Regulation of cell-cell contacts in developing Drosophila eyes by Dsrc41, a new, close relative of vertebrate c-src

In Drosophila, Dsrc64 is considered a unique ortholog of the vertebrate c-src; however, we show evidence to the contrary. The closest relative of vertebrate c-src so far found in Drosophila is not Dsrc64, but Dsrc41, a gene identified for the first time here. In contrast to Dsrc64, overexpression of wild-type Dsrc41 caused little or no appreciable phenotypic change in Drosophila. Both gain-of-function and dominant-negative mutations of Dsrc41 caused the formation of supernumerary R7-type neurons, suppressible by one-dose reduction of boss, sev, Ras1, or other genes involved in the Sev pathway. Dominant-negative mutant phenotypes were suppressed and enhanced, respectively, by increasing and decreasing the copy number of wild-type Dsrc41. Colocalization of Dsrc41 protein, actin fibers and DE-cadherin, and Dsrc41-dependent disorganization of actin fibers and putative adherens junctions in precluster cells suggested that Dsrc41 may be involved in the regulation of cytoskeleton organization and cell-cell contacts in developing ommatidia.