scholarly journals Nuclear-capture of endosomes depletes nuclear G-actin to promote SRF/MRTF activation and cancer cell invasion

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergi Marco ◽  
Matthew Neilson ◽  
Madeleine Moore ◽  
Arantxa Perez-Garcia ◽  
Holly Hall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Import ◽  
Tyrosine Kinases ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Serum Response Factor ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Cell Scattering ◽  
Nuclear Localisation Sequence ◽  
Related Transcription Factor ◽  
Endosomal System ◽  
Serum Response

AbstractSignals are relayed from receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) at the cell surface to effector systems in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and coordination of this process is important for the execution of migratory phenotypes, such as cell scattering and invasion. The endosomal system influences how RTK signalling is coded, but the ways in which it transmits these signals to the nucleus to influence gene expression are not yet clear. Here we show that hepatocyte growth factor, an activator of MET (an RTK), promotes Rab17- and clathrin-dependent endocytosis of EphA2, another RTK, followed by centripetal transport of EphA2-positive endosomes. EphA2 then mediates physical capture of endosomes on the outer surface of the nucleus; a process involving interaction between the nuclear import machinery and a nuclear localisation sequence in EphA2’s cytodomain. Nuclear capture of EphA2 promotes RhoG-dependent phosphorylation of the actin-binding protein, cofilin to oppose nuclear import of G-actin. The resulting depletion of nuclear G-actin drives transcription of Myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF)/serum-response factor (SRF)-target genes to implement cell scattering and the invasive behaviour of cancer cells.

scholarly journals Nuclear-capture of endosomes drives depletion of nuclear G-actin to promote SRF/MRTF gene expression and cancer cell invasiveness

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergi Marco ◽  
Matthew Neilson ◽  
Madeleine Moore ◽  
Arantxa Pérez-García ◽  
Holly Hall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Nuclear Import ◽  
Tyrosine Kinases ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Serum Response Factor ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Cell Scattering ◽  
Nuclear Localisation Sequence ◽  
Related Transcription Factor ◽  
Cell Invasiveness

Abstract Signals are relayed from receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) at the cell surface to effector systems in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and coordination of this process is important for the execution of migratory phenotypes, such as cell scattering and invasion. The endosomal system influences how RTK signalling is coded, but the ways in which it transmits these signals to the nucleus to influence gene expression are not yet clear. Here we show that an RTK, cMET promotes Rab17-dependent endocytosis of EphA2, another RTK, followed by centripetal transport of EphA2-positive endosomes. EphA2 then mediates physical capture of endosomes on the outer surface of the nucleus; a process involving interaction between the nuclear import machinery and a nuclear localisation sequence in EphA2’s cytodomain. Nuclear capture of EphA2 promotes RhoG-dependent phosphorylation of the actin-binding protein, cofilin to oppose nuclear import of G-actin. The resulting depletion of nuclear G-actin drives transcription of Myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF)/serum-response factor (SRF)-target genes to implement cell scattering and the invasive behaviour of cancer cells.

scholarly journals Myocardin-Related Transcription Factor A Activation by Competition with WH2 Domain Proteins for Actin Binding

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 1526-1539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Weissbach ◽  
Franziska Schikora ◽  
Anja Weber ◽  
Michael Kessels ◽  
Guido Posern
Keyword(s):  
Serum Response Factor ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Serum Stimulation ◽  
Competitive Mechanism ◽  
Related Transcription Factor ◽  
Simultaneous Inhibition ◽  
Serum Response

The myocardin-related transcription factors (MRTFs) are coactivators of serum response factor (SRF)-mediated gene expression. Activation of MRTF-A occurs in response to alterations in actin dynamics and critically requires the dissociation of repressive G-actin–MRTF-A complexes. However, the mechanism leading to the release of MRTF-A remains unclear. Here we show that WH2 domains compete directly with MRTF-A for actin binding. Actin nucleation-promoting factors, such as N-WASP and WAVE2, as well as isolated WH2 domains, including those of Spire2 and Cobl, activate MRTF-A independently of changes in actin dynamics. Simultaneous inhibition of Arp2-Arp3 or mutation of the CA region only partially reduces MRTF-A activation by N-WASP and WAVE2. Recombinant WH2 domains and the RPEL domain of MRTF-A bind mutually exclusively to cellular and purified G-actinin vitro. The competition by different WH2 domains correlates with MRTF-SRF activation. Following serum stimulation, nonpolymerizable actin dissociates from MRTF-A, andde novoformation of the G-actin–RPEL complex is impaired by a transferable factor. Our work demonstrates that WH2 domains activate MRTF-A and contribute to target gene regulation by a competitive mechanism, independently of their role in actin filament formation.

scholarly journals Lamina-associated polypeptide 2α is required for intranuclear MRTF-A activity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekaterina Sidorenko ◽  
Maria Sokolova ◽  
Antti Pennanen ◽  
Salla Kyheroinen ◽  
Guido Posern ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Target Genes ◽  
Serum Response Factor ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Chromatin Binding ◽  
Binding Partner ◽  
Related Transcription Factor ◽  
Direct Binding ◽  
Efficient Expression ◽  
Serum Response

Myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A), a coactivator of serum response factor (SRF), regulates the expression of many cytoskeletal genes in response to cytoplasmic and nuclear actin dynamics. Here we describe a novel mechanism to regulate MRTF-A activity within the nucleus by showing that lamina-associated polypeptide 2α (Lap2α), the nucleoplasmic isoform of Lap2, is a direct binding partner of MRTF-A, and required for the efficient expression of MRTF-A/SRF target genes. Mechanistically, Lap2α is not required for MRTF-A nuclear localization, unlike most other MRTF-A regulators, but is required for binding of MRTF-A to its target genes. This regulatory step takes place prior to MRTF-A chromatin binding, because Lap2α neither interacts with, nor specifically influences active histone marks on MRTF-A/SRF target genes. Phenotypically, Lap2α is required for serum-induced cell migration, and deregulated MRTF-A activity may also contribute to muscle and proliferation phenotypes associated with loss of Lap2α. Our studies therefore add another regulatory layer to the control of MRTF-A-SRF-mediated gene expression, and broaden the role of Lap2α in transcriptional regulation.

scholarly journals Dystrophin regulates peripheral circadian SRF signalling

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinne A Betts ◽  
Aarti Jagannath ◽  
Tirsa van Westering ◽  
Melissa Bowerman ◽  
Subhashis Banerjee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Target Genes ◽  
Serum Response Factor ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Peripheral Tissues ◽  
Downstream Target ◽  
Actin Binding Domain ◽  
Muscle Wasting Disease ◽  
Dystrophin Protein ◽  
First Time ◽  
Serum Response

Dystrophin is a sarcolemmal protein essential for muscle contraction and maintenance, absence of which leads to the devastating muscle wasting disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Dystrophin has an actin-binding domain, which specifically binds and stabilises filamentous (F)-actin, an integral component of the RhoA-actin-serum response factor (SRF)-pathway. The RhoA-actin-SRF-pathway plays an essential role in circadian signalling whereby the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus, transmits systemic cues to peripheral tissues, activating SRF and transcription of clock target genes. Given dystrophin binds F-actin and disturbed SRF-signalling disrupts clock entrainment, we hypothesised that dystrophin loss causes circadian deficits. Here we show for the first time alterations in the RhoA-actin-SRF-signalling-pathway, in both dystrophin-deficient myotubes and dystrophic mouse models. Specifically, we demonstrate reduced F/G-actin ratios and nuclear MRTF, dysregulation of core clock and downstream target-genes, and down-regulation of key circadian genes in muscle biopsies from DMD patients harbouring an array of mutations. Further, disrupted circadian locomotor behaviour was observed in dystrophic mice indicative of disrupted SCN signalling, and indeed dystrophin protein was absent in the SCN of dystrophic animals. Dystrophin is thus a critically important component of the RhoA-actin-SRF-pathway and a novel mediator of circadian signalling in peripheral tissues, loss of which leads to circadian dysregulation.

scholarly journals Dystrophin involvement in peripheral circadian SRF signalling

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. e202101014
Author(s):  
Corinne A Betts ◽  
Aarti Jagannath ◽  
Tirsa LE van Westering ◽  
Melissa Bowerman ◽  
Subhashis Banerjee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Target Genes ◽  
Serum Response Factor ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Peripheral Tissues ◽  
Downstream Target ◽  
Actin Binding Domain ◽  
Muscle Wasting Disease ◽  
First Time ◽  
Serum Response ◽  
Muscle Biopsies

Absence of dystrophin, an essential sarcolemmal protein required for muscle contraction, leads to the devastating muscle-wasting disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Dystrophin has an actin-binding domain, which binds and stabilises filamentous-(F)-actin, an integral component of the RhoA-actin-serum-response-factor-(SRF) pathway. This pathway plays a crucial role in circadian signalling, whereby the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) transmits cues to peripheral tissues, activating SRF and transcription of clock-target genes. Given dystrophin binds F-actin and disturbed SRF-signalling disrupts clock entrainment, we hypothesised dystrophin loss causes circadian deficits. We show for the first time alterations in the RhoA-actin-SRF-signalling pathway, in dystrophin-deficient myotubes and dystrophic mouse models. Specifically, we demonstrate reduced F/G-actin ratios, altered MRTF levels, dysregulated core-clock and downstream target-genes, and down-regulation of key circadian genes in muscle biopsies from Duchenne patients harbouring an array of mutations. Furthermore, we show dystrophin is absent in the SCN of dystrophic mice which display disrupted circadian locomotor behaviour, indicative of disrupted SCN signalling. Therefore, dystrophin is an important component of the RhoA-actin-SRF pathway and novel mediator of circadian signalling in peripheral tissues, loss of which leads to circadian dysregulation.

scholarly journals RPEL Motifs Link the Serum Response Factor Cofactor MAL but Not Myocardin to Rho Signaling via Actin Binding

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 732-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Guettler ◽  
Maria K. Vartiainen ◽  
Francesc Miralles ◽  
Banafshe Larijani ◽  
Richard Treisman
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Family Member ◽  
Serum Response Factor ◽  
Rho Gtpase ◽  
Nucleocytoplasmic Transport ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Response Factor ◽  
Nucleocytoplasmic Shuttling ◽  
Related Transcription Factor ◽  
Serum Response

ABSTRACT Myocardin (MC) family proteins are transcriptional coactivators for serum response factor (SRF). Each family member possesses a conserved N-terminal region containing three RPEL motifs (the “RPEL domain”). MAL/MKL1/myocardin-related transcription factor A is cytoplasmic, accumulating in the nucleus upon activation of Rho GTPase signaling, which alters interactions between G-actin and the RPEL domain. We demonstrate that MC, which is nuclear, does not shuttle through the cytoplasm and that the contrasting nucleocytoplasmic shuttling properties of MAL and MC are defined by their RPEL domains. We show that the MAL RPEL domain binds actin more avidly than that of MC and that the RPEL motif itself is an actin-binding element. RPEL1 and RPEL2 of MC bind actin weakly compared with those of MAL, while RPEL3 is of comparable and low affinity in the two proteins. Actin binding by all three motifs is required for MAL regulation. The differing behaviors of MAL and MC are specified by the RPEL1-RPEL2 unit, while RPEL3 can be exchanged between them. We propose that differential actin occupancy of multiple RPEL motifs regulates nucleocytoplasmic transport and activity of MAL.

scholarly journals The nature and intensity of mechanical stimulation drive different dynamics of MRTF-A nuclear redistribution after actin remodeling in myoblasts

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorraine Montel ◽  
Athanassia Sotiropoulos ◽  
Sylvie Hénon
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Stimulation ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Serum Response Factor ◽  
Magnetic Tweezers ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Nuclear Accumulation ◽  
Related Transcription Factor ◽  
Global Increase ◽  
Serum Response

AbstractSerum response factor and its cofactor myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF) are key elements of muscle-mass adaptation to workload. The transcription of target genes is activated when MRTF is present in the nucleus. The localization of MRTF is controlled by its binding to G-actin. Thus, the pathway can be mechanically activated through the mechanosensitivity of the actin cytoskeleton. The pathway has been widely investigated from a biochemical point of view, but its mechanical activation and the timescales involved are poorly understood. Here, we applied local and global mechanical cues to myoblasts through two custom-built set-ups, magnetic tweezers and stretchable substrates. Both induced nuclear accumulation of MRTF-A. However, the dynamics of the response varied with the nature and level of mechanical stimulation and correlated with the polymerization of different actin sub-structures. Local repeated force induced local actin polymerization and nuclear accumulation of MRTF-A by 30 minutes, whereas a global static strain induced both rapid (minutes) transient nuclear accumulation, associated with the polymerization of an actin cap above the nucleus, and long-term (hours) accumulation, with a global increase in polymerized actin. Conversely, high strain induced actin depolymerization at intermediate times, associated with cytoplasmic MRTF accumulation.

scholarly journals Enhancement of mDia2 activity by Rho-kinase-dependent phosphorylation of the diaphanous autoregulatory domain

2011 ◽  
Vol 439 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dean P. Staus ◽  
Joan M. Taylor ◽  
Christopher P. Mack
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Serum Response Factor ◽  
Rho Kinase ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Related Transcription Factor ◽  
Inhibitory Domain ◽  
Serum Response ◽  
Acidic Region ◽  
Basic Region

It is clear that RhoA activates the DRF (diaphanous-related formin) mDia2 by disrupting the molecular interaction between the DAD (diaphanous autoregulatory domain) and the DID (diaphanous inhibitory domain). Previous studies indicate that a basic motif within the DAD contributes to mDia2 auto-inhibition, and results shown in the present study suggest these residues bind a conserved acidic region within the DID. Furthermore, we demonstrate that mDia2 is phosphorylated by ROCK (Rho-kinase) at two conserved residues (Thr1061 and Ser1070) just C-terminal to the DAD basic region. Phosphomimetic mutations to these residues in the context of the full-length molecule enhanced mDia2 activity as measured by increased actin polymerization, SRF (serum response factor)-dependent smooth muscle-specific gene transcription, and nuclear localization of myocardin-related transcription factor B. Biochemical and functional data indicate that the T1061E/S1070E mutation significantly inhibited the ability of DAD to interact with DID and enhanced mDia2 activation by RhoA. Taken together, the results of the present study indicate that ROCK-dependent phosphorylation of the mDia2 DAD is an important determinant of mDia2 activity and that this signalling mechanism affects actin polymerization and smooth muscle cell-specific gene expression.

scholarly journals MRTFA augments megakaryocyte maturation by enhancing the SRF regulatory axis

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (20) ◽  
pp. 2691-2703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur-Taz Rahman ◽  
Vincent P. Schulz ◽  
Lin Wang ◽  
Patrick G. Gallagher ◽  
Oleg Denisenko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Serum Response Factor ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
Binding Motifs ◽  
Ets Proteins ◽  
Human Cd34 ◽  
Genomic Association ◽  
Hel Cells ◽  
Related Transcription Factor

Abstract Serum response factor (SRF) is a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor that binds DNA at CArG (CC[A/T]6GG) domains in association with myocardin-family proteins (eg, myocardin-related transcription factor A [MRTFA]) or the ternary complex factor family of E26 transformation-specific (ETS) proteins. In primary hematopoietic cells, knockout of either SRF or MRTFA decreases megakaryocyte (Mk) maturation causing thrombocytopenia. The human erythroleukemia (HEL) cell line mimics the effects of MRTFA on Mk maturation, and MRTFA overexpression (MRTFAOE) in HEL cells enhances megakaryopoiesis. To identify the mechanisms underlying these effects, we performed integrated analyses of anti-SRF chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and RNA-sequencing data from noninduced and phorbol ester (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate [TPA])–induced HEL cells, with and without MRTFAOE. We found that 11% of genes were upregulated with TPA induction, which was enhanced by MRTFAOE, resulting in an upregulation of 25% of genes. MRTFAOE increased binding of SRF to genomic sites and enhanced TPA-induced expression of SRF target genes. The TPA-induced genes are predicted to be regulated by SRF and ETS factors, whereas those upregulated by TPA plus MRTFAOE lack ETS binding motifs, and MRTFAOE skews SRF binding to genomic regions with CArG sites in regions relatively lacking in ETS binding motifs. Finally, ChIP–polymerase chain reaction using HEL cells and primary human CD34+ cell–derived subpopulations confirms that both SRF and MRTFA have increased binding during megakaryopoiesis at upregulated target genes (eg, CORO1A). We show for the first time that MRTFA increases both the genomic association and activity of SRF and upregulates genes that enhance primary human megakaryopoiesis.

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