broad controls leg imaginal disc morphogenesis in Drosophila via regulation of cell shape changes and remodeling of extracellular matrix

Imaginal disc morphogenesis during metamorphosis in Drosophila melanogaster provides an excellent model to uncover molecular mechanisms by which hormonal signals effect physical changes during development. The broad (br) Z2 isoform encodes a transcription factor required for disc morphogenesis in response to 20-hydroxyecdysone, yet how it accomplishes this remains largely unknown. Here, we show that amorphic br5 mutant discs fail to remodel their basal extracellular matrix (ECM) after puparium formation and do not undergo necessary cell shape changes. RNA sequencing of wild type and mutant leg discs identified 717 genes differentially regulated by br; functional studies reveal that several are required for adult leg formation, particularly those involved in remodeling the ECM. Additionally, br Z2 expression is abruptly shut down at the onset of metamorphosis, and expressing it beyond this time results in failure of leg development during the late prepupal and pupal stages. Taken together, our results suggest that br Z2 is required to drive ECM remodeling, change cell shape, and maintain metabolic activity through the mid prepupal stage, but must be switched off to allow expression of pupation genes. Summary StatementThe Drosophila melanogaster ecdysone-responding transcription factor broad controls morphogenetic processes in leg imaginal discs during metamorphosis through regulation of genes involved in extracellular matrix remodeling, metabolism, and cell shape changes and rearrangements.