Regulated ligand-independent Notch-signalling during asymmetric cell division in neural precursor cells

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Thomas Klein
• Subject Area: Developmental Biology
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 583912211

The Notch signalling pathway is found in all metazoans and is involved in numerous developmental and homoeostatic processes. It is also involved is asymmetric cell division, which occur in stem and precursor cells. One well-studied paradigm is its role in the asymmetric division of the neural precursor cells in Drosophila. In this process, inhibitory Notch-signalling is used to prevent the neural default fate in one of the nascent daughter cells. In the case of the sensory organ precursor cell (SOP), which gives rise to the four cells of the bristle sensory organ, Notch-signalling is thought to be activated by the ligand Delta (Dl). However, we found that the bristle organ develops normal in the absence of Dl and the other existing ligand Serrate (Ser), but not in absence of the Notch-receptor. Thus, the asymmetric signalling in the sensory organ lineage is a rare example of a developmental process, where Notch is activated in a controlled ligand-independent manner and our analysis identifies a new mechanism that is involved in asymmetric cell division. We will here use the large arsenal of genetic and molecular tools available in Drosophila to reveal the ligand-independent mechanism underlying Notch activation.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants