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Zasp52 strengthens whole embryo tissue integrity through supracellular actomyosin networks.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Ashour, Dina J 
Durney, Clinton H 
Planelles-Herrero, Vicente J 
Stevens, Tim J 

Abstract

During morphogenesis, large-scale changes of tissue primordia are coordinated across an embryo. In Drosophila, several tissue primordia and embryonic regions are bordered or encircled by supracellular actomyosin cables, junctional actomyosin enrichments networked between many neighbouring cells. We show that the single Drosophila Alp/Enigma-family protein Zasp52, which is most prominently found in Z-discs of muscles, is a component of many supracellular actomyosin structures during embryogenesis, including the ventral midline and the boundary of the salivary gland placode. We reveal that Zasp52 contains within its central coiled-coil region a type of actin-binding motif usually found in CapZbeta proteins, and this domain displays actin-binding activity. Using endogenously-tagged lines, we identify that Zasp52 interacts with junctional components, including APC2, Polychaetoid and Sidekick, and actomyosin regulators. Analysis of zasp52 mutant embryos reveals that the severity of the embryonic defects observed scales inversely with the amount of functional protein left. Large tissue deformations occur where actomyosin cables are found during embryogenesis, and in vivo and in silico analyses suggest a model whereby supracellular Zasp52-containing cables aid to insulate morphogenetic changes from one another.

Description

Peer reviewed: True


Acknowledgements: The authors thank Frieder Schöck, Debbie Andrew, Magali Suzanne and Isabel Palacios for fly stocks, Emmanuel Derivery for reagents and members of the lab and Cell Biology division for input on the manuscript.


Funder: UK Research and Innovation


Funder: MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

Keywords

Actomyosin, Cytoskeleton, Epithelium, Junctions, Morphogenesis, Supracellular cable, Tension, Animals, Actomyosin, Actins, Drosophila melanogaster, Drosophila Proteins, Drosophila, Sarcomeres, Morphogenesis

Journal Title

Development

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0950-1991
1477-9129

Volume Title

Publisher

The Company of Biologists
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (U105178780)
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (2019-04162)