The cell adhesion molecule Fasciclin2 regulates brush border length and organization in Drosophila renal tubules

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 7; no. 1; p. 11266
• Main Authors: Halberg, Kenneth A., Rainey, Stephanie M., Veland, Iben R., Neuert, Helen, Dornan, Anthony J., Klämbt, Christian, Davies, Shireen-Anne, Dow, Julian A. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 13.04.2016; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 14; 14/19; 14/63; 38/89; 38/91; 631/136/2060; 631/80/86; 64/24; 692/4022; Animals; Biological Transport; Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal - genetics; Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal - metabolism; Drosophila melanogaster - embryology; Drosophila melanogaster - genetics; Drosophila melanogaster - metabolism; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Humanities and Social Sciences; Kidney Tubules - embryology; Kidney Tubules - metabolism; Microtubules - metabolism; Microvilli - metabolism; multidisciplinary; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11266

Multicellular organisms rely on cell adhesion molecules to coordinate cell–cell interactions, and to provide navigational cues during tissue formation. In Drosophila , Fasciclin 2 (Fas2) has been intensively studied due to its role in nervous system development and maintenance; yet, Fas2 is most abundantly expressed in the adult renal (Malpighian) tubule rather than in neuronal tissues. The role Fas2 serves in this epithelium is unknown. Here we show that Fas2 is essential to brush border maintenance in renal tubules of Drosophila . Fas2 is dynamically expressed during tubule morphogenesis, localizing to the brush border whenever the tissue is transport competent. Genetic manipulations of Fas2 expression levels impact on both microvilli length and organization, which in turn dramatically affect stimulated rates of fluid secretion by the tissue. Consequently, we demonstrate a radically different role for this well-known cell adhesion molecule, and propose that Fas2-mediated intermicrovillar homophilic adhesion complexes help stabilize the brush border. In Drosophila , Fasciclin 2 (Fas2) has been mainly studied in the nervous system, yet this adhesion protein is more abundant in the adult renal tubule. Here the authors show that Fas2 is essential for brush border maintenance in renal tubules through regulation of microvilli length and organization.