Adherens Junction Length during Tissue Contraction Is Controlled by the Mechanosensitive Activity of Actomyosin and Junctional Recycling.

ABSTRACT: During epithelial contraction, cells generate forces to constrict their surface and, concurrently, fine-tune the length of their adherens junctions to ensure force transmission. While many studies have focused on understanding force generation, little is known on how junctional length is controlled. Here, we show that, during amnioserosa contraction in Drosophila dorsal closure, adherens junctions reduce their length in coordination with the shrinkage of apical cell area, maintaining a nearly constant junctional straightness. We reveal that junctional straightness and integrity depend on the endocytic machinery and on the mechanosensitive activity of the actomyosin cytoskeleton. On one hand, upon junctional stretch and decrease in E-cadherin density, actomyosin relocalizes from the medial

SUBMITTER: Sumi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6291457 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature