miR-965 controls cell proliferation and migration during tissue morphogenesis in the Drosophila abdomen
Abstract
Formation of the Drosophila adult abdomen involves a process of tissue replacement in which larval epidermal cells are replaced by adult cells. The progenitors of the adult epidermis are specified during embryogenesis and, unlike the imaginal discs that make up the thoracic and head segments, they remain quiescent during larval development. During pupal development, the abdominal histoblast cells proliferate and migrate to replace the larval epidermis. Here, we provide evidence that the microRNA, miR-965, acts via string and wingless to control histoblast proliferation and migration. Ecdysone signaling downregulates miR-965 at the onset of pupariation, linking activation of the histoblast nests to the hormonal control of metamorphosis. Replacement of the larval epidermis by adult epidermal progenitors involves regulation of both cell-intrinsic events and cell communication. By regulating both cell proliferation and cell migration, miR-965 contributes to the robustness of this morphogenetic system.
Article and author information
Author details
Reviewing Editor
- Matthew Freeman, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Version history
- Received: March 9, 2015
- Accepted: July 29, 2015
- Accepted Manuscript published: July 30, 2015 (version 1)
- Version of Record published: August 17, 2015 (version 2)
Copyright
© 2015, Verma & Cohen
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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