Maintenance of Cell Fate by the Polycomb Group Gene Sex Combs Extra Enables a Partial Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: Epigenetic silencing by Polycomb group (PcG) complexes can promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness and is associated with malignancy of solid cancers. Here we report a role for Drosophila PcG repression in a partial EMT event that occurs during wing disc eversion, an early event during metamorphosis. In a screen for genes required for eversion we identified the PcG genes S ex combs extra (Sce) and S ex combs midleg ( Scm ) Depletion of Sce or Scm resulted in internalized wings and thoracic clefts, and loss of Sce inhibited the EMT of the peripodial epithelium and basement membrane breakdown, ex vivo. Targeted DamID (TaDa) using Dam-Pol II showed that Sce knockdown caused a

SUBMITTER: Jefferies G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7718746 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature