RRC ID 81489
Author Ghosh N, Treisman JE.
Title Apical cell expansion maintained by Dusky-like establishes a scaffold for corneal lens morphogenesis.
Journal Sci Adv
Abstract The Drosophila corneal lens is entirely composed of chitin and other apical extracellular matrix components, and it is not known how it acquires the biconvex shape that enables it to focus light onto the retina. We show here that the zona pellucida domain-containing protein Dusky-like is essential for normal corneal lens morphogenesis. Dusky-like transiently localizes to the expanded apical surfaces of the corneal lens-secreting cells and prevents them from undergoing apical constriction and apicobasal contraction. Dusky-like also controls the arrangement of two other zona pellucida domain proteins, Dumpy and Piopio, external to the developing corneal lens. Loss of either dusky-like or dumpy delays chitin accumulation and disrupts the outer surface of the corneal lens. We find that artificially inducing apical constriction by activating myosin contraction is sufficient to similarly alter chitin deposition and corneal lens morphology. These results demonstrate the importance of cell shape in controlling the morphogenesis of overlying apical extracellular matrix structures such as the corneal lens.
Volume 10(34)
Pages eado4167
Published 2024-8-23
DOI 10.1126/sciadv.ado4167
PMID 39167639
PMC PMC11338227
MeSH Animals Cell Shape Chitin / metabolism Cornea / cytology Cornea / growth & development Cornea / metabolism Drosophila Proteins* / genetics Drosophila Proteins* / metabolism Drosophila melanogaster / growth & development Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism Extracellular Matrix / metabolism Lens, Crystalline* / cytology Lens, Crystalline* / growth & development Lens, Crystalline* / metabolism Morphogenesis*
Resource
Drosophila DGRC#115238