Mechanical tension along compartment boundary

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Subdividing tissues by boundaries into non-intermingling sets of cells, termed compartments, is an evolutionarily conserved strategy of animal development. In the developing Drosophila wing, the Hedgehog signaling pathway is important for maintaining the boundary between adjacent anterior (A) and posterior (P) compartments. Our recent results show that cell sorting at this A/P boundary is guid-ed by a local increase in mechanical tension on cell bonds along this boundary. The first aim of this proposal is to test the role of the Hedgehog signaling pathway in regulating mechanical tension along the A/P boundary. We will combine genetics, established laser ablation technology, and quantitative image analysis to measure the relative tension on cell bonds in situations in which Hedgehog signaling is induced or compromised. The motor protein Myosin II is one force generator that contributes to mechanical tension. The second aim of this project is to test the role of Myosin II in maintaining the A/P boundary. Live imaging of cell sorting along the A/P boundary will be combined with the local inactivation of Myosin II by chromophore-assisted laser inactivation. This project promises to gain novel insights into the connections between signaling pathways and cell mechanics in the context of tissue development.