Brk, Ap, Dll, Hth, Tsh, Nub, Scr, Antp, Ubx, Asc, Srf and Fl, had different expression levels in different developmental stages and may play important roles in regulating wing polyphenism.

Decoding Calcium Signaling Dynamics during Drosophila Wing Disc Development

The robust specification of organ development depends on coordinated cell-cell communication. This process requires signal integration among multiple pathways, relying on second messengers such as calcium ions. Calcium signaling encodes a significant portion of the cellular state by regulating transcription factors, enzymes, and cytoskeletal proteins. However, the relationships between the inputs specifying cell and organ development, calcium signaling dynamics, and final organ morphology are poorly understood. Here, we have designed a quantitative image-analysis pipeline for decoding organ-level calcium signaling. With this pipeline, we extracted spatiotemporal features of calcium signaling dynamics during the development of the Drosophila larval wing disc, a genetic model for organogenesis. We identified specific classes of wing phenotypes that resulted from calcium signaling pathway perturbations, including defects in gross morphology, vein differentiation, and overall size. We found four qualitative classes of calcium signaling activity. These classes can be ordered based on agonist stimulation strength Gαq-mediated signaling. In vivo calcium signaling dynamics depend on both receptor tyrosine kinase/phospholipase C γ and G protein-coupled receptor/phospholipase C β activities. We found that spatially patterned calcium dynamics correlate with known differential growth rates between anterior and posterior compartments. Integrated calcium signaling activity decreases with increasing tissue size, and it responds to morphogenetic perturbations that impact organ growth. Together, these findings define how calcium signaling dynamics integrate upstream inputs to mediate multiple response outputs in developing epithelial organs.

The Notch repressor complex in Drosophila: in vivo analysis of Hairless mutants using overexpression experiments

During development of higher animals, the Notch signalling pathway governs cell type specification by mediating appropriate gene expression responses. In the absence of signalling, Notch target genes are silenced by repressor complexes. In the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, the repressor complex includes the transcription factor Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)] and Hairless (H) plus general co-repressors. Recent crystal structure analysis of the Drosophila Notch repressor revealed details of the Su(H)-H complex. They were confirmed by mutational analyses of either protein; however, only Su(H) mutants have been further studied in vivo. Here, we analyse three H variants predicted to affect Su(H) binding. To this end, amino acid replacements Phenylalanine 237, Leucines 245 and 247, as well as Tryptophan 258 to Alanine were introduced into the H protein. A cell-based reporter assay indicates substantial loss of Su(H) binding to the respective mutant proteins H^FA, H^LLAA and H^WA. For in vivo analysis, UAS-lines H^FA, H^LLAA and H^WA were generated to allow spatially restricted overexpression. In these assays, all three mutants resembled the H^LD control, shown before to lack Su(H) binding, indicating a strong reduction of H activity. For example, the H variants were impaired in wing margin formation, but unexpectedly induced ectopic wing venation. Concurrent overexpression with Su(H), however, suggests that all mutant H protein isoforms are still able to bind Su(H) in vivo. We conclude that a weakening of the cohesion in the H-Su(H) repressor complex is sufficient for disrupting its in vivo functionality.

Growth and size control during development

The size and shape of organs are characteristic for each species. Even when organisms develop to different sizes due to varying environmental conditions, such as nutrition, organ size follows species-specific rules of proportionality to the rest of the body, a phenomenon referred to as allometry. Therefore, for a given environment, organs stop growth at a predictable size set by the species's genotype. How do organs stop growth? How can related species give rise to organs of strikingly different size? No definitive answer has been given to date. One of the major models for the studies of growth termination is the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster. Therefore, this review will focus mostly on work carried out in Drosophila to try to tease apart potential mechanisms and identify routes for further investigation. One general rule, found across the animal kingdom, is that the rate of growth declines with developmental time. Therefore, answers to the problem of growth termination should explain this seemingly universal fact. In addition, growth termination is intimately related to the problems of robustness (i.e. precision) and plasticity in organ size, symmetric and asymmetric organ development, and of how the ‘target’ size depends on extrinsic, environmental factors.

Somatic clones heterozygous for recessive disease alleles of BMPR1A exhibit unexpected phenotypes in Drosophila

The majority of mutations studied in animal models are designated as recessive based on the absence of visible phenotypes in germline heterozygotes. Accordingly, genetic studies primarily rely on homozygous loss-of-function to determine gene requirements, and a conceptually-related ‘two-hit model’ remains the central paradigm in cancer genetics. Here we investigate pathogenesis due to somatic mutation in epithelial tissues, a process that predominantly generates heterozygous cell clones. To study somatic mutation in Drosophila, we generated inducible alleles that mimic human Juvenile polyposis-associated BMPR1A mutations. Unexpectedly, four of these mutations had no phenotype in heterozygous carriers but exhibited clear tissue-level effects when present in somatic clones of heterozygous cells. We conclude that these alleles are indeed recessive when present in the germline, but nevertheless deleterious when present in heterozygous clones. This unforeseen effect, deleterious heteromosaicism, suggests a ‘one-hit’ mechanism for disease initiation that may explain some instances of pathogenesis associated with spontaneous mutation.

Phosphorylation of Suppressor of Hairless impedes its DNA-binding activity

Notch signalling activity governs cellular differentiation in higher metazoa, where Notch signals are transduced by the transcription factor CSL, called Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)] in Drosophila. Su(H) operates as molecular switch on Notch target genes: within activator complexes, including intracellular Notch, or within repressor complexes, including the antagonist Hairless. Mass spectrometry identified phosphorylation on Serine 269 in Su(H), potentially serving as a point of cross-regulation by other signalling pathways. To address the biological significance, we generated phospho-deficient [Su(H)S269A] and phospho-mimetic [Su(H)S269D] variants: the latter displayed reduced transcriptional activity despite unaltered protein interactions with co-activators and -repressors. Based on the Su(H) structure, Ser269 phosphorylation may interfere with DNA-binding, which we confirmed by electro-mobility shift assay and isothermal titration calorimetry. Overexpression of Su(H)S269D during fly development demonstrated reduced transcriptional regulatory activity, similar to the previously reported DNA-binding defective mutant Su(H)R266H. As both are able to bind Hairless and Notch proteins, Su(H)S269D and Su(H)R266H provoked dominant negative effects upon overexpression. Our data imply that Ser269 phosphorylation impacts Notch signalling activity by inhibiting DNA-binding of Su(H), potentially affecting both activation and repression. Ser269 is highly conserved in vertebrate CSL homologues, opening the possibility of a general and novel mechanism of modulating Notch signalling activity.

TGF-β Family Signaling in Drosophila

The transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family signaling pathway is conserved and ubiquitous in animals. In Drosophila, fewer representatives of each signaling component are present compared with vertebrates, simplifying mechanistic study of the pathway. Although there are fewer family members, the TGF-β family pathway still regulates multiple and diverse functions in Drosophila. In this review, we focus our attention on several of the classic and best-studied functions for TGF-β family signaling in regulating Drosophila developmental processes such as embryonic and imaginal disc patterning, but we also describe several recently discovered roles in regulating hormonal, physiological, neuronal, innate immunity, and tissue homeostatic processes.