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Finegan TM, Cammarota C, Mendoza Andrade O, Garoutte AM, Bergstralh DT. Fas2EB112: a tale of two chromosomes. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae047. [PMID: 38447284 PMCID: PMC11075550 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
The cell-cell adhesion molecule Fasciclin II (Fas2) has long been studied for its evolutionarily conserved role in axon guidance. It is also expressed in the follicular epithelium, where together with a similar protein, Neuroglian (Nrg), it helps to drive the reintegration of cells born out of the tissue plane. Remarkably, one Fas2 protein null allele, Fas2G0336, demonstrates a mild reintegration phenotype, whereas work with the classic null allele Fas2EB112 showed more severe epithelial disorganization. These observations raise the question of which allele (if either) causes a bona fide loss of Fas2 protein function. The problem is not only relevant to reintegration but fundamentally important to understanding what this protein does and how it works: Fas2EB112 has been used in at least 37 research articles, and Fas2G0336 in at least three. An obvious solution is that one of the two chromosomes carries a modifier that either suppresses (Fas2G0336) or enhances (Fas2EB112) phenotypic severity. We find not only the latter to be the case, but identify the enhancing mutation as Nrg14, also a classic null allele.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara M Finegan
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65203, USA
| | - Christian Cammarota
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | | | - Audrey M Garoutte
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65203, USA
| | - Dan T Bergstralh
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65203, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
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Finegan TM, Cammarota C, Andrade OM, Garoutte AM, Bergstralh DT. Fas2EB112: A Tale of Two Chromosomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.03.574100. [PMID: 38260405 PMCID: PMC10802346 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.03.574100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The cell-cell adhesion molecule Fasciclin II (Fas2) has long been studied for its evolutionarily-conserved role in axon guidance. It is also expressed in the follicular epithelium, where together with a similar protein, Neuroglian (Nrg), it helps to drive the reintegration of cells born out of the tissue plane. Remarkably, one Fas2 protein null allele, Fas2G0336, demonstrates a mild reintegration phenotype, whereas work with the classic null allele Fas2EB112 showed more severe epithelial disorganization. These observations raise the question of which allele (if either) causes a bona fide loss of Fas2 protein function. The problem is not only relevant to reintegration but fundamentally important to understanding what this protein does and how it works: Fas2EB112 has been used in at least 37 research articles, and Fas2G0336 in at least three. An obvious solution is that one of the two chromosomes carries a modifier that either suppresses (Fas2G0336) or enhances (Fas2EB112) phenotypic severity. We find not only the latter to be the case, but identify the enhancing mutation as Nrg14, also a classic null allele.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara M Finegan
- Departments of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester NY, 14627, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65203, USA
| | - Christian Cammarota
- Departments of Physics & Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester NY, 14627, USA
| | | | - Audrey M Garoutte
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65203, USA
| | - Dan T Bergstralh
- Departments of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester NY, 14627, USA
- Departments of Physics & Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester NY, 14627, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65203, USA
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