RhoGAP68F controls transport of adhesion proteins in Rab4 endosomes to modulate epithelial morphogenesis of Drosophila leg discs

The RhoGAP68F protein forms a complex with the Rab4 protein and localizes to Rab4 endosome. In turn, RhoGAP68F inhibits the direct return of Fasciclin 3, E-cadherin and possibly other adhesion proteins back to the cell surface from sorting endosomes. We provide evidence that in this manner RhoGAP68F decreases the strength of adhesive cell-cell contacts to facilitate epithelial remodeling during early prepupal stages. Rab5 marks early endosomes, Rab7, late endosomes, MVB - multi-vesicular bodies.155