Studying the organisation of living matter
keywords : Drosophila, morphogenesis, tissue growth, cytoskeleton, septins, actin, mechanics
Principal investigators : Loic Le Goff, Manos Mavrakis
– More on Manos Mavrakis research
– More on Loïc Le Goff research
We are interested in how animal cells and tissues generate, maintain and adapt their shape as they grow, divide and reorganize during physiological responses. Our work aims at providing insights into (1) the interplay between the dynamic organization of cytoskeletal filaments and cell shape changes, and (2) the reciprocal links between tissue growth, morphogenesis and tissue mechanics.
We use a variety of model systems ranging from biomimetic systems (in vitro reconstitution of cytoskeleton using purified components) to single cells and developing Drosophila tissues. Our lab pursues a strongly interdisciplinary approach that bridges the molecular, cellular and tissue scales, combining genetics, biochemical and cell biological approaches with cutting-edge biophysical and live imaging approaches developed in the MOSAIC group. Our endeavor relies on strong collaborations with other members of the MOSAIC team to develop new imaging schemes, as well as with soft-matter experimental and theoretical physicists.
Selected publications:
– Septins in animal tissue architecture: more than just peanuts
Debadarshini, Legoff, Mavrakis
Current Opinion in Cell Biology (2025)
DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2025.102525, https://hal.science/hal-04906207v2
– Genetically encoded reporters of actin filament organization in living cells and tissues
Martins, Iv, Kumar Suman, Panagiotou, Sidor, Ruso-López, Plancke, Omi, Pagès, Gomes, Llewellyn, Bandi, Ramond, Arbizzani, Rimoli, Schnorrer, Robin, Wilde, LeGoff, Pedelacq, Jégou, Cabantous, Rincon, Chandre, Brasselet, Mavrakis
Cell 188(9), 2540-2559 (2025)
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.03.003, https://hal.science/hal-04563732v3
– A mechanical transition from tension to buckling underlies the jigsaw puzzle shape morphogenesis of histoblasts in the Drosophila epidermis.
Rigato, Meng, Charles, Runion, Abouakil, Smith, LeGoff PLos Biol (2024)
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002662
– Adaptive scans allow 3D-targeted laser-dissection to probe the mechanics of cell sheets.
Meng, Nuzdhin, Sison, Galland, LeGoff EPJ Plus (2023) https://rdcu.be/dj9Ms
DOI : 10.1140/epjp/s13360-023-04378-3
– Human septins organize as octamer-based filaments and mediate actin-membrane anchoring in cells
Martins, Taveneau, Castro-Linares, Baibakov, Buzhinsky, Eroles, Milanović, Omi, Pagès, Pedelacq, Iv, Bouillard, Llewellyn, Gomes, Belhabib, Kuzmić, l Verdier-Pinard, Lee, Badache, Kumar, Chandre, Brasselet, Rico, Rossier, Koenderink, Wenger, Cabantous, Mavrakis (2023) Journal of Cell Biology 222 (3), e202203016 (2023)
DOI : 10.1083/jcb.202203016, https://hal.science/hal-03588456v2
– Modeling the mechanics of growing epithelia with a bilayer plate theory.
Ackermann, Qu, LeGoff*, Ben Amar EPJ Plus (2022) 137:8.
DOI: 10.1140/epjp/s13360-021-02205-1, https://hal.univ-lorraine.fr/EC-MARSEILLE/hal-03357848v1
– Septin-microtubule association requires a MAP-like motif unique to Sept9 isoform 1 embedded into septin octamers
Kuzmić, Castro Linares, Fialová, Iv, Salaün, Llewellyn, Gomes, Belhabib, Liu, Asano, Rodrigues, Isnardon, Tachibana, Koenderink, Badache, Mavrakis, Verdier-Pinard (2022) Jounal of Cell Science 135(1): jcs.258850
DOI : 10.1242/jcs.258850, https://hal.science/hal-03192486v2
– Insights into animal septins using recombinant human septin octamers with distinct SEPT9 isoforms
Iv, Martins, Castro-Linares, Taveneau, Barbier, Verdier-Pinard, Camoin, Audebert, Tsai, Ramond, Llewellyn, Belhabib, Nakazawa, Di Cicco, Vincentelli, Wenger, Cabantous, Koenderink, Bertin, Mavrakis (2021)
Jounal of Cell Science 134 (15): jcs258484
DOI : 10.1242/jcs.258484, https://hal.science/hal-03119193v1
– Membrane binding controls ordered self-assembly of animal septins
Szuba, A., Bano, F., Iv, F., Mavrakis, M., Richter, R.P., Bertin, A. and Gijsje H. Koenderink (2021) eLife 10:e63349
DOI : 10.7554/eLife.63349 , https://hal.science/hal-03207957v1
– An adaptive microscope for the imaging of biological surfaces.
Abouakil, Meng, Burcklen, Rigneault, Galland*, LeGoff*. Light: science and applications 10, 210 (2021)
DOI: 10.1038/s41377-021-00649-9
