GCL pruning of PIP3 establishes the soma-germline boundary.
Abstract:
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the first cells specified in the Drosophila embryo and are precursors to the germline. Their formation requires suppression of somatic fates, achieved by degrading the receptor tyrosine kinase Torso at the posterior pole through the ubiquitin ligase adaptor germ cell-less (GCL). Although Torso is known to antagonize PGC formation, the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. Here, we combine optogenetic Ras activation and Ras effector loop mutants to show that Ras suppresses PGC formation independently of the canonical Raf/MEK/ERK pathway. We identify an unexpected early role for Torso in activating phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), generating membrane domains enriched in phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PIP3). Elevated PI3K activity disrupts PGC formation, while reduced PI3K activity creates ectopic PGCs. We demonstrate that GCL remodels the posterior pole membrane by suppressing Torso-dependent PI3K activation. Clearing PIP3 enables myosin II enrichment, allowing for PGC formation. Together, our findings reveal how antagonistic Torso and GCL activities establish the soma-germline boundary by organizing cortical lipids.
