scholarly journals Drosophila tubulin-binding cofactor B is required for microtubule network formation and for cell polarity

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (18) ◽  
pp. 3591-3601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre D. Baffet ◽  
Béatrice Benoit ◽  
Jens Januschke ◽  
Jennifer Audo ◽  
Vanessa Gourhand ◽  
...  

Microtubules (MTs) are essential for cell division, shape, intracellular transport, and polarity. MT stability is regulated by many factors, including MT-associated proteins and proteins controlling the amount of free tubulin heterodimers available for polymerization. Tubulin-binding cofactors are potential key regulators of free tubulin concentration, since they are required for α-β–tubulin dimerization in vitro. In this paper, we show that mutation of the Drosophila tubulin-binding cofactor B (dTBCB) affects the levels of both α- and β-tubulins and dramatically destabilizes the MT network in different fly tissues. However, we find that dTBCB is dispensable for the early MT-dependent steps of oogenesis, including cell division, and that dTBCB is not required for mitosis in several tissues. In striking contrast, the absence of dTBCB during later stages of oogenesis causes major defects in cell polarity. We show that dTBCB is required for the polarized localization of the axis-determining mRNAs within the oocyte and for the apico-basal polarity of the surrounding follicle cells. These results establish a developmental function for the dTBCB gene that is essential for viability and MT-dependent cell polarity, but not cell division.

2009 ◽  
Vol 126 ◽  
pp. S147-S148
Author(s):  
Alexandre Baffet ◽  
Beatrice Benoit ◽  
Vanessa Gourhand ◽  
Claire Heichette ◽  
Denis Chretien ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (48) ◽  
pp. 12188-12193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda S. Chin ◽  
Kathryn E. Worley ◽  
Poulomi Ray ◽  
Gurleen Kaur ◽  
Jie Fan ◽  
...  

Our understanding of the left–right (LR) asymmetry of embryonic development, in particular the contribution of intrinsic handedness of the cell or cell chirality, is limited due to the confounding systematic and environmental factors during morphogenesis and a ack of physiologically relevant in vitro 3D platforms. Here we report an efficient two-layered biomaterial platform for determining the chirality of individual cells, cell aggregates, and self-organized hollow epithelial spheroids. This bioengineered niche provides a uniform defined axis allowing for cells to rotate spontaneously with a directional bias toward either clockwise or counterclockwise directions. Mechanistic studies reveal an actin-dependent, cell-intrinsic property of 3D chirality that can be mediated by actin cross-linking via α-actinin-1. Our findings suggest that the gradient of extracellular matrix is an important biophysicochemical cue influencing cell polarity and chirality. Engineered biomaterial systems can serve as an effective platform for studying developmental asymmetry and screening for environmental factors causing birth defects.


2000 ◽  
Vol 113 (4) ◽  
pp. 729-739 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Blangy ◽  
E. Vignal ◽  
S. Schmidt ◽  
A. Debant ◽  
C. Gauthier-Rouviere ◽  
...  

Rho GTPases regulate the morphology of cells stimulated by extracellular ligands. Their activation is controlled by guanine exchange factors (GEF) that catalyze their binding to GTP. The multidomain Trio protein represents an emerging class of Ρ regulators that contain two GEF domains of distinct specificities. We report here the characterization of Rho signaling pathways activated by the N-terminal GEF domain of Trio (TrioD1). In fibroblasts, TrioD1 triggers the formation of particular cell structures, similar to those elicited by RhoG, a GTPase known to activate both Rac1 and Cdc42Hs. In addition, the activity of TrioD1 requires the microtubule network and relocalizes RhoG at the active sites of the plasma membrane. Using a classical in vitro exchange assay, TrioD1 displays a higher GEF activity on RhoG than on Rac1. In fibroblasts, expression of dominant negative RhoG mutants totally abolished TrioD1 signaling, whereas dominant negative Rac1 and Cdc42Hs only led to partial and complementary inhibitions. Finally, expression of a Rho Binding Domain that specifically binds RhoG(GTP) led to the complete abolition of TrioD1 signaling, which strongly supports Rac1 not being activated by TrioD1 in vivo. These data demonstrate that Trio controls a signaling cascade that activates RhoG, which in turn activates Rac1 and Cdc42Hs.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nils Y. Meiresonne ◽  
Tanneke den Blaauwen

AbstractBacterial cell division is guided by FtsZ treadmilling precisely at midcell. FtsZ itself is regulated by FtsZ associated proteins (Zaps) that couple it to different cellular processes. ZapA is known to enhance FtsZ bundling but also forms the synchronizing link with chromosome segregation through ZapB and matS bound MatP. ZapA exists as dimers and tetramers in the cell. Using the ZapAI83E mutant that only forms dimers, this paper investigates the effects of ZapA multimerization state on its interaction partners and cell division. By employing (fluorescence) microscopy and Förster Resonance Energy Transfer in vivo it is shown that; dimeric ZapA is unable to complement a zapA deletion strain and localizes diffusely through the cell but still interacts with FtsZ that is not part of the cell division machinery. Dimeric ZapA is unable to recruit ZapB, which localizes in its presence unipolarly in the cell. Interestingly, the localization profiles of the chromosome and unipolar ZapB anticorrelate. The work presented here confirms previously reported in vitro effects of ZapA multimerization in vivo and further places it in a broader context by revealing the strong implications for ZapB localization and ter linkage.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo Caldas ◽  
Mar López-Pelegrín ◽  
Daniel J. G. Pearce ◽  
Nazmi Burak Budanur ◽  
Jan Brugués ◽  
...  

AbstractDuring bacterial cell division, the tubulin-homolog FtsZ forms a ring-like structure at the center of the cell. This Z-ring not only organizes the division machinery, but treadmilling of FtsZ filaments was also found to play a key role in distributing proteins at the division site. What regulates the architecture, dynamics and stability of the Z-ring is currently unknown, but FtsZ-associated proteins are known to play an important role. Here, using an in vitro reconstitution approach, we studied how the well-conserved protein ZapA affects FtsZ treadmilling and filament organization into large-scale patterns. Using high-resolution fluorescence microscopy and quantitative image analysis, we found that ZapA cooperatively increases the spatial order of the filament network, but binds only transiently to FtsZ filaments and has no effect on filament length and treadmilling velocity. Together, our data provides a model for how FtsZ-associated proteins can increase the precision and stability of the bacterial cell division machinery in a switch-like manner.


1983 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 424-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
J G Izant ◽  
J A Weatherbee ◽  
J R McIntosh

Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) that copurify with tubulin through multiple cycles of in vitro assembly have been implicated as regulatory factors and effectors in the in vivo activity of microtubules. As an approach to the analysis of the functions of these molecules, a collection of lymphocyte hybridoma monoclonal antibodies has been generated using MAPs from HeLa cell microtubule protein as antigen. Two of the hybridoma clones secrete IgGs that bind to distinct sites on what appears to be a 200,000-dalton polypeptide. Both immunoglobulin preparations stain interphase and mitotic apparatus microtubules in cultured human cells. One of the clones (N-3B4.3.10) secretes antibody that reacts only with cells of human origin, while antibody from the other hybridoma (N-2B5.11.2) cross-reacts with BSC and PtK1 cells, but not with 3T3 cells. In PtK1 cells the N-2B5 antigen is associated with the microtubules of the mitotic apparatus, but there is no staining of the interphase microtubule array; rather, the antibody stains an ill-defined juxtanuclear structure. Further, neither antibody stains vinblastine crystals in either human or marsupial cells at any stage of the cell cycle. N-2B5 antibody microinjected into living PtK1 cells binds to the mitotic spindle, but does not cause a rapid dissolution of either mitotic or interphase microtubule structures. When injected before the onset of anaphase, however, the N-2B5 antibody inhibits proper chromosome partition in mitotic PtK1 cells. N-2B5 antibody injected into interphase cells causes a redistribution of MAP antigen onto the microtubule network.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R Hannaford ◽  
Rong Liu ◽  
Neil Billington ◽  
Zachary T Swider ◽  
Brian J Galletta ◽  
...  

Centrosome positioning is essential for their function. Typically, centrosomes are transported to various cellular locations through the interaction of centrosome nucleated microtubules with motor proteins. However, it remains unknown how centrioles migrate in cellular contexts in which centrioles do not nucleate microtubules. Here, we demonstrate that during interphase inactive centrioles move directly along the noncentrosomal microtubule network as cargo for the motor protein Kinesin-1. We identify Pericentrin-Like-Protein (PLP) as a novel Kinesin-1 interacting molecule essential for centriole motility. PLP directly interacts with the cargo binding domain of Kinesin-1 and they comigrate on microtubules in vitro. Finally, we demonstrate that PLP-Kinesin-1 dependent transport is essential for centrosome asymmetry age dependent centrosome inheritance in asymmetric stem cell division.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mireia Andreu-Carbo ◽  
Simon Fernandes ◽  
Marie-Claire Celluz ◽  
Karsten Kruse ◽  
Charlotte Aumeier

Tubulin dimers assemble into dynamic microtubules which are used by molecular motors as tracks for intracellular transport. Organization and dynamics of the microtubule network is commonly thought to be regulated at the polymer ends, where tubulin-dimers can be added or removed. Here we show that molecular motors running on microtubules cause exchange of dimers along the shaft. These sites of dimer exchange act as rescue sites where depolymerising microtubules stop shrinking and start re-growing. Consequently, the average length of microtubules increases depending on how frequently they are used as motor tracks. An increase of motor activity densifies the cellular microtubule network and enhances cell polarity. Running motors leave marks in the shaft serving as traces of microtubule usage to organize the polarity landscape of the cell.


Development ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 120 (10) ◽  
pp. 2967-2978 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. Torres-Ruiz ◽  
G. Jurgens

The pattern of cell division is very regular in Arabidopsis embryogenesis, enabling seedling structures to be traced back to groups of cells in the early embryo. Recessive mutations in the FASS gene alter the pattern of cell division from the zygote, without interfering with embryonic pattern formation: although no primordia of seedling structures can be recognised by morphological criteria at the early-heart stage, all elements of the body pattern are differentiated in the seedling. fass seedlings are strongly compressed in the apical-basal axis and enlarged circumferentially, notably in the hypocotyl. Depending on the width of the hypocotyl, fass seedlings may have up to three supernumerary cotyledons. fass mutants can develop into tiny adult plants with all parts, including floral organs, strongly compressed in their longitudinal axis. At the cellular level, fass mutations affect cell elongation and orientation of cell walls but do not interfere with cell polarity as evidenced by the unequal division of the zygote. The results suggest that the FASS gene is required for morphogenesis, i.e., oriented cell divisions and position-dependent cell shape changes generating body shape, but not for cell polarity which seems essential for pattern formation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (23) ◽  
pp. 12847-12855
Author(s):  
Göker Arpağ ◽  
Elizabeth J. Lawrence ◽  
Veronica J. Farmer ◽  
Sarah L. Hall ◽  
Marija Zanic

Microtubule network remodeling is essential for fundamental cellular processes including cell division, differentiation, and motility. Microtubules are active biological polymers whose ends stochastically and independently switch between phases of growth and shrinkage. Microtubule treadmilling, in which the microtubule plus end grows while the minus end shrinks, is observed in cells; however, the underlying mechanisms are not known. Here, we use a combination of computational and in vitro reconstitution approaches to determine the conditions leading to robust microtubule treadmilling. We find that microtubules polymerized from tubulin alone can treadmill, albeit with opposite directionality and order-of-magnitude slower rates than observed in cells. We then employ computational simulations to predict that the combinatory effects of four microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs), namely EB1, XMAP215, CLASP2, and MCAK, can promote fast and sustained plus-end-leading treadmilling. Finally, we experimentally confirm the predictions of our computational model using a multi-MAP, in vitro microtubule dynamics assay to reconstitute robust plus-end-leading treadmilling, consistent with observations in cells. Our results demonstrate how microtubule dynamics can be modulated to achieve a dynamic balance between assembly and disassembly at opposite polymer ends, resulting in treadmilling over long periods of time. Overall, we show how the collective effects of multiple components give rise to complex microtubule behavior that may be used for global network remodeling in cells.


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