PgmNr D1022: Analysis of chiral cellular dynamics in left-right asymmetric rotation of Drosophila hindgut.

Authors:
M. Inaki 1 ; H. Honda 2 ; K. Matsuno 1


Institutes
1) Osaka Univ., Toyonaka, Osaka, JP; 2) Kobe Univ., Kobe, Hyogo, JP.


Keyword: cell migration

Abstract:

Although most of organisms appear bilaterally symmetric in their body shapes, many of their internal organs show left-right (LR) asymmetry. To understand mechanisms underlying LR asymmetry formation of internal organs, we are using Drosophila embryonic hindgut as a model system. The Drosophila hindgut is first formed as a bilaterally symmetric structure consisting of columnar epithelial cells, rotates 90 degree in counter clockwise direction, and eventually exhibits an LR asymmetric morphology. It has been shown that before rotation, hindgut cells have chirality with LR asymmetric apical surfaces and that the cell chirality is involved in the LR asymmetric rotation of the hindgut. However, it is unclear how cellular chirality contributes to whole organ rotation. The cellular dynamics during rotation is also unknown since previous studies were based on observations of fixed hindgut samples. In this study, we tried to clarify cellular dynamics during LR asymmetric rotation and relationships between the dynamics and the cell chirality. First, we performed computer simulations of hindgut epithelium using a vertex model. Based on predictions from the simulations, we carried out live-imaging of hindgut epithelial cells during rotation. As results, we found that hindgut cells change their relative positions to their subjacent cells, as sliding leftwards (in rotation direction) against subjacent cells. In Myosin31DF mutants, in which the cell chirality and the direction of rotation are inverted, cells slide in opposite direction. These results suggested that “cell-sliding” contributes to the LR asymmetric rotation of the hindgut and the cell chirality is reflected by the direction of the cell-sliding. In this study, we found a novel cellular dynamics, chiral cell-sliding, which drives LR asymmetric morphogenesis.



Flybase Genetic Index:
1. FlyBase gene symbol: Myo31DF