Preprint Highlight: Cell adhesions link subcellular actomyosin dynamics to tissue-scale-force production during vertebrate convergent extension.

Abstract

Convergent extension (CE) is a fundamental morphogenetic process where the coming together of cells along one axis causes an extension of the perpendicular axis. CE is driven by actomyosin contractility within individual cells. However, the mechanisms at cell–cell adhesions that transduce these cellular-scale forces to drive tissue-scale changes are not well understood. Combining proteomics, biomechanical, and cell biological approaches, this study identifies a poorly characterized adhesion protein, Arvcf catenin, as a key regulator of CE in Xenopus embryo development. Without Arvcf catenin, recruitment of cell adhesion and cytoskeletal proteins to cell membranes was impaired, ultimately causing failure in organism development. These findings show how reduced cellular-scale-force production causes organism-scale phenotypes, an important question at the intersection of developmental and cellular biomechanics.