A transient contractile seam promotes epithelial sealing and sequential assembly of body segments

Amélie L. Godeau (), Miquel Marin-Riera, Elise Trubuil, Svana Rogalla, Guillermo Bengoetxea, Lenka Backová, Thomas Pujol, Julien Colombelli, James Sharpe, Enrique Martin-Blanco and Jérôme Solon ()
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Amélie L. Godeau: The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
Miquel Marin-Riera: European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL Barcelona)
Elise Trubuil: Fundación Biofísica Bizkaia/Biofisika Bizakia Fundazioa (FBB)
Svana Rogalla: Fundación Biofísica Bizkaia/Biofisika Bizakia Fundazioa (FBB)
Guillermo Bengoetxea: Fundación Biofísica Bizkaia/Biofisika Bizakia Fundazioa (FBB)
Lenka Backová: Fundación Biofísica Bizkaia/Biofisika Bizakia Fundazioa (FBB)
Thomas Pujol: The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
Julien Colombelli: The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
James Sharpe: European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL Barcelona)
Enrique Martin-Blanco: Parc Cientific de Barcelona
Jérôme Solon: The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract In embryos, epithelial sealing proceeds with progressive zipping eventually leading to a scar-free epithelium and ensuring the assembly of body segments in insects and neural tube in mammals. How zipping is mechanically controlled to promote tissue fusion on long distances, remains unclear. Combining physical modeling with genetic and mechanical perturbations, we reveal the existence of a transient contractile seam that generates forces to reduce the zipping angle by force balance, consequently promoting epidermal sealing during Drosophila embryogenesis. The seam is formed by the adhesion of two tissues, the epidermis and amnioserosa, and is stabilized by the tensions generated by the segment boundaries. Once a segment is zipped, the seam disassembles concurrently with the inactivation of the Jun kinase pathway. Thus, we show that epithelial sealing is promoted by a transient actomyosin contractile seam allowing sequential segment assembly.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58566-z

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