scholarly journals Fascin-induced actin protrusions are suppressed by dendritic networks in GUVs

2021 ◽  
pp. mbc.E21-02-0080
Author(s):  
Nadab H. Wubshet ◽  
Yashar Bashirzadeh ◽  
Allen P. Liu

The interactions between actin networks and cell membrane are immensely important for eukaryotic cell functions including cell shape changes, motility, polarity establishment, and adhesion. Actin binding proteins are known to compete and cooperate, using finite amount of actin monomers, to form distinct actin networks. How actin bundling protein fascin and actin branching protein Arp2/3 complex compete to remodel membranes is not entirely clear. To investigate fascin- and Arp2/3-mediated actin network remodeling, we applied a reconstitution approach encapsulating bundled and dendritic actin networks inside giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). Independently reconstituted, membrane-bound Arp2/3 nucleation forms an actin cortex in GUVs whereas fascin mediates formation of actin bundles that protrude out of GUVs. Co-encapsulating both fascin and Arp2/3 complex leads to polarized dendritic aggregates and significantly reduces membrane protrusions, irrespective of whether the dendritic network is membrane-bound or not. However, reducing Arp2/3 complex while increasing fascin restores membrane protrusion. Such changes in network assembly and the subsequent interplay with membrane can be attributed to competition between fascin and Arp2/3 complex to utilize a finite pool of actin. [Media: see text] [Media: see text]

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irshad Sharafutdinov ◽  
Steffen Backert ◽  
Nicole Tegtmeyer

Cortactin is an actin binding protein and actin nucleation promoting factor regulating cytoskeletal rearrangements in nearly all eukaryotic cell types. From this perspective, cortactin poses an attractive target for pathogens to manipulate a given host cell to their own benefit. One of the pathogens following this strategy is Helicobacter pylori, which can cause a variety of gastric diseases and has been shown to be the major risk factor for the onset of gastric cancer. During infection of gastric epithelial cells, H. pylori hijacks the cellular kinase signaling pathways, leading to the disruption of key cell functions. Specifically, by overruling the phosphorylation status of cortactin, H. pylori alternates the activity of molecular interaction partners of this important protein, thereby manipulating the performance of actin-cytoskeletal rearrangements and cell movement. In addition, H. pylori utilizes a unique mechanism to activate focal adhesion kinase, which subsequently prevents host epithelial cells from extensive lifting from the extracellular matrix in order to achieve chronic infection in the human stomach.


eLife ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alf Honigmann ◽  
Sina Sadeghi ◽  
Jan Keller ◽  
Stefan W Hell ◽  
Christian Eggeling ◽  
...  

The eukaryotic cell membrane is connected to a dense actin rich cortex. We present FCS and STED experiments showing that dense membrane bound actin networks have severe influence on lipid phase separation. A minimal actin cortex was bound to a supported lipid bilayer via biotinylated lipid streptavidin complexes (pinning sites). In general, actin binding to ternary membranes prevented macroscopic liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered domain formation, even at low temperature. Instead, depending on the type of pinning lipid, an actin correlated multi-domain pattern was observed. FCS measurements revealed hindered diffusion of lipids in the presence of an actin network. To explain our experimental findings, a new simulation model is proposed, in which the membrane composition, the membrane curvature, and the actin pinning sites are all coupled. Our results reveal a mechanism how cells may prevent macroscopic demixing of their membrane components, while at the same time regulate the local membrane composition.


Author(s):  
Ovijit Chaudhuri ◽  
Sapun H. Parekh ◽  
Allen Liu ◽  
Daniel A. Fletcher

Actin self-assembles to form filaments that can organize into dendritic networks through interactions with various actin binding proteins. Growing actin filament networks produce significant mechanical forces that play a key role in many dynamic cellular processes such as motility, cytokinesis, and phagocytosis. We investigated the mechanical properties of growing actin networks with atomic force microscopy and found the actin networks to behave as viscoelastic solids.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Mandygra ◽  
A. Lysytsia

Aim. To investigate the effect of polyhexamethyleneguanidine (PHMG) to eukaryotic cell culture. Methods. The passaged bovine tracheal cells culture (TCC) and primary culture of chicken embryo fi broblasts (FCE) were used in the experiments. TCC and FCE monolayers were treated with aqueous solutions of PHMG chloride or succinate. The method of PHMG polycation adsorption to the cells’ plasma membrane together with microscopy were applied. Results. The dependence of PHMG effect on the eukaryotic cells on the agent concentration, duration of exposure and the anion type has been fi xed. The PHMG concentration of 10 –5 per cent (0.1 μg/ml) never causes degradation of the previously formed cell monolayer, while the higher concentrations damage it. The conditions of the PHMG chloride and succinate’s negative effect on cell proliferation and inhibition of monolayer formation were determined. The hypothesis that under certain conditions PHMG stimulates the proliferative activity of the cells has been confi rmed. Stimulation may be associated with non-specifi c stress adaptation of cells. In this case, it is due to modifi cations of the cell membrane after PHMG adsorption to it. Conclusions. PHMG polycation binds with the membrane’s phosphoglycerides fi rmly and irreversibly. A portion of the lipids are removed from participation in the normal cellular processes at that. At the same time, the synthesis of new lipids and membrane-bound enzymes is probably accelerated. The phospholip ids’ neogenesis acceleration can stimulate mitosis under certain conditions. The obtained results can be used in the biotechnologies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 6555
Author(s):  
Sashidar Bandaru ◽  
Chandu Ala ◽  
Alex-Xianghua Zhou ◽  
Levent M. Akyürek

Filamin A (FLNA) is a large actin-binding cytoskeletal protein that is important for cell motility by stabilizing actin networks and integrating them with cell membranes. Interestingly, a C-terminal fragment of FLNA can be cleaved off by calpain to stimulate adaptive angiogenesis by transporting multiple transcription factors into the nucleus. Recently, increasing evidence suggests that FLNA participates in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, in which the interaction of FLNA with transcription factors and/or cell signaling molecules dictate the function of vascular cells. Localized FLNA mutations associate with cardiovascular malformations in humans. A lack of FLNA in experimental animal models disrupts cell migration during embryogenesis and causes anomalies, including heart and vessels, similar to human malformations. More recently, it was shown that FLNA mediates the progression of myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis. Thus, these latest findings identify FLNA as an important novel mediator of cardiovascular development and remodeling, and thus a potential target for therapy. In this update, we summarized the literature on filamin biology with regard to cardiovascular cell function.


2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Schnoor ◽  
Theresia E. Stradal ◽  
Klemens Rottner

2017 ◽  
Vol 217 (2) ◽  
pp. 779-793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca C. Adikes ◽  
Ryan A. Hallett ◽  
Brian F. Saway ◽  
Brian Kuhlman ◽  
Kevin C. Slep

We developed a novel optogenetic tool, SxIP–improved light-inducible dimer (iLID), to facilitate the reversible recruitment of factors to microtubule (MT) plus ends in an end-binding protein–dependent manner using blue light. We show that SxIP-iLID can track MT plus ends and recruit tgRFP-SspB upon blue light activation. We used this system to investigate the effects of cross-linking MT plus ends and F-actin in Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells to gain insight into spectraplakin function and mechanism. We show that SxIP-iLID can be used to temporally recruit an F-actin binding domain to MT plus ends and cross-link the MT and F-actin networks. Cross-linking decreases MT growth velocities and generates a peripheral MT exclusion zone. SxIP-iLID facilitates the general recruitment of specific factors to MT plus ends with temporal control enabling researchers to systematically regulate MT plus end dynamics and probe MT plus end function in many biological processes.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Xue ◽  
Deanna M. Janzen ◽  
David A. Knecht

Numerous F-actin containing structures are involved in regulating protrusion of membrane at the leading edge of motile cells. We have investigated the structure and dynamics of filopodia as they relate to events at the leading edge and the function of the trailing actin networks. We have found that although filopodia contain parallel bundles of actin, they contain a surprisingly nonuniform spatial and temporal distribution of actin binding proteins. Along the length of the actin filaments in a single filopodium, the most distal portion contains primarily T-plastin, while the proximal portion is primarily bound byα-actinin and coronin. Some filopodia are stationary, but lateral filopodia move with respect to the leading edge. They appear to form a mechanical link between the actin polymerization network at the front of the cell and the myosin motor activity in the cell body. The direction of lateral filopodial movement is associated with the direction of cell migration. When lateral filopodia initiate from and move toward only one side of a cell, the cell will turn opposite to the direction of filopodial flow. Therefore, this filopodia-myosin II system allows actin polymerization driven protrusion forces and myosin II mediated contractile force to be mechanically coordinated.


1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (11) ◽  
pp. 5527-5533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Meconi ◽  
Véronique Jacomo ◽  
Patrice Boquet ◽  
Didier Raoult ◽  
Jean-Louis Mege ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium which survives in myeloid cells, causes Q fever in humans. We previously demonstrated that virulent C. burnetiiorganisms are poorly internalized by monocytes compared to avirulent variants. We hypothesized that a differential mobilization of the actin cytoskeleton may account for this distinct phagocytic behavior. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that virulent C. burnetii stimulated profound and polymorphic changes in the morphology of THP-1 monocytes, consisting of membrane protrusions and polarized projections. These changes were transient, requiring 5 min to reach their maximum extent and vanishing after 60 min of incubation. In contrast, avirulent variants of C. burnetii did not induce any significant changes in cell morphology. The distribution of filamentous actin (F-actin) was then studied with a specific probe, bodipy phallacidin. Virulent C. burnetii induced a profound and transient reorganization of F-actin, accompanied by an increase in the F-actin content of THP-1 cells. F-actin was colocalized with myosin in cell protrusions, suggesting that actin polymerization and the tension of actin-myosin filaments play a role in C. burnetii-induced morphological changes. In addition, contact between the cell and the bacterium seems to be necessary to induce cytoskeleton reorganization. Bacterial supernatants did not stimulate actin remodeling, and virulent C. burnetii organisms were found in close apposition with F-actin protrusions. The manipulation of the actin cytoskeleton by C. burnetiimay therefore play a critical role in the internalization strategy of this bacterium.


2021 ◽  
Vol 220 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jooske L. Monster ◽  
Lisa Donker ◽  
Marjolein J. Vliem ◽  
Zaw Win ◽  
Helen K. Matthews ◽  
...  

Epithelia are continuously self-renewed, but how epithelial integrity is maintained during the morphological changes that cells undergo in mitosis is not well understood. Here, we show that as epithelial cells round up when they enter mitosis, they exert tensile forces on neighboring cells. We find that mitotic cell–cell junctions withstand these tensile forces through the mechanosensitive recruitment of the actin-binding protein vinculin to cadherin-based adhesions. Surprisingly, vinculin that is recruited to mitotic junctions originates selectively from the neighbors of mitotic cells, resulting in an asymmetric composition of cadherin junctions. Inhibition of junctional vinculin recruitment in neighbors of mitotic cells results in junctional breakage and weakened epithelial barrier. Conversely, the absence of vinculin from the cadherin complex in mitotic cells is necessary to successfully undergo mitotic rounding. Our data thus identify an asymmetric mechanoresponse at cadherin adhesions during mitosis, which is essential to maintain epithelial integrity while at the same time enable the shape changes of mitotic cells.


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