Src42A is required for E-cadherin dynamics at cell junctions during Drosophila axis elongation.

Lenin Chandran, Wilko Backer, Raphael Schleutker, Deqing Kong, Seyed A H Beati, Stefan Luschnig, H-Arno J Müller

Development (Cambridge, England) 2023 Jan 15

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Src kinases are important regulators of cell adhesion. Here, we have explored the function of Src42A in junction remodelling during Drosophila gastrulation. Src42A is required for tyrosine phosphorylation at bicellular (bAJ) and tricellular (tAJ) junctions in germband cells, and localizes to hotspots of mechanical tension. The role of Src42A was investigated using maternal RNAi and CRISPR-Cas9-induced germline mosaics. We find that, during cell intercalations, Src42A is required for the contraction of junctions at anterior-posterior cell interfaces. The planar polarity of E-cadherin is compromised and E-cadherin accumulates at tricellular junctions after Src42A knockdown. Furthermore, we show that Src42A acts in concert with Abl kinase, which has also been implicated in cell intercalations. Our data suggest that Src42A is involved in two related processes: in addition to establishing tension generated by the planar polarity of MyoII, it may also act as a signalling factor at tAJs to control E-cadherin residence time. © 2023. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Citation

Lenin Chandran, Wilko Backer, Raphael Schleutker, Deqing Kong, Seyed A H Beati, Stefan Luschnig, H-Arno J Müller. Src42A is required for E-cadherin dynamics at cell junctions during Drosophila axis elongation. Development (Cambridge, England). 2023 Jan 15;150(2)