FGF coordinates air sac development by activation of the EGF ligand Vein through the transcription factor PntP2

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 5; no. 1; p. 17806
• Main Authors: Cruz, Josefa, Bota-Rabassedas, Neus, Franch-Marro, Xavier
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 03.12.2015; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 13; 14/19; 38; 38/1; 38/89; 45; 631/136/2091; 631/80/86/2368; 64; 64/24; 96; Air Sacs - cytology; Air Sacs - growth & development; Air Sacs - metabolism; Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; Cell adhesion & migration; Cell differentiation; Cell migration; Developmental biology; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Drosophila; Drosophila melanogaster - genetics; Drosophila melanogaster - growth & development; Drosophila Proteins - genetics; Drosophila Proteins - metabolism; Epidermal growth factor receptors; ErbB Receptors - genetics; ErbB Receptors - metabolism; Female; Fibroblast growth factors; Fibroblast Growth Factors - genetics; Fibroblast Growth Factors - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Humanities and Social Sciences; Insects; Kinases; Larva; Ligands; Male; Metamorphosis; multidisciplinary; Muscles; Nerve Tissue Proteins - genetics; Nerve Tissue Proteins - metabolism; Neuregulins - genetics; Neuregulins - metabolism; Pattern formation; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases - genetics; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins - metabolism; Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor - genetics; Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor - metabolism; Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide - genetics; Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide - metabolism; Science; Signal transduction; Signal Transduction - genetics; Trachea; Transcription factors; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep17806

How several signaling pathways are coordinated to generate complex organs through regulation of tissue growth and patterning is a fundamental question in developmental biology. The larval trachea of Drosophila is composed of differentiated functional cells and groups of imaginal tracheoblasts that build the adult trachea during metamorphosis. Air sac primordium cells (ASP) are tracheal imaginal cells that form the dorsal air sacs that supply oxygen to the flight muscles of the Drosophila adult. The ASP emerges from the tracheal branch that connects to the wing disc by the activation of both Bnl-FGF/Btl and EGFR signaling pathways. Together, these pathways promote cell migration and proliferation. In this study we demonstrate that Vein ( vn ) is the EGF ligand responsible for the activation of the EGFR pathway in the ASP. We also find that the Bnl-FGF/Btl pathway regulates the expression of vn through the transcription factor PointedP2 (PntP2). Furthermore, we show that the FGF target gene escargot (esg) attenuates EGFR signaling at the tip cells of the developing ASP, reducing their mitotic rate to allow proper migration. Altogether, our results reveal a link between Bnl-FGF/Btl and EGFR signaling and provide novel insight into how the crosstalk of these pathways regulates migration and growth.