Wnt11 functions in gastrulation by controlling cell cohesion through Rab5c and E-Cadherin

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Florian Ulrich - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Michael Krieg - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Eva Maria Schötz - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Vinzenz Link - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Irinka Castanon - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Viktor Schnabel - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Anna Taubenberger - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Daniel Mueller - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Pierre Henri Puech - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Carl Philipp Heisenberg - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)

Abstract

Wnt11 plays a central role in tissue morphogenesis during vertebrate gastrulation, but the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which Wnt11 exerts its effects remain poorly understood. Here, we show that Wnt11 functions during zebrafish gastrulation by regulating the cohesion of mesodermal and endodermal (mesendodermal) progenitor cells. Importantly, we demonstrate that Wnt11 activity in this process is mediated by the GTPase Rab5, a key regulator of early endocytosis, as blocking Rab5c activity in wild-type embryos phenocopies slb/wnt11 mutants, and enhancing Rab5c activity in slb/wnt11 mutant embryos rescues the mutant phenotype. In addition, we find that Wnt11 and Rab5c control the endocytosis of E-cadherin and are required in mesendodermal cells for E-cadherin-mediated cell cohesion. Together, our results suggest that Wnt11 controls tissue morphogenesis by modulating E-cadherin-mediated cell cohesion through Rab5c, a novel mechanism of Wnt signaling in gastrulation.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)555-564
Number of pages10
JournalDevelopmental cell
Volume9
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2005
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 16198297