Spatial regulation of Dia and Myosin-II by RhoGEF2 controls initiation of E-cadherin endocytosis during epithelial morphogenesis

R Levayer, A Pelissier-Monier, T Lecuit - Nature cell biology, 2011 - nature.com
R Levayer, A Pelissier-Monier, T Lecuit
Nature cell biology, 2011nature.com
E-cadherin plays a pivotal role in epithelial morphogenesis. It controls the intercellular
adhesion required for tissue cohesion and anchors the actomyosin-driven tension needed to
change cell shape. In the early Drosophila embryo, Myosin-II (Myo-II) controls the planar
polarized remodelling of cell junctions and tissue extension. The E-cadherin distribution is
also planar polarized and complementary to the Myosin-II distribution. Here we show that E-
cadherin polarity is controlled by the polarized regulation of clathrin-and dynamin-mediated …
Abstract
E-cadherin plays a pivotal role in epithelial morphogenesis. It controls the intercellular adhesion required for tissue cohesion and anchors the actomyosin-driven tension needed to change cell shape. In the early Drosophila embryo, Myosin-II (Myo-II) controls the planar polarized remodelling of cell junctions and tissue extension. The E-cadherin distribution is also planar polarized and complementary to the Myosin-II distribution. Here we show that E-cadherin polarity is controlled by the polarized regulation of clathrin-and dynamin-mediated endocytosis. Blocking E-cadherin endocytosis resulted in cell intercalation defects. We delineate a pathway that controls the initiation of E-cadherin endocytosis through the regulation of AP2 and clathrin coat recruitment by E-cadherin. This requires the concerted action of the formin Diaphanous (Dia) and Myosin-II. Their activity is controlled by the guanine exchange factor RhoGEF2, which is planar polarized and absent in non-intercalating regions. Finally, we provide evidence that Dia and Myo-II control the initiation of E-cadherin endocytosis by regulating the lateral clustering of E-cadherin.
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