The actin cable is a supracellular structure that embryonic epithelia produce to close gaps. However, the action of the cable remains debated. Here, we address the function of the cable using Drosophila dorsal closure, a paradigm to understand wound healing. First, we show that the actin cytoskeleton protein Zasp52 is specifically required for actin cable formation. Next, we used Zasp52 loss of function to dissect the mechanism of action of the cable. Surprisingly, closure dynamics are perfect in Zasp52 mutants: the cable is therefore dispensable for closure, even in the absence of the amnioserosa. Conversely, we observed that the cable protects cellular geometries from robust morphogenetic forces that otherwise interfere with closure: the absence of cable results in defects in epithelial organization that lead to morphogenetic scarring. We propose that the cable prevents morphogenetic scarring by stabilizing cellular interactions rather than by acting on closure dynamics.

During Drosophila dorsal closure, DPP and JNK signaling form a feed-forward loop that controls the specification and differentiation of leading edge cells to ensure robust morphogenesis.

SummaryHow morphogen gradients are shaped is a major question in developmental biology, but remains poorly understood. Hedgehog (Hh) is a locally secreted ligand that reaches cells at a distance and acts as a morphogen to pattern the Drosophila wing and the vertebrate neural tube. The proper patterning of both structures relies on the precise control over the slope of Hh activity gradient. A number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain Hh movement and hence graded activity of Hh. A crux to all these models is that the covalent binding of cholesterol to Hh N-terminus is essential to achieve the correct slope of the activity gradient. Still, the behavior of cholesterol-free Hh (Hh-N) remains controversial: cholesterol has been shown to either increase or restrict Hh range depending on the experimental setting. Here, in fly embryos and wing imaginal discs, we show that cholesterol-free Hh diffuses at a long-range. This unrestricted diffusion of cholesterol-free Hh leads to an absence of gradient while Hh signaling strength remains uncompromised. These data support a model where cholesterol addition restricts Hh diffusion and can transform a leveled signaling activity into a gradient. In addition, our data indicate that the receptor Patched is not able to sequester cholesterol-free Hh. We propose that a morphogen gradient does not necessarily stem from the active transfer of a poorly diffusing molecule, but can be achieved by the restriction of a highly diffusible ligand.

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