TY - JOUR T1 - Combinatorial patterns of graded RhoA activation and uniform F-actin depletion promote tissue curvature JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/2020.04.15.043893 SP - 2020.04.15.043893 AU - Marlis Denk-Lobnig AU - Natalie C Heer AU - Adam C Martin Y1 - 2020/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/04/16/2020.04.15.043893.abstract N2 - During development, gene expression regulates cell mechanics and shape to sculpt tissues. One example is epithelial folding, which proceeds through distinct cell shape changes that occur in different regions of the tissue. How transcription factors combinatorially coordinate cell shape across a tissue is poorly understood. Here, using Drosophila melanogaster as a model, we investigate how cell shape changes are coordinated to promote tissue bending during gastrulation. By quantifying the multicellular patterns of RhoA activation, F-actin, and myosin-2 and perturbing RhoA activation, we find that Snail and Twist regulate distinct patterns of graded F-actin accumulation and uniform F-actin depletion, which synergize to create zones of high and low F-actin levels within the Drosophila mesoderm. Graded actomyosin results from a gradient in RhoA activation and the width of this zone regulates tissue curvature. Thus, changes in tissue shape are regulated through the choreographed interplay of distinct gene expression patterns.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest. ER -