Hanqing Guo

My research has been focusing on the mechanics in Drosophila embryogenesis. Specifically, using Drosophila ventral furrow formation (gastrulation) as a model system, I study how tissue mechanics contribute to furrow formation during development. We has developed an optogenetic system to acutely inhibit RhoA, which inhibits myosin as well as actin, and I found mesoderm tissue is mechanically bistable during mesoderm invagination. I further discovered that compression, which possibly generated from surrounding tissue, contributes to the completion of the furrow. It has been difficult to study maternal deposited essential proteins like RhoA in early embryogenesis, however, with this optogenetic tool, we are able to more precisely dissect the role of RhoA during early fly embryo development.