ERK synchronizes embryonic cleavages in Drosophila

Extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling controls development and homeostasis and is genetically deregulated in human diseases, including neurocognitive disorders and cancers. Although the list of ERK functions is vast and steadily growing, the full spectrum of processes controlled by any specific ERK activation event remains unknown. Here, we show how ERK functions can be systematically identified using targeted perturbations and global readouts of ERK activation. Our experimental model is the Drosophila embryo, where ERK signaling at the embryonic poles has thus far only been associated with the transcriptional patterning of the future larva. Through a combination of live imaging and phosphoproteomics, we demonstrated that ERK activation at the poles is also critical for maintaining the speed and synchrony of embryonic cleavages. The presented approach to interrogating phosphorylation networks identifies a hidden function of a well-studied signaling event and sets the stage for similar studies in other organisms.