The WAVE Regulatory Complex and Branched F-Actin Counterbalance Contractile Force to Control Cell Shape and Packing in the Drosophila Eye.

ABSTRACT: Contractile forces eliminate cell contacts in many morphogenetic processes. However, mechanisms that balance contractile forces to promote subtler remodeling remain unknown. To address this gap, we investigated remodeling of Drosophila eye lattice cells (LCs), which preserve cell contacts as they narrow to form the edges of a multicellular hexagonal lattice. We found that during narrowing, LC-LC contacts dynamically constrict and expand. Similar to other systems, actomyosin-based contractile forces promote pulses of constriction. Conversely, we found that WAVE-dependent branched F-actin accumulates at LC-LC contacts during expansion and functions to expand the cell apical area, promote shape changes, and prevent elimination of LC-LC contacts. Finally, we found that small Rho GTPases regula

SUBMITTER: Del Signore SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5856465 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature