scholarly journals An essential contractile ring protein controls cell division in Plasmodium falciparum

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel M. Rudlaff ◽  
Stephan Kraemer ◽  
Vincent A. Streva ◽  
Jeffrey D. Dvorin
2007 ◽  
Vol 51 (10) ◽  
pp. 3485-3490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica L. Dahl ◽  
Philip J. Rosenthal

ABSTRACT Several classes of antibiotics exert antimalarial activity. The mechanisms of action of antibiotics against malaria parasites have been unclear, and prior studies have led to conflicting results, in part because they studied antibiotics at suprapharmacological concentrations. We examined the antimalarial effects of azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, doxycycline, and rifampin against chloroquine-resistant (W2) and chloroquine-sensitive (3D7) Plasmodium falciparum strains. At clinically relevant concentrations, rifampin killed parasites quickly, preventing them from initiating cell division. In contrast, pharmacological concentrations of azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, and doxycycline were relatively inactive against parasites initially but exerted a delayed death effect, in which the progeny of treated parasites failed to complete erythrocytic development. The drugs that caused delayed death did not alter the distribution of apicoplasts into developing progeny. However, the apicoplasts inherited by the progeny of treated parasites were abnormal. The loss of apicoplast function became apparent as the progeny of antibiotic-treated parasites initiated cell division, with the failure of schizonts to fully mature or for erythrocyte rupture to take place. These findings explain the slow antimalarial action of multiple antibiotics.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 992-1007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary T. Swider ◽  
Rachel K. Ng ◽  
Ramya Varadarajan ◽  
Carey J. Fagerstrom ◽  
Nasser M. Rusan

Cell division is critical for development, organ growth, and tissue repair. The later stages of cell division include the formation of the microtubule (MT)-rich central spindle in anaphase, which is required to properly define the cell equator, guide the assembly of the acto-myosin contractile ring and ultimately ensure complete separation and isolation of the two daughter cells via abscission. Much is known about the molecular machinery that forms the central spindle, including proteins needed to generate the antiparallel overlapping interzonal MTs. One critical protein that has garnered great attention is the protein regulator of cytokinesis 1, or Fascetto (Feo) in Drosophila, which forms a homodimer to cross-link interzonal MTs, ensuring proper central spindle formation and cytokinesis. Here, we report on a new direct protein interactor and regulator of Feo we named Feo interacting protein (FIP). Loss of FIP results in a reduction in Feo localization, rapid disassembly of interzonal MTs, and several defects related to cytokinesis failure, including polyploidization of neural stem cells. Simultaneous reduction in Feo and FIP results in very large, tumorlike DNA-filled masses in the brain that contain hundreds of centrosomes. In aggregate, our data show that FIP acts directly on Feo to ensure fully accurate cell division.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 753-762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana M. Alessi Wolken ◽  
Joseph McInnes ◽  
Liza A. Pon

Whereas actomyosin and septin ring organization and function in cytokinesis are thoroughly described, little is known regarding the mechanisms by which the actomyosin ring interacts with septins and associated proteins to coordinate cell division. Here we show that the protein product of YPL158C, Aim44p, undergoes septin-dependent recruitment to the site of cell division. Aim44p colocalizes with Myo1p, the type II myosin of the contractile ring, throughout most of the cell cycle. The Aim44p ring does not contract when the actomyosin ring closes. Instead, it forms a double ring that associates with septin rings on mother and daughter cells after cell separation. Deletion of AIM44 results in defects in contractile ring closure. Aim44p coimmunoprecipitates with Hof1p, a conserved F-BAR protein that binds both septins and type II myosins and promotes contractile ring closure. Deletion of AIM44 results in a delay in Hof1p phosphorylation and altered Hof1p localization. Finally, overexpression of Dbf2p, a kinase that phosphorylates Hof1p and is required for relocalization of Hof1p from septin rings to the contractile ring and for Hof1p-triggered contractile ring closure, rescues the cytokinesis defect observed in aim44∆ cells. Our studies reveal a novel role for Aim44p in regulating contractile ring closure through effects on Hof1p.


2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (16) ◽  
pp. 3646-3659 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Adam Bohnert ◽  
Jun-Song Chen ◽  
Dawn M. Clifford ◽  
Craig W. Vander Kooi ◽  
Kathleen L. Gould

The chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) regulates various events in cell division. This complex is composed of a catalytic subunit, Aurora B kinase, and three nonenzymatic subunits, INCENP, Survivin, and Borealin. Together, these four subunits interdependently regulate CPC function, and they are highly conserved among eukaryotes. However, a Borealin homologue has never been characterized in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe . Here, we isolate a previously uncharacterized S. pombe protein through association with the Cdc14 phosphatase homologue, Clp1/Flp1, and identify it as a Borealin-like member of the CPC. Nbl1 (novel Borealin-like 1) physically associates with known CPC components, affects the kinase activity and stability of the S. pombe Aurora B homologue, Ark1, colocalizes with known CPC subunits during mitosis, and shows sequence similarity to human Borealin. Further analysis of the Clp1–Nbl1 interaction indicates that Clp1 requires CPC activity for proper accumulation at the contractile ring (CR). Consistent with this, we describe negative genetic interactions between mutant alleles of CPC and CR components. Thus, this study characterizes a fission yeast Borealin homologue and reveals a previously unrecognized connection between the CPC and the process of cytokinesis in S. pombe .


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Swain Sumedha ◽  
A. V. A Kumar

AbstractUnderstanding the mechanisms responsible for dynamics of theZ-ring is important for our understanding of cell division in prokaryotic cells. In this work, we present a minimal stochastic model that qualititatively reproduces observations of polymerization, of formation of dynamic contractile ring that is stable for a long time and of depolymerization shown by FtsZ polymer. We explore different mechanisms for ring breaking and hydrolysis. Hydrolysis is known to regulate the dynamics of other tubulin polymers like microtubules. We find that the presence of the ring allows for an additional mechanism for regulating the dynamics of FtsZ polymers. Ring breaking dynamics in the presence of hydrolysis naturally induce rescue and catastrophe events, irrespective of the mechanism of hydrolysis. Based on our model, we conclude that theZ-ring undergoes random breaking and closing during the process of cell division.


1987 ◽  
Vol 105 (6) ◽  
pp. 2811-2816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y L Wang

Filamentous actin in living cultured cells was labeled by microinjecting trace amounts of rhodamine-phalloidin (rh-pha) as a specific, high-affinity probe. The microinjection caused no detectable effect on cell morphology or cell division. The distribution of rh-pha-labeled filaments was then examined in dividing cells using image-intensified fluorescence microscopy, and the exchangeability of labeled filaments along stress fibers was studied during interphase using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. rh-pha showed a rapid concentration at the contractile ring during cell division. In addition, recovery of fluorescence after photobleaching occurred along stress fibers with a halftime as short as 8 min. These observations suggest that at least some actin filaments undergo continuous movement and reorganization in living cells. This dynamic process may play an important role in various cellular functions.


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