Drosophila discs-large (dlg) mutants exhibit multiple developmental abnormalities, including severe defects in neuronal differentiation and synaptic structure and function. These defects have been ascribed to the loss of a single gene product, Dlg-A, a scaffold protein thought to be expressed in many cell types. Here, we describe that additional isoforms arise as a consequence of different transcription start points and alternative splicing of dlg. At least five different dlg gene products are predicted. We identified a subset of dlg-derived cDNAs that include novel exons encoding a peptide homologous to the N terminus of the mammalian protein SAP97/hDLG (S97N). Dlg isoforms containing the S97N domain are expressed at larval neuromuscular junctions and within the CNS of both embryos and larvae but are not detectable in epithelial tissues. Strong hypomorphic dlg alleles exhibit decreased expression of S97N, which may account for neural-specific aspects of the pleiomorphic dlg mutant phenotype. Selective inhibition of the expression of S97N-containing proteins in embryos by double-strand RNA leads to severe defects in neuronal differentiation and axon guidance, without overt perturbations in epithelia. These results indicate that the differential expression of dlg products correlates with distinct functions in non-neural and neural cells. During embryonic development, proteins that include the S97N domain are essential for proper neuronal differentiation and organization, acting through mechanisms that may include the adequate localization of cell fate determinants.
CK1-γ/gilgamesh spatially limits the planar cell polarity–regulated process of trichome formation in Drosophila through its effect on polarized vesicle recycling.
Summary Frizzled/Planar Cell Polarity (Fz/PCP) signaling controls the orientation of sensory bristles and cellular hairs (trichomes) along the antero-posterior axis of the Drosophila thorax (notum) [1–4]. A subset of the trichome-producing notum cells differentiate as “tendon cells”, serving as attachment sites for the indirect flight muscles (IFMs) to the exoskeleton [5]. Through the analysis of chascon (chas), a gene identified by its ability to disrupt Fz/PCP signaling under overexpression conditions, and jitterbug (jbug)/filamin [6], we show that maintenance of antero-posterior planar polarization requires the notum epithelia to balance mechanical stress generated by the attachment of the IFMs. chas is expressed in notum tendon cells and its loss-of-function disturbs cellular orientation at and near the regions where IFMs attach to the epidermis. This effect is independent of the Fz/PCP and fat (ft)/dachsous (ds) systems [7]. The chas phenotype arises during normal shortening of the IFMs [8] and is suppressed by genetic ablation of the IFMs. chas acts through jbug/filamin and cooperates with MyosinII to modulate the mechano-response of notum tendon cells. These observations support the notion that the ability of epithelia to respond to mechanical stress generated by interaction(s) with other tissues during development/organogenesis influences the maintenance of its shape and PCP features.
SUMMARYCell growth and proliferation are pivotal for final organ and body size definition. p53-related protein kinase (Bud32/PRPK) has been identified as a protein involved in proliferation through its effects on transcription in yeast and p53 stabilization in human cell culture. However, the physiological function of Bud32/PRPK in metazoans is not well understood. In this work, we have analyzed the role of PRPK in Drosophila development. Drosophila PRPK is expressed in every tissue analyzed and is required to support proliferation and cell growth. The Prpk knockdown animals show phenotypes similar to those found in mutants for positive regulators of the PI3K/TOR pathway. This pathway has been shown to be fundamental for animal growth, transducing the hormonal and nutritional status into the protein translation machinery. Functional interactions have established that Prpk operates as a transducer of the PI3K/TOR pathway, being essential for TOR kinase activation and for the regulation of its targets (S6K and 4E-BP, autophagy and bulk endocytosis). This suggests that Prpk is crucial for stimulating the basal protein biosynthetic machinery in response to insulin signaling and to changes in nutrient availability.
The DLG-MAGUK subfamily of proteins plays a role on the recycling and clustering of glutamate receptors (GLUR) at the postsynaptic density. discs-large1 (dlg) is the only DLG-MAGUK gene in Drosophila and originates two main products, DLGA and DLGS97 which differ by the presence of an L27 domain. Combining electrophysiology, immunostaining and genetic manipulation at the pre and postsynaptic compartments we study the DLG contribution to the basal synaptic-function at the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction. Our results reveal a specific function of DLGS97 in the regulation of the size of GLUR fields and their subunit composition. Strikingly the absence of any of DLG proteins at the presynaptic terminal disrupts the clustering and localization of the calcium channel DmCa1A subunit (Cacophony), decreases the action potential-evoked release probability and alters short-term plasticity. Our results show for the first time a crucial role of DLG proteins in the presynaptic function in vivo.
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