scholarly journals A more complex basal complex: novel components mapped to the Toxoplasma gondii cytokinesis machinery portray an expanded hierarchy of its assembly and function

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klemens Engelberg ◽  
Tyler Bechtel ◽  
Cynthia Michaud ◽  
Eranthie Weerapana ◽  
Marc-Jan Gubbels

The basal complex (BC) of Toxoplasma gondii has an essential role in cell division but details on the mechanism are lacking. To promote insights in this process, reciprocal proximity based biotinylation was used to map the basal complex proteome. An assembled protein map was interrogated by spatiotemporal characterization of critical components as well as functionally by disrupting the expression of the components. Spatially, this revealed four proteins sub-complexes with distinct sub-structural BC localization. Temporally, several patterns were differentiated based on their first appearance and/or disappearance from the BC corresponding with different steps in BC development (initiation, expansion, constriction, maturation). We also identified a protein pre-ceding BC formation (BCC0) laid out in a 5-fold symmetry. This symmetry marks the apical annuli and site of alveolar suture formation. From here, it was determined that the apical cap is assembled in the apical direction, whereas the rest of the IMC expands in the basal direction, inspiring a new bi-directional daughter budding process. Furthermore, we discovered BCC4, an essential protein exclusively localizing to the BC during cell division. Although depletion of BCC4 did not prevent BC formation, it led to BC fragmentation at the mid-point of cell division. Based on these data, a model is presented wherein BCC4 and MORN1 stabilize each other and form a rubber band that implies an essential role for the BC in preventing the fraying of the basal end of the assembling daughter cytoskeleton scaffolds. Furthermore, one new component of the Myosin J and Centrin2 cluster was BCC1, a hypothetical protein whose depletion prevents the non-essential last step of BC constriction. Overall, the BC is a highly dynamic, multi-functional structure that is critical to the hierarchical assembly of the daughter parasites.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip Nußbaum ◽  
Maren Gerstner ◽  
Marie Dingethal ◽  
Celine Erb ◽  
Sonja-Verena Albers

AbstractIn most bacteria, cell division depends on the tubulin homolog FtsZ and other proteins, such as SepF, that form a complex termed the divisome. Cell division also depends on FtsZ in many archaea, but other components of the divisome are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that a SepF homolog plays important roles in cell division in Haloferax volcanii, a halophilic archaeon that is known to have two FtsZ homologs with slightly different functions (FtsZ1 and FtsZ2). SepF co-localizes with both FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 at midcell. Attempts to generate a sepF deletion mutant were unsuccessful, suggesting an essential role. Indeed, SepF depletion leads to severe cell division defects and formation of large cells. Overexpression of FtsZ1-GFP or FtsZ2-GFP in SepF-depleted cells results in formation of filamentous cells with a high number of FtsZ1 rings, while the number of FtsZ2 rings is not affected. Pull-down assays support that SepF interacts with FtsZ2 but not with FtsZ1, although SepF appears delocalized in the absence of FtsZ1. Archaeal SepF homologs lack a glycine residue known to be important for polymerization and function in bacteria, and purified H. volcanii SepF forms dimers, suggesting that polymerization might not be important for the function of archaeal SepF.


2014 ◽  
Vol 155 (26) ◽  
pp. 1011-1018 ◽  
Author(s):  
György Végvári ◽  
Edina Vidéki

Plants seem to be rather defenceless, they are unable to do motion, have no nervous system or immune system unlike animals. Besides this, plants do have hormones, though these substances are produced not in glands. In view of their complexity they lagged behind animals, however, plant organisms show large scale integration in their structure and function. In higher plants, such as in animals, the intercellular communication is fulfilled through chemical messengers. These specific compounds in plants are called phytohormones, or in a wide sense, bioregulators. Even a small quantity of these endogenous organic compounds are able to regulate the operation, growth and development of higher plants, and keep the connection between cells, tissues and synergy beween organs. Since they do not have nervous and immume systems, phytohormones play essential role in plants’ life. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(26), 1011–1018.


2020 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 258a
Author(s):  
Laszlo Csernoch ◽  
Mónika Gönczi ◽  
Zsolt Ráduly ◽  
László Szabó ◽  
Nóra Dobrosi ◽  
...  

PLoS ONE ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. e0212992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurent Dupays ◽  
Norma Towers ◽  
Sophie Wood ◽  
Anna David ◽  
Daniel J. Stuckey ◽  
...  

Medicina ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ieva Antanavičiūtė ◽  
Paulius Gibieža ◽  
Rytis Prekeris ◽  
Vytenis Skeberdis

Faithful cell division is crucial for successful proliferation, differentiation, and development of cells, tissue homeostasis, and preservation of genomic integrity. Cytokinesis is a terminal stage of cell division, leaving two genetically identical daughter cells connected by an intercellular bridge (ICB) containing the midbody (MB), a large protein-rich organelle, in the middle. Cell division may result in asymmetric or symmetric abscission of the ICB. In the first case, the ICB is severed on the one side of the MB, and the MB is inherited by the opposite daughter cell. In the second case, the MB is cut from both sides, expelled into the extracellular space, and later it can be engulfed by surrounding cells. Cells with lower autophagic activity, such as stem cells and cancer stem cells, are inclined to accumulate MBs. Inherited MBs affect cell polarity, modulate intra- and intercellular communication, enhance pluripotency of stem cells, and increase tumorigenic potential of cancer cells. In this review, we briefly summarize the latest knowledge on MB formation, inheritance, degradation, and function, and in addition, present and discuss our recent findings on the electrical and chemical communication of cells connected through the MB-containing ICB.


2001 ◽  
Vol 155 (4) ◽  
pp. 613-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frédéric Delbac ◽  
Astrid Sänger ◽  
Eva M. Neuhaus ◽  
Rolf Stratmann ◽  
James W. Ajioka ◽  
...  

In apicomplexan parasites, actin-disrupting drugs and the inhibitor of myosin heavy chain ATPase, 2,3-butanedione monoxime, have been shown to interfere with host cell invasion by inhibiting parasite gliding motility. We report here that the actomyosin system of Toxoplasma gondii also contributes to the process of cell division by ensuring accurate budding of daughter cells. T. gondii myosins B and C are encoded by alternatively spliced mRNAs and differ only in their COOH-terminal tails. MyoB and MyoC showed distinct subcellular localizations and dissimilar solubilities, which were conferred by their tails. MyoC is the first marker selectively concentrated at the anterior and posterior polar rings of the inner membrane complex, structures that play a key role in cell shape integrity during daughter cell biogenesis. When transiently expressed, MyoB, MyoC, as well as the common motor domain lacking the tail did not distribute evenly between daughter cells, suggesting some impairment in proper segregation. Stable overexpression of MyoB caused a significant defect in parasite cell division, leading to the formation of extensive residual bodies, a substantial delay in replication, and loss of acute virulence in mice. Altogether, these observations suggest that MyoB/C products play a role in proper daughter cell budding and separation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (18) ◽  
pp. 2807-2810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre A. Coulombe

In 1991, a set of transgenic mouse studies took the fields of cell biology and dermatology by storm in providing the first credible evidence that keratin intermediate filaments play a unique and essential role in the structural and mechanical support in keratinocytes of the epidermis. Moreover, these studies intimated that mutations altering the primary structure and function of keratin filaments underlie genetic diseases typified by cellular fragility. This Retrospective on how these studies came to be is offered as a means to highlight the 25th anniversary of these discoveries.


2000 ◽  
Vol 151 (7) ◽  
pp. 1423-1434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Striepen ◽  
Michael J. Crawford ◽  
Michael K. Shaw ◽  
Lewis G. Tilney ◽  
Frank Seeber ◽  
...  

Apicomplexan parasites harbor a single nonphotosynthetic plastid, the apicoplast, which is essential for parasite survival. Exploiting Toxoplasma gondii as an accessible system for cell biological analysis and molecular genetic manipulation, we have studied how these parasites ensure that the plastid and its 35-kb circular genome are faithfully segregated during cell division. Parasite organelles were labeled by recombinant expression of fluorescent proteins targeted to the plastid and the nucleus, and time-lapse video microscopy was used to image labeled organelles throughout the cell cycle. Apicoplast division is tightly associated with nuclear and cell division and is characterized by an elongated, dumbbell-shaped intermediate. The plastid genome is divided early in this process, associating with the ends of the elongated organelle. A centrin-specific antibody demonstrates that the ends of dividing apicoplast are closely linked to the centrosomes. Treatment with dinitroaniline herbicides (which disrupt microtubule organization) leads to the formation of multiple spindles and large reticulate plastids studded with centrosomes. The mitotic spindle and the pellicle of the forming daughter cells appear to generate the force required for apicoplast division in Toxoplasma gondii. These observations are discussed in the context of autonomous and FtsZ-dependent division of plastids in plants and algae.


Author(s):  
Weinberg-Shukron A ◽  
Rachmiel M ◽  
Renbaum P ◽  
Gulsuner S ◽  
Walsh T ◽  
...  

eLife ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas S McAlear ◽  
Susanne Bechstedt

Cells increase microtubule dynamics to make large rearrangements to their microtubule cytoskeleton during cell division. Changes in microtubule dynamics are essential for the formation and function of the mitotic spindle, and misregulation can lead to aneuploidy and cancer. Using in vitro reconstitution assays we show that the mitotic spindle protein Cytoskeleton-Associated Protein 2 (CKAP2) has a strong effect on nucleation of microtubules by lowering the critical tubulin concentration 100-fold. CKAP2 increases the apparent rate constant ka of microtubule growth by 50-fold and increases microtubule growth rates. In addition, CKAP2 strongly suppresses catastrophes. Our results identify CKAP2 as the most potent microtubule growth factor to date. These finding help explain CKAP2's role as an important spindle protein, proliferation marker, and oncogene.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document