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Integrin-independent repression of cadherin transcription by talin during axis formation in Drosophila

Nature Cell Biology volume 7, pages 510–516 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

The Drosophila melanogaster anterior–posterior axis becomes polarized early during oogenesis by the posterior localization of the oocyte within the egg chamber. The invariant position of the oocyte is thought to be driven by an upregulation of the adhesion molecule DE-cadherin in the oocyte and the posterior somatic follicle cells, providing the first in vivo example of cell sorting that is specified by quantitative differences in cell–cell adhesion1,2. However, it has remained unclear how DE-cadherin levels are regulated. Here, we show that talin, known for its role in linking integrins to the actin cytoskeleton, has the unexpected function of specifically inhibiting DE-cadherin transcription. Follicle cells that are mutant for talin show a strikingly high level of DE-cadherin, due to elevated transcription of DE-cadherin. We demonstrate that this deregulation of DE-cadherin is sufficient to attract the oocyte to lateral and anterior positions. Surprisingly, this function of talin is independent of integrins. These results uncover a new role for talin in regulating cadherin-mediated cell adhesion.

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Figure 1: Talin is required in the follicle cells for oocyte localization.
Figure 2: Follicle cells that lacked talin conserved their polarity and identity.
Figure 3: Integrins are not required for oocyte localization.
Figure 4: Follicle cells that lack talin overexpress DE-cadherin.
Figure 5: Talin regulates DE-cadherin transcription.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to A. Pacquelet and P. Rorth for the tubulin-cadherin–GFP line, U. Tepass for flies, and the DSHB (University of Iowa) for antibodies. We also wish to thank A. Guichet for the in situ hybridization. This work was supported by a fellowship from the Human Frontier Scientific Programme (G.T.), a Senior Fellowship from the Wellcome Trust (N.H.B.), the C.N.R.S and A.R.C. (J.A.L. and J.R.H.), the Ministère de la Recherche et de l'Education and A.R.C (I.E.B) and EMBO (J.R.H).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Jacques-Monod, CNRS, Universités Paris 6 et 7, 2, place Jussieu, Paris, F-75251, Cedex 05, France

    Isabelle E. Bécam, Jean-Antoine Lepesant & Jean-René Huynh

  2. The Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute and Department of Anatomy, Cambridge University, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QR, UK

    Guy Tanentzapf & Nicholas H. Brown

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  1. Isabelle E. Bécam
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Correspondence to Jean-René Huynh.

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Bécam, I., Tanentzapf, G., Lepesant, JA. et al. Integrin-independent repression of cadherin transcription by talin during axis formation in Drosophila. Nat Cell Biol 7, 510–516 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb1253

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