Soma-germline interactions play conserved essential roles in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, patterning, and homeostasis in the gonad. In the Drosophila testis, secreted signalling molecules of the JAK-STAT, Hedgehog, BMP, and EGF pathways are used to mediate germline-soma communication. Here we demonstrate that gap junctions may also mediate direct, bi-directional signalling between the soma and germline. When gap junctions between the soma and germline are disrupted, germline differentiation is blocked and germline stem cells are not maintained. In the soma, gap junctions are required to regulate proliferation and differentiation. Localization and RNAi-mediated knockdown studies reveal that gap junctions in the fly testis are heterotypic channels containing Zpg/Inx4 and Inx2 on the germline and the soma side, respectively. Overall, our results show that bi-directional gap junction-mediated signalling is essential to coordinate the soma and germline to ensure proper spermatogenesis in Drosophila. Moreover, we show that stem cell maintenance and differentiation in the testis are directed by gap junction-derived cues.
Bi-directional gap junction-mediated Soma-Germline communication is essential for spermatogenesis
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Christopher M. Smendziuk, Anat Messenberg, Wayne Vogl, Guy Tanentzapf; Bi-directional gap junction-mediated Soma-Germline communication is essential for spermatogenesis. Development 2015; dev.123448. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.123448
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