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First published online 6 February 2008
doi: 10.1242/dev.016337

Development 135, 1005-1018 (2008)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2008
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Diaphanous regulates myosin and adherens junctions to control cell contractility and protrusive behavior during morphogenesis

Catarina C. F. Homem1 and Mark Peifer1,2,*

1 Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA.
2 Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA.

* Author for correspondence (e-mail: peifer{at}unc.edu)

Accepted 10 January 2008

Formins are key regulators of actin nucleation and elongation. Diaphanous-related formins, the best-known subclass, are activated by Rho and play essential roles in cytokinesis. In cultured cells, Diaphanous-related formins also regulate cell adhesion, polarity and microtubules, suggesting that they may be key regulators of cell shape change and migration during development. However, their essential roles in cytokinesis hamper our ability to test this hypothesis. We used loss- and gain-of-function approaches to examine the role of Diaphanous in Drosophila morphogenesis. We found that Diaphanous has a dynamic expression pattern consistent with a role in regulating cell shape change. We used constitutively active Diaphanous to examine its roles in morphogenesis and its mechanisms of action. This revealed an unexpected role in regulating myosin levels and activity at adherens junctions during cell shape change, suggesting that Diaphanous helps coordinate adhesion and contractility of the underlying actomyosin ring. We tested this hypothesis by reducing Diaphanous function, revealing striking roles in stabilizing adherens junctions and inhibiting cell protrusiveness. These effects also are mediated through coordinated effects on myosin activity and adhesion, suggesting a common mechanism for Diaphanous action during morphogenesis.

Key words: Myosin, Formins, RhoGEF2, Drosophila


Related articles in Development:

A diaphanous vision of morphogenesis

Development 2008 135: e601. [Full Text]  



This article has been cited by other articles:


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 Mol. Biol. CellHome page
S. Mulinari, M. P. Barmchi, and U. Hacker
DRhoGEF2 and Diaphanous Regulate Contractile Force during Segmental Groove Morphogenesis in the Drosophila Embryo
Mol. Biol. Cell, May 1, 2008; 19(5): 1883 - 1892.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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