Drosophila Gp150 is required for early ommatidial development through modulation of Notch signaling

Cellular signaling activities must be tightly regulated for proper cell fate control and tissue morphogenesis. Here we report that the Drosophila leucine-rich repeat transmembrane glycoprotein Gp150 is required for viability, fertility and development of the eye, wing and sensory organs. In the eye, Gp150 plays a critical role in regulating early ommatidial formation. Gp150 is highly expressed in cells of the morphogenetic furrow (MF) region, where it accumulates exclusively in intracellular vesicles in an endocytosis-independent manner. Loss of gp150 function causes defects in the refinement of photoreceptor R8 cells and recruitment of other cells, which leads to the formation of aberrant ommatidia. Genetic analyses suggest that Gp150 functions to modulate Notch signaling. Consistent with this notion, Gp150 is co-localized with Delta in intracellular vesicles in cells within the MF region and loss of gp150 function causes accumulation of intracellular Delta protein. Therefore, Gp150 might function in intracellular vesicles to modulate Delta-Notch signaling for cell fate control and tissue morphogenesis.