During development, gene expression regulates cell mechanics and shape to sculpt tissues. Epithelial folding proceeds through distinct cell shape changes that occur simultaneously in different regions of a tissue. Here, using quantitative imaging in Drosophila melanogaster, we investigate how patterned cell shape changes promote tissue bending during early embryogenesis. We find that the transcription factors Twist and Snail combinatorially regulate a multicellular pattern of lateral F-actin density that differs from the previously described myosin-2 gradient. This F-actin pattern correlates with whether cells apically constrict, stretch, or maintain their shape. We show that the myosin-2 gradient and F-actin depletion do not depend on force transmission, suggesting that transcriptional activity is required to create these patterns. The myosin-2 gradient width results from a gradient in RhoA activation that is refined through the balance between RhoGEF2 and the RhoGAP C-GAP. Our experimental results and simulations of a 3D elastic shell model show that tuning gradient width regulates tissue curvature.
Combinatorial patterns of graded RhoA activation and uniform F-actin depletion promote tissue curvature
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Marlis Denk-Lobnig, Jan F Totz, Natalie C Heer, Jörn Dunkel, Adam C Martin; Combinatorial patterns of graded RhoA activation and uniform F-actin depletion promote tissue curvature. Development 2021; dev.199232. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.199232
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