Affiliation:
1. Robin Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, United States
Abstract
During mammalian embryogenesis, extensive cellular remodeling is needed for tissue morphogenesis. As effectors of cytoskeletal dynamics, Rho GTPases and their regulators are likely involved, but their daunting complexity has hindered progress in dissecting their functions. We overcome this hurdle by employing high throughput in utero RNAi-mediated screening to identify key Rho regulators of skin morphogenesis. Our screen unveiled hitherto unrecognized roles for Rho-mediated cytoskeletal remodeling events that impact hair follicle specification, differentiation, downgrowth and planar cell polarity. Coupling our top hit with gain/loss-of-function genetics, interactome proteomics and tissue imaging, we show that RHOU, an atypical Rho, governs the cytoskeletal-junction dynamics that establish columnar shape and planar cell polarity in epidermal progenitors. Conversely, RHOU downregulation is required to remodel to a conical cellular shape that enables hair bud invagination and downgrowth. Our findings underscore the power of coupling screens with proteomics to unravel the physiological significance of complex gene families.
Funder
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
National Institutes of Health
Human Frontier Science Program
Marie Curie Foundation
Cancer Research Society
Publisher
eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
Subject
General Immunology and Microbiology,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,General Medicine,General Neuroscience
Cited by
10 articles.
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