Abstract

Cell competition is a process, during which a fitter cell population outcompetes a population of neighbouring weaker cells, through their elimination or growth rate regulation. Despite discovery 35 years ago our knowledge about the molecular mechanisms governing cell competition is very limited. In particular little is known about the mechanism that earmarks weaker cells as losers and about the initial signals that trigger cell competition. In order to identify the molecular signature of loser cells in Drosophila wing discs we used a transcriptional profiling approach. We generated and analysed RNAseq data for different loser mutants (different Minute mutations and mahj) and winner population (wt cells). Surprisingly two different types of cell competition (induced by Minute and mahj mutations) have very similar transcriptional profiles. As this signature might be directly involved in cell competition, we will investigate this issue further and determine which of the processes determine the loser identity of a cell.