scholarly journals The novel proteins Rng8 and Rng9 regulate the myosin-V Myo51 during fission yeast cytokinesis

2014 ◽  
Vol 205 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Wang ◽  
Libera Lo Presti ◽  
Yi-Hua Zhu ◽  
Minhee Kang ◽  
Zhengrong Wu ◽  
...  

The myosin-V family of molecular motors is known to be under sophisticated regulation, but our knowledge of the roles and regulation of myosin-Vs in cytokinesis is limited. Here, we report that the myosin-V Myo51 affects contractile ring assembly and stability during fission yeast cytokinesis, and is regulated by two novel coiled-coil proteins, Rng8 and Rng9. Both rng8Δ and rng9Δ cells display similar defects as myo51Δ in cytokinesis. Rng8 and Rng9 are required for Myo51’s localizations to cytoplasmic puncta, actin cables, and the contractile ring. Myo51 puncta contain multiple Myo51 molecules and walk continuously on actin filaments in rng8+ cells, whereas Myo51 forms speckles containing only one dimer and does not move efficiently on actin tracks in rng8Δ. Consistently, Myo51 transports artificial cargos efficiently in vivo, and this activity is regulated by Rng8. Purified Rng8 and Rng9 form stable higher-order complexes. Collectively, we propose that Rng8 and Rng9 form oligomers and cluster multiple Myo51 dimers to regulate Myo51 localization and functions.

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph E. Clayton ◽  
Luther W. Pollard ◽  
Maria Sckolnick ◽  
Carol S. Bookwalter ◽  
Alex R. Hodges ◽  
...  

A hallmark of class-V myosins is their processivity—the ability to take multiple steps along actin filaments without dissociating. Our previous work suggested, however, that the fission yeast myosin-V (Myo52p) is a nonprocessive motor whose activity is enhanced by tropomyosin (Cdc8p). Here we investigate the molecular mechanism and physiological relevance of tropomyosin-mediated regulation of Myo52p transport, using a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches. Single molecules of Myo52p, visualized by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, moved processively only when Cdc8p was present on actin filaments. Small ensembles of Myo52p bound to a quantum dot, mimicking the number of motors bound to physiological cargo, also required Cdc8p for continuous motion. Although a truncated form of Myo52p that lacked a cargo-binding domain failed to support function in vivo, it still underwent actin-dependent movement to polarized growth sites. This result suggests that truncated Myo52p lacking cargo, or single molecules of wild-type Myo52p with small cargoes, can undergo processive movement along actin-Cdc8p cables in vivo. Our findings outline a mechanism by which tropomyosin facilitates sorting of transport to specific actin tracks within the cell by switching on myosin processivity.


2010 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 989-1000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin C. Stark ◽  
Thomas E. Sladewski ◽  
Luther W. Pollard ◽  
Matthew Lord

Myosin-II (Myo2p) and tropomyosin are essential for contractile ring formation and cytokinesis in fission yeast. Here we used a combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches to understand how these proteins function at contractile rings. We find that ring assembly is delayed in Myo2p motor and tropomyosin mutants, but occurs prematurely in cells engineered to express two copies of myo2. Thus, the timing of ring assembly responds to changes in Myo2p cellular levels and motor activity, and the emergence of tropomyosin-bound actin filaments. Doubling Myo2p levels suppresses defects in ring assembly associated with a tropomyosin mutant, suggesting a role for tropomyosin in maximizing Myo2p function. Correspondingly, tropomyosin increases Myo2p actin affinity and ATPase activity and promotes Myo2p-driven actin filament gliding in motility assays. Tropomyosin achieves this by favoring the strong actin-bound state of Myo2p. This mode of regulation reflects a role for tropomyosin in specifying and stabilizing actomyosin interactions, which facilitates contractile ring assembly in the fission yeast system.


2003 ◽  
Vol 161 (5) ◽  
pp. 875-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Kovar ◽  
Jeffrey R. Kuhn ◽  
Andrea L. Tichy ◽  
Thomas D. Pollard

Cytokinesis in most eukaryotes requires the assembly and contraction of a ring of actin filaments and myosin II. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe requires the formin Cdc12p and profilin (Cdc3p) early in the assembly of the contractile ring. The proline-rich formin homology (FH) 1 domain binds profilin, and the FH2 domain binds actin. Expression of a construct consisting of the Cdc12 FH1 and FH2 domains complements a conditional mutant of Cdc12 at the restrictive temperature, but arrests cells at the permissive temperature. Cells overexpressing Cdc12(FH1FH2)p stop growing with excessive actin cables but no contractile rings. Like capping protein, purified Cdc12(FH1FH2)p caps the barbed end of actin filaments, preventing subunit addition and dissociation, inhibits end to end annealing of filaments, and nucleates filaments that grow exclusively from their pointed ends. The maximum yield is one filament pointed end per six formin polypeptides. Profilins that bind both actin and poly-l-proline inhibit nucleation by Cdc12(FH1FH2)p, but polymerization of monomeric actin is faster, because the filaments grow from their barbed ends at the same rate as uncapped filaments. On the other hand, Cdc12(FH1FH2)p blocks annealing even in the presence of profilin. Thus, formins are profilin-gated barbed end capping proteins with the ability to initiate actin filaments from actin monomers bound to profilin. These properties explain why contractile ring assembly requires both formin and profilin and why viability depends on the ability of profilin to bind both actin and poly-l-proline.


2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 2208-2219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Yonetani ◽  
Raymond J. Lustig ◽  
James B. Moseley ◽  
Tetsuya Takeda ◽  
Bruce L. Goode ◽  
...  

Formins are conserved actin nucleators which promote the assembly of actin filaments for the formation of diverse actin structures. In fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the formin cdc12p is required specifically in assembly of the actin-based contractile ring during cytokinesis. Here, using a mutational analysis of cdc12p, we identify regions of cdc12p responsible for ring assembly and localization. Profilin-binding residues of the FH1 domain regulate actin assembly and processive barbed-end capping by the FH2 domain. Studies using photobleaching (FRAP) and sensitivity to latrunculin A treatment show that profilin binding modulates the rapid dynamics of actin and cdc12p within the ring in vivo. Visualized by functional GFP-fusion constructs expressed from the endogenous promoter, cdc12p appears in a small number of cytoplasmic motile spot structures that deliver the formin to the ring assembly site, without detectable formation of an intermediate band of “nodes.” The FH3/DID region directs interphase spot localization, while an N-terminal region and the FH1-FH2 domains of cdc12p can target its localization to the ring. Mutations in putative DID and DAD regions do not alter regulation, suggesting that cdc12p is not regulated by a canonical autoinhibition mechanism. Our findings provide insights into the regulation of formin activity and the mechanisms of contractile ring dynamics and assembly.


2012 ◽  
Vol 199 (5) ◽  
pp. 831-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junqi Huang ◽  
Yinyi Huang ◽  
Haochen Yu ◽  
Dhivya Subramanian ◽  
Anup Padmanabhan ◽  
...  

In many eukaryotes, cytokinesis requires the assembly and constriction of an actomyosin-based contractile ring. Despite the central role of this ring in cytokinesis, the mechanism of F-actin assembly and accumulation in the ring is not fully understood. In this paper, we investigate the mechanism of F-actin assembly during cytokinesis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe using lifeact as a probe to monitor actin dynamics. Previous work has shown that F-actin in the actomyosin ring is assembled de novo at the division site. Surprisingly, we find that a significant fraction of F-actin in the ring was recruited from formin-Cdc12p nucleated long actin cables that were generated at multiple nonmedial locations and incorporated into the ring by a combination of myosin II and myosin V activities. Our results, together with findings in animal cells, suggest that de novo F-actin assembly at the division site and directed transport of F-actin cables assembled elsewhere can contribute to ring assembly.


2016 ◽  
Vol 214 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Tang ◽  
Neil Billington ◽  
Elena B. Krementsova ◽  
Carol S. Bookwalter ◽  
Matthew Lord ◽  
...  

Myo51, a class V myosin in fission yeast, localizes to and assists in the assembly of the contractile ring, a conserved eukaryotic actomyosin structure that facilitates cytokinesis. Rng8 and Rng9 are binding partners that dictate the cellular localization and function of Myo51. Myo51 was expressed in insect cells in the presence or absence of Rng8/9. Surprisingly, electron microscopy of negatively stained images and hydrodynamic measurements showed that Myo51 is single headed, unlike most class V myosins. When Myo51–Rng8/9 was bound to actin-tropomyosin, two attachment sites were observed: the typical ATP-dependent motor domain attachment and a novel ATP-independent binding of the tail mediated by Rng8/9. A modified motility assay showed that this additional binding site anchors Myo51–Rng8/9 so that it can cross-link and slide actin-tropomyosin filaments relative to one another, functions that may explain the role of this motor in contractile ring assembly.


2008 ◽  
Vol 183 (6) ◽  
pp. 979-988 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinyi Huang ◽  
Hongyan Yan ◽  
Mohan K. Balasubramanian

Cytokinesis in many eukaryotes depends on the function of an actomyosin contractile ring. The mechanisms regulating assembly and positioning of this ring are not fully understood. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe divides using an actomyosin ring and is an attractive organism for the study of cytokinesis. Recent studies in S. pombe (Wu, J.Q., V. Sirotkin, D.R. Kovar, M. Lord, C.C. Beltzner, J.R. Kuhn, and T.D. Pollard. 2006. J. Cell Biol. 174:391–402; Vavylonis, D., J.Q. Wu, S. Hao, B. O'Shaughnessy, and T.D. Pollard. 2008. Science. 319:97–100) have suggested that the assembly of the actomyosin ring is initiated from a series of cortical nodes containing several components of this ring. These studies have proposed that actomyosin interactions bring together the cortical nodes to form a compacted ring structure. In this study, we test this model in cells that are unable to assemble cortical nodes. Although the cortical nodes play a role in the timing of ring assembly, we find that they are dispensable for the assembly of orthogonal actomyosin rings. Thus, a mechanism that is independent of cortical nodes is sufficient for the assembly of normal actomyosin rings.


2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 1181-1195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanfang Ye ◽  
I-Ju Lee ◽  
Kurt W. Runge ◽  
Jian-Qiu Wu

Cytokinesis is crucial for integrating genome inheritance and cell functions. In multicellular organisms, Rho-guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and Rho GTPases are key regulators of division-plane specification and contractile-ring formation during cytokinesis, but how they regulate early steps of cytokinesis in fission yeast remains largely unknown. Here we show that putative Rho-GEF Gef2 and Polo kinase Plo1 coordinate to control the medial cortical localization and function of anillin-related protein Mid1. The division-site positioning defects of gef2∆ plo1-ts18 double mutant can be partially rescued by increasing Mid1 levels. We find that Gef2 physically interacts with the Mid1 N-terminus and modulates Mid1 cortical binding. Gef2 localization to cortical nodes and the contractile ring depends on its last 145 residues, and the DBL-homology domain is important for its function in cytokinesis. Our data suggest the interaction between Rho-GEFs and anillins is an important step in the signaling pathways during cytokinesis. In addition, Gef2 also regulates contractile-ring function late in cytokinesis and may negatively regulate the septation initiation network. Collectively, we propose that Gef2 facilitates and stabilizes Mid1 binding to the medial cortex, where the localized Mid1 specifies the division site and induces contractile-ring assembly.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omaya Dudin ◽  
Laura Merlini ◽  
Felipe Bendezú ◽  
Raphaël Groux ◽  
Vincent Vincenzetti ◽  
...  

AbstractIn non-motile fungi, sexual reproduction relies on stron morphogenetic changes in response to pheromone signaling. We report here on asystematic screen for morphological abnormalities o the mating process in fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We derived a homothallic (self-fertile) collection of viable deletions which, upon visual screening, revealed a plethora of phenotype affecting all stages of the mating process, including cell polarizati cell fusion and sporulation. Cell fusion relies onthe formation of the fusion focus, an aster-like F-actin structure that is marked by stron local accumulation of the myosin V Myo52, which concentrates secretion at the fusion site. A secondaryscreen for fusion-defective mutants identified the myosin V Myo51-associated coiled-coil proteins Rng8 and Rng9 as critical forthe coalescence of the fusion focus Indeed, rng8∆ and rng9∆ mutant cells exhibitmultiple stable dots a the cell-cell contact site, instead of the single cusfo observed in wildtype. Rng8 and Rng9 accumulate on the fusion focus, depende on Myo51 and tropomyosin Cdc8A. tropomyosin mutant allele, whic compromises Rng8/9 localization but not actin binding, similarly lea to multiple stable dots instead of a single focus.By contrast, myo51 deletion does not strongly affect fusion focus coalescenceWe. propose that focusing of the actinfilaments in the fusionaster primarily relies on Rng8/9-dependent cross-linking of tropomyosin-actin filaments.


2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 2160-2173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen T. Skau ◽  
Erin M. Neidt ◽  
David R. Kovar

Like animal cells, fission yeast divides by assembling actin filaments into a contractile ring. In addition to formin Cdc12p and profilin, the single tropomyosin isoform SpTm is required for contractile ring assembly. Cdc12p nucleates actin filaments and remains processively associated with the elongating barbed end while driving the addition of profilin-actin. SpTm is thought to stabilize mature filaments, but it is not known how SpTm localizes to the contractile ring and whether SpTm plays a direct role in Cdc12p-mediated actin polymerization. Using “bulk” and single actin filament assays, we discovered that Cdc12p can recruit SpTm to actin filaments and that SpTm has diverse effects on Cdc12p-mediated actin assembly. On its own, SpTm inhibits actin filament elongation and depolymerization. However, Cdc12p completely overcomes the combined inhibition of actin nucleation and barbed end elongation by profilin and SpTm. Furthermore, SpTm increases the length of Cdc12p-nucleated actin filaments by enhancing the elongation rate twofold and by allowing them to anneal end to end. In contrast, SpTm ultimately turns off Cdc12p-mediated elongation by “trapping” Cdc12p within annealed filaments or by dissociating Cdc12p from the barbed end. Therefore, SpTm makes multiple contributions to contractile ring assembly during and after actin polymerization.


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