Title | Signaling Dynamics Control Cell Fate in the Early Drosophila Embryo. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2019 |
Authors | Johnson, HE, Toettcher, JE |
Journal | Dev Cell |
Volume | 48 |
Issue | 3 |
Pagination | 361-370.e3 |
Date Published | 2019 Feb 11 |
ISSN | 1878-1551 |
Keywords | Animals, Cell Differentiation, Drosophila, Ectoderm, Embryo, Mammalian, Embryo, Nonmammalian, Endoderm, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Morphogenesis |
Abstract | <p>The Erk mitogen-activated protein kinase plays diverse roles in animal development. Its widespread reuse raises a conundrum: when a single kinase like Erk is activated, how does a developing cell know which fate to adopt? We combine optogenetic control with genetic perturbations to dissect Erk-dependent fates in the early Drosophila embryo. We find that Erk activity is sufficient to "posteriorize" 88% of the embryo, inducing gut endoderm-like gene expression and morphogenetic movements in all cells within this region. Gut endoderm fate adoption requires at least 1 h of signaling, whereas a 30-min Erk pulse specifies a distinct ectodermal cell type, intermediate neuroblasts. We find that the endoderm-ectoderm cell fate switch is controlled by the cumulative load of Erk activity, not the duration of a single pulse. The fly embryo thus harbors a classic example of dynamic control, where the temporal profile of Erk signaling selects between distinct physiological outcomes.</p> |
DOI | 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.01.009 |
Alternate Journal | Dev Cell |
PubMed ID | 30753836 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC6394837 |
Grant List | DP2 EB024247 / EB / NIBIB NIH HHS / United States F32 GM119297 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States |