scholarly journals Cortical Num1p Interacts with the Dynein Intermediate Chain Pac11p and Cytoplasmic Microtubules in Budding Yeast

2001 ◽  
Vol 152 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marian Farkasovsky ◽  
Hans Küntzel

Num1p, a cortical 313-kD protein, controls cytoplasmic microtubule (cMT) functions and nuclear migration through the bud neck in anaphase cells. A green fluorescent protein (GFP)-Num1p fusion protein localizes at the bud tip and the distal mother pole of living cells, apparently forming cMT capture sites at late anaphase. In addition, galactose-induced GFP-Num1p is seen at the bud neck and in lateral regions of the mother cortex. The bud tip location of Num1p depends on Bni1p but does not require Kar9p, Dyn1p, or cMTs, whereas cMT contacts with polar Num1p dots are reduced in cells lacking Dyn1p. Num1p associates with the dynein intermediate chain Pac11p in the presence of Dyn1p, and with the α-tubulin Tub3p, as shown by coimmune precipitation of tagged proteins. Num1p also forms a complex with Bni1p and Kar9p, although Num1p is not required for Bni1p- and Kar9p-dependent nuclear migration to the bud neck in preanaphase cells. Our data suggest that Num1p controls nuclear migration during late anaphase by forming dynein-interacting cortical cMT capture sites at both cellular poles. In addition, Num1p may transiently cooperate with an associated Bni1p–Kar9p complex at the bud tip of early anaphase cells.

2005 ◽  
Vol 168 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Lih Lee ◽  
Michelle A. Kaiser ◽  
John A. Cooper

During mitosis in budding yeast, dynein moves the mitotic spindle into the mother-bud neck. We have proposed an offloading model to explain how dynein works. Dynein is targeted to the dynamic plus end of a cytoplasmic microtubule, offloads to the cortex, becomes anchored and activated, and then pulls on the microtubule. Here, we perform functional studies of dynein intermediate chain (IC) and light intermediate chain (LIC). IC/Pac11 and LIC/Dyn3 are both essential for dynein function, similar to the heavy chain (HC/Dyn1). IC and LIC are targeted to the distal plus ends of dynamic cytoplasmic microtubules, as is HC, and their targeting depends on HC. Targeting of HC to the plus end depends on IC, but not LIC. IC also localizes as stationary dots at the cell cortex, the presumed result of offloading in our model, as does HC, but not LIC. Localization of HC to cortical dots depends on both IC and LIC. Thus, the IC and LIC accessory chains have different but essential roles in dynein function, providing new insight into the offloading model.


2001 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2870-2880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karena A. Kosco ◽  
Chad G. Pearson ◽  
Paul S. Maddox ◽  
Peijing Jeremy Wang ◽  
Ian R. Adams ◽  
...  

Stu2p is a member of a conserved family of microtubule-binding proteins and an essential protein in yeast. Here, we report the first in vivo analysis of microtubule dynamics in cells lacking a member of this protein family. For these studies, we have used a conditional Stu2p depletion strain expressing α-tubulin fused to green fluorescent protein. Depletion of Stu2p leads to fewer and less dynamic cytoplasmic microtubules in both G1 and preanaphase cells. The reduction in cytoplasmic microtubule dynamics is due primarily to decreases in both the catastrophe and rescue frequencies and an increase in the fraction of time microtubules spend pausing. These changes have significant consequences for the cell because they impede the ability of cytoplasmic microtubules to orient the spindle. In addition, recovery of fluorescence after photobleaching indicates that kinetochore microtubules are no longer dynamic in the absence of Stu2p. This deficiency is correlated with a failure to properly align chromosomes at metaphase. Overall, we provide evidence that Stu2p promotes the dynamics of microtubule plus-ends in vivo and that these dynamics are critical for microtubule interactions with kinetochores and cortical sites in the cytoplasm.


1999 ◽  
Vol 144 (5) ◽  
pp. 963-975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita K. Miller ◽  
Dina Matheos ◽  
Mark D. Rose

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, positioning of the mitotic spindle requires both the cytoplasmic microtubules and actin. Kar9p is a novel cortical protein that is required for the correct position of the mitotic spindle and the orientation of the cytoplasmic microtubules. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)– Kar9p localizes to a single spot at the tip of the growing bud and the mating projection. However, the cortical localization of Kar9p does not require microtubules (Miller, R.K., and M.D. Rose. 1998. J. Cell Biol. 140: 377), suggesting that Kar9p interacts with other proteins at the cortex. To investigate Kar9p's cortical interactions, we treated cells with the actin-depolymerizing drug, latrunculin-A. In both shmoos and mitotic cells, Kar9p's cortical localization was completely dependent on polymerized actin. Kar9p localization was also altered by mutations in four genes, spa2Δ, pea2Δ, bud6Δ, and bni1Δ, required for normal polarization and actin cytoskeleton functions and, of these, bni1Δ affected Kar9p localization most severely. Like kar9Δ, bni1Δ mutants exhibited nuclear positioning defects during mitosis and in shmoos. Furthermore, like kar9Δ, the bni1Δ mutant exhibited misoriented cytoplasmic microtubules in shmoos. Genetic analysis placed BNI1 in the KAR9 pathway for nuclear migration. However, analysis of kar9Δ bni1Δ double mutants suggested that Kar9p retained some function in bni1Δ mitotic cells. Unlike the polarization mutants, kar9Δ shmoos had a normal morphology and diploids budded in the correct bipolar pattern. Furthermore, Bni1p localized normally in kar9Δ. We conclude that Kar9p's function is specific for cytoplasmic microtubule orientation and that Kar9p's role in nuclear positioning is to coordinate the interactions between the actin and microtubule networks.


2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 2021-2034 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir P. Efimov ◽  
Jun Zhang ◽  
Xin Xiang

Proteins in the cytoplasmic dynein pathway accumulate at the microtubule plus end, giving the appearance of comets when observed in live cells. The targeting mechanism for NUDF (LIS1/Pac1) of Aspergillus nidulans, a key component of the dynein pathway, has not been clear. Previous studies have demonstrated physical interactions of NUDF/LIS1/Pac1 with both NUDE/NUDEL/Ndl1 and CLIP-170/Bik1. Here, we have identified the A. nidulans CLIP-170 homologue, CLIPA. The clipA deletion did not cause an obvious nuclear distribution phenotype but affected cytoplasmic microtubules in an unexpected manner. Although more microtubules failed to undergo long-range growth toward the hyphal tip at 32°C, those that reached the hyphal tip were less likely to undergo catastrophe. Thus, in addition to acting as a growth-promoting factor, CLIPA also promotes microtubule dynamics. In the absence of CLIPA, green fluorescent protein-labeled cytoplasmic dynein heavy chain, p150Glued dynactin, and NUDF were all seen as plus-end comets at 32°C. However, under the same conditions, deletion of both clipA and nudE almost completely abolished NUDF comets, although nudE deletion itself did not cause a dramatic change in NUDF localization. Based on these results, we suggest that CLIPA and NUDE both recruit NUDF to the microtubule plus end. The plus-end localization of CLIPA itself seems to be regulated by different mechanisms under different physiological conditions. Although the KipA kinesin (Kip2/Tea2 homologue) did not affect plus-end localization of CLIPA at 32°C, it was required for enhancing plus-end accumulation of CLIPA at an elevated temperature (42°C).


2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (22) ◽  
pp. 4856-4870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleonora Rolli ◽  
Enrico Ragni ◽  
Julia Calderon ◽  
Silvia Porello ◽  
Umberto Fascio ◽  
...  

Gas1p is a glucan-elongase that plays a crucial role in yeast morphogenesis. It is predominantly anchored to the plasma membrane through a glycosylphosphatidylinositol, but a fraction was also found covalently bound to the cell wall. We have used fusions with the green fluorescent protein or red fluorescent protein (RFP) to determine its localization. Gas1p was present in microdomains of the plasma membrane, at the mother-bud neck and in the bud scars. By exploiting the instability of RFP-Gas1p, we identified mobile and immobile pools of Gas1p. Moreover, in chs3Δ cells the chitin ring and the cross-linked Gas1p were missing, but this unveiled an additional unexpected localization of Gas1p along the septum line in cells at cytokinesis. Localization of Gas1p was also perturbed in a chs2Δ mutant where a remedial septum is produced. Phenotypic analysis of cells expressing a fusion of Gas1p to a transmembrane domain unmasked new roles of the cell wall-bound Gas1p in the maintenance of the bud neck size and in cell separation. We present evidence that Crh1p and Crh2p are required for tethering Gas1p to the chitin ring and bud scar. These results reveal a new mechanism of protein immobilization at specific sites of the cell envelope.


Development ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 126 (14) ◽  
pp. 3171-3181 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.J. Malone ◽  
W.D. Fixsen ◽  
H.R. Horvitz ◽  
M. Han

Nuclear migrations are essential for metazoan development. Two nuclear migrations that occur during C. elegans development require the function of the unc-84 gene. unc-84 mutants are also defective in the anchoring of nuclei within the hypodermal syncytium and in the migrations of the two distal tip cells of the gonad. Complementation analyses of 17 unc-84 alleles defined two genetically separable functions. Both functions are required for nuclear and distal tip cell migrations, but only one is required for nuclear anchorage. The DNA lesions associated with these 17 mutations indicate that the two genetically defined functions correspond to two distinct regions of the UNC-84 protein. The UNC-84 protein has a predicted transmembrane domain and a C-terminal region with similarity to the S. pombe spindle pole body protein Sad1 and to two predicted mammalian proteins. Analysis of a green fluorescent protein reporter indicated that UNC-84 is widely expressed and localized to the nuclear envelope. We propose that UNC-84 functions to facilitate a nuclear-centrosomal interaction required for nuclear migration and anchorage.


2001 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2614-2628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunrui Du ◽  
Marc Pypaert ◽  
Peter Novick ◽  
Susan Ferro-Novick

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is found at the periphery of the cell and around the nucleus. The segregation of ER through the mother-bud neck may occur by more than one mechanism because perinuclear, but not peripheral ER, requires microtubules for this event. To identify genes whose products are required for cortical ER inheritance, we have used a Tn3-based transposon library to mutagenize cells expressing a green fluorescent protein-tagged ER marker protein (Hmg1p). This approach has revealed that AUX1/SWA2plays a role in ER inheritance. The COOH terminus of Aux1p/Swa2p contains a J-domain that is highly related to the J-domain of auxilin, which stimulates the uncoating of clathrin-coated vesicles. Deletion of the J-domain of Aux1p/Swa2p leads to vacuole fragmentation and membrane accumulation but does not affect the migration of peripheral ER into daughter cells. These findings suggest that Aux1p/Swa2p may be a bifunctional protein with roles in membrane traffic and cortical ER inheritance. In support of this hypothesis, we find that Aux1p/Swa2p localizes to ER membranes.


2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 673-684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Zekert ◽  
Reinhard Fischer

The extremely polarized growth form of filamentous fungi imposes a huge challenge on the cellular transport machinery, because proteins and lipids required for hyphal extension need to be continuously transported to the growing tip. Recently, it was shown that endocytosis is also important for hyphal growth. Here, we found that the Aspergillus nidulans kinesin-3 motor protein UncA transports vesicles and is required for fast hyphal extension. Most surprisingly, UncA-dependent vesicle movement occurred along a subpopulation of microtubules. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled UncArigor decorated a single microtubule, which remained intact during mitosis, whereas other cytoplasmic microtubules were depolymerized. Mitotic spindles were not labeled with GFP-UncArigor but reacted with a specific antibody against tyrosinated α-tubulin. Hence, UncA binds preferentially to detyrosinated microtubules. In contrast, kinesin-1 (conventional kinesin) and kinesin-7 (KipA) did not show a preference for certain microtubules. This is the first example for different microtubule subpopulations in filamentous fungi and the first example for the preference of a kinesin-3 motor for detyrosinated microtubules.


1986 ◽  
Vol 102 (5) ◽  
pp. 1688-1698 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Wordeman ◽  
K L McDonald ◽  
W Z Cande

The cell cycle of the marine centric diatom Stephanopyxis turris consists of a series of spatially and temporally well-ordered events. We have used immunofluorescence microscopy to examine the role of cytoplasmic microtubules in these events. At interphase, microtubules radiate out from the microtubule-organizing center, forming a network around the nucleus and extending much of the length and breadth of the cell. As the cell enters mitosis, this network breaks down and a highly ordered mitotic spindle is formed. Peripheral microtubule bundles radiate out from each spindle pole and swing out and away from the central spindle during anaphase. Treatment of synchronized cells with 2.5 X 10(-8) M Nocodazole reversibly inhibited nuclear migration concurrent with the disappearance of the extensive cytoplasmic microtubule arrays associated with migrating nuclei. Microtubule arrays and mitotic spindles that reformed after the drug was washed out appeared normal. In contrast, cells treated with 5.0 X 10(-8) M Nocodazole were not able to complete nuclear migration after the drug was washed out and the mitotic spindles that formed were multipolar. Normal and multipolar spindles that were displaced toward one end of the cell by the drug treatment had no effect on the plane of division during cytokinesis. The cleavage furrow always bisected the cell regardless of the position of the mitotic spindle, resulting in binucleate/anucleate daughter cells. This suggests that in S. turris, unlike animal cells, the location of the plane of division is cortically determined before mitosis.


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