scholarly journals GJA1-20k, an internally translated isoform of Connexin 43, is an actin capping protein

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Mark Shaw ◽  
Rachel Baum ◽  
Joseph Alexander Palatinus ◽  
Miriam Waghalter ◽  
Daisuke Shimura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Connexin 43 ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Mitochondrial Fission ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Capping Protein ◽  
Actin Capping Protein ◽  
Actin Capping

Previously, we identified that GJA1-20k, an internally translated isoform of Connexin 43, mediates an actin-dependent protective form of mitochondrial fission (Shimura, Nuebel et al. 2021). We found that when GJA1-20k is present, bands of actin surround mitochondria at locations enriched with GJA1-20k, inducing mitochondrial fission which generates less oxygen free radicals, protecting hearts subjected to ischemia-reperfusion injury. Here, we report that GJA1-20k is a direct actin binding protein and thereby identify the mechanism by which GJA1-20k is able to recruit and stabilize actin filaments around the mitochondria. Surprisingly, GJA1-20k functions as a canonical actin capping protein, producing both truncated actin puncta and stabilized actin filaments. GJA1-20k contains an RPEL-like actin binding motif, and we confirm with both computational modeling and biochemistry, that this domain is crucial for actin capping. The actin capping functionality of GJA1-20k adds GJA1-20k to the family of proteins that regulate actin dynamics. As a stress responsive protein, GJA1-20k can help explain cytoskeletal dependent responses to cellular stress, from delivery of channels to affecting mitochondrial size and function.

scholarly journals Capping protein regulates actin dynamics during cytokinetic midbody maturation

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (9) ◽  
pp. 2138-2143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J. Terry ◽  
Federico Donà ◽  
Paul Osenberg ◽  
Jeremy G. Carlton ◽  
Ulrike S. Eggert
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Capping Protein ◽  
Cytoskeletal Remodeling ◽  
Daughter Cells ◽  
Actin Capping Protein ◽  
Activity Loss ◽  
Actin Capping

During cytokinesis, a cleavage furrow generated by actomyosin ring contraction is restructured into the midbody, a platform for the assembly of the abscission machinery that controls the final separation of daughter cells. The polymerization state of F-actin is important during assembly, ingression, disassembly, and closure of the contractile ring and for the cytoskeletal remodeling that accompanies midbody formation and progression to abscission. Actin filaments must be cleared from the abscission sites before the final cut can take place. Although many conserved proteins interact with and influence the polymerization state of actin filaments, it is poorly understood how they regulate cytokinesis in higher eukaryotes. We report here that the actin capping protein (CP), a barbed end actin binding protein, participates in the control of actin polymerization during later stages of cytokinesis in human cells. Cells depleted of CP furrow and form early midbodies, but they fail cytokinesis. Appropriate recruitment of the ESCRT-III abscission machinery to the midbody is impaired, preventing the cell from progressing to the abscission stage. To generate actin filaments of optimal length, different actin nucleators, such as formins, balance CP’s activity. Loss of actin capping activity leads to excessive accumulation of formin-based linear actin filaments. Depletion of the formin FHOD1 results in partial rescue of CP-induced cytokinesis failure, suggesting that it can antagonize CP activity during midbody maturation. Our work suggests that the actin cytoskeleton is remodeled in a stepwise manner during cytokinesis, with different regulators at different stages required for successful progression to abscission.

scholarly journals Regulation of Sodium Channel Activity by Capping of Actin Filaments

2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1709-1716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekaterina V. Shumilina ◽  
Yuri A. Negulyaev ◽  
Elena A. Morachevskaya ◽  
Horst Hinssen ◽  
Sofia Yu Khaitlina
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Sodium Channel ◽  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Channel Activity ◽  
Capping Protein ◽  
Channel Inactivation ◽  
Actin Capping Protein ◽  
Actin Capping

Ion transport in various tissues can be regulated by the cortical actin cytoskeleton. Specifically, involvement of actin dynamics in the regulation of nonvoltage-gated sodium channels has been shown. Herein, inside-out patch clamp experiments were performed to study the effect of the heterodimeric actin capping protein CapZ on sodium channel regulation in leukemia K562 cells. The channels were activated by cytochalasin-induced disruption of actin filaments and inactivated by G-actin under ionic conditions promoting rapid actin polymerization. CapZ had no direct effect on channel activity. However, being added together with G-actin, CapZ prevented actin-induced channel inactivation, and this effect occurred at CapZ/actin molar ratios from 1:5 to 1:100. When actin was allowed to polymerize at the plasma membrane to induce partial channel inactivation, subsequent addition of CapZ restored the channel activity. These results can be explained by CapZ-induced inhibition of further assembly of actin filaments at the plasma membrane due to the modification of actin dynamics by CapZ. No effect on the channel activity was observed in response to F-actin, confirming that the mechanism of channel inactivation does not involve interaction of the channel with preformed filaments. Our data show that actin-capping protein can participate in the cytoskeleton-associated regulation of sodium transport in nonexcitable cells.

scholarly journals The structure of the actin filament uncapping complex mediated by twinfilin

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. eabd5271
Author(s):  
Dennis M. Mwangangi ◽  
Edward Manser ◽  
Robert C. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filament ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Protein Complex ◽  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Capping Protein ◽  
Binding Surface ◽  
Actin Capping Protein ◽  
Actin Capping

Uncapping of actin filaments is essential for driving polymerization and depolymerization dynamics from capping protein–associated filaments; however, the mechanisms of uncapping leading to rapid disassembly are unknown. Here, we elucidated the x-ray crystal structure of the actin/twinfilin/capping protein complex to address the mechanisms of twinfilin uncapping of actin filaments. The twinfilin/capping protein complex binds to two G-actin subunits in an orientation that resembles the actin filament barbed end. This suggests an unanticipated mechanism by which twinfilin disrupts the stable capping of actin filaments by inducing a G-actin conformation in the two terminal actin subunits. Furthermore, twinfilin disorders critical actin-capping protein interactions, which will assist in the dissociation of capping protein, and may promote filament uncapping through a second mechanism involving V-1 competition for an actin-binding surface on capping protein. The extensive interactions with capping protein indicate that the evolutionary conserved role of twinfilin is to uncap actin filaments.

scholarly journals CapZ integrates several signaling pathways in response to mechanical stiffness

2019 ◽  
Vol 151 (5) ◽  
pp. 660-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Solís ◽  
Brenda Russell
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Load ◽  
Phosphorylation Site ◽  
Tight Binding ◽  
Neonatal Rat ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Mechanical Stimuli ◽  
Muscle Adaptation ◽  
Capping Protein ◽  
Actin Capping Protein ◽  
Actin Capping

Muscle adaptation is a response to physiological demand elicited by changes in mechanical load, hormones, or metabolic stress. Cytoskeletal remodeling processes in many cell types are thought to be primarily regulated by thin filament formation due to actin-binding accessory proteins, such as the actin-capping protein. Here, we hypothesize that in muscle, the actin-capping protein (named CapZ) integrates signaling by a variety of pathways, including phosphorylation and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) binding, to regulate muscle fiber growth in response to mechanical load. To test this hypothesis, we assess mechanotransduction signaling that regulates muscle growth using neonatal rat ventricular myocytes cultured on substrates with the stiffness of the healthy myocardium (10 kPa), fibrotic myocardium (100 kPa), or glass. We investigate how PIP2 signaling affects CapZ using the PIP2 sequestering agent neomycin and the effect of PKC-mediated CapZ phosphorylation using the PKC-activating drug phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Molecular simulations suggest that close interactions between PIP2 and the β-tentacle of CapZ are modified by phosphorylation at T267. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) demonstrates that the kinetic binding constant of CapZ to sarcomeric thin filaments in living muscle cells increases with stiffness or PMA treatment but is diminished by PIP2 reduction. Furthermore, CapZ with a deletion of the β-tentacle that lacks the phosphorylation site T267 shows increased FRAP kinetics with lack of sensitivity to PMA treatment or PIP2 reduction. Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) probes the molecular interactions between PIP2 and CapZ, which are decreased by PIP2 availability or by the β-tentacle truncation. These data suggest that CapZ is bound to actin tightly in the idle, locked state, with little phosphorylation or PIP2 binding. However, this tight binding is loosened in growth states triggered by mechanical stimuli such as substrate stiffness, which may have relevance to fibrotic heart disease.

scholarly journals βcap73-ARF6 Interactions Modulate Cell Shape and Motility after Injury In Vitro

2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 4155-4161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen N. Riley ◽  
Angel E. Maldonado ◽  
Patrice Tellier ◽  
Crislyn D'Souza-Schorey ◽  
Ira M. Herman
Keyword(s):  
Western Blot ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Active Form ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Capping Protein ◽  
Actin Capping Protein

To understand the role that ARF6 plays in regulating isoactin dynamics and cell motility, we transfected endothelial cells (EC) with HA-tagged ARF6: the wild-type form (WT), a constitutively-active form unable to hydrolyze GTP (Q67L), and two dominant-negative forms, which are either unable to release GDP (T27N) or fail to bind nucleotide (N122I). Motility was assessed by digital imaging microscopy before Western blot analysis, coimmunoprecipitation, or colocalization studies using ARF6, β-actin, or β-actin-binding protein-specific antibodies. EC expressing ARF6-Q67L spread and close in vitro wounds at twice the control rates. EC expressing dominant-negative ARF6 fail to develop a leading edge, are unable to ruffle their membranes (N122I), and possess arborized processes. Colocalization studies reveal that the Q67L and WT ARF6-HA are enriched at the leading edge with β-actin; but T27N and N122I ARF6-HA are localized on endosomes together with the β-actin capping protein, βcap73. Coimmunoprecipitation and Western blot analyses reveal the direct association of ARF6-HA with βcap73, defining a role for ARF6 in signaling cytoskeletal remodeling during motility. Knowledge of the role that ARF6 plays in orchestrating membrane and β-actin dynamics will help to reveal molecular mechanisms regulating actin-based motility during development and disease.

scholarly journals Ezrin has a COOH-terminal actin-binding site that is conserved in the ezrin protein family.

1994 ◽  
Vol 126 (6) ◽  
pp. 1445-1453 ◽  
Author(s):  
O Turunen ◽  
T Wahlström ◽  
A Vaheri
Keyword(s):  
Binding Site ◽  
Protein Family ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Capping Protein ◽  
Terminal Domain ◽  
Membrane Cytoskeleton ◽  
Actin Capping Protein ◽  
Binding Capability ◽  
Actin Capping ◽  
Actin Binding Site

Ezrin, previously also known as cytovillin, p81, and 80K, is a cytoplasmic protein enriched in microvilli and other cell surface structures. Ezrin is postulated to have a membrane-cytoskeleton linker role. Recent findings have also revealed that the NH2-terminal domain of ezrin is associated with the plasma membrane and the COOH-terminal domain with the cytoskeleton (Algrain, M., O. Turunen, A. Vaheri, D. Louvard, and M. Arpin. 1993. J. Cell Biol. 120: 129-139). Using bacterially expressed fragments of ezrin we now demonstrate that ezrin has an actin-binding capability. We used glutathione-S-transferase fusion proteins of truncated ezrin in affinity chromatography to bind actin from the cell extract or purified rabbit muscle actin. We detected a binding site for filamentous actin that was localized to the COOH-terminal 34 amino acids of ezrin. No binding of monomeric actin was detected in the assay. The region corresponding to the COOH-terminal actin-binding site in ezrin is highly conserved in moesin, actin-capping protein radixin and EM10 protein of E. multilocularis, but not in merlin/schwannomin. Consequently, this site is a potential actin-binding site also in the other members of the protein family. Furthermore, the actin-binding site in ezrin shows sequence homology to the actin-binding site in the COOH terminus of the beta subunit of the actin-capping protein CapZ and one of the potential actin-binding sites in myosin heavy chain. The actin-binding capability of ezrin supports its proposed role as a membrane-cytoskeleton linker.

scholarly journals Actin capping protein regulates actomyosin contractility to maintain germline architecture in C. elegans

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinjini Ray ◽  
Priti Agarwal ◽  
Ronen Zaidel-Bar
Keyword(s):  
Physiological Role ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Structural Defects ◽  
Capping Protein ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Actomyosin Contractility ◽  
Actin Capping Protein ◽  
Actin Capping

Actin dynamics play an important role in the morphogenesis of cells and tissues, yet the control of actin filament growth takes place at the molecular level. A challenge in the field is to link the molecular function of actin regulators with their physiological function. Here, we report the in vivo role of the actin capping protein CAP-1 in the C. elegans germline. We show that CAP-1 is associated with actomyosin structures in the cortex and rachis, where it keeps the level of contractility in check. A 60% reduction in the level of CAP-1 leads to a 2-fold increase in F-actin and non-muscle myosin II and only a 30% increase in Arp2/3. CAP-1 depletion leads to severe structural defects in the syncytial germline and oocytes, which can be rescued by reducing myosin activity. Thus, we uncover a physiological role for actin capping protein in maintaining C. elegans fertility by regulating the level of actomyosin contractility.

scholarly journals Actin-capping protein promotes microtubule stability by antagonizing the actin activity of mDia1

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (20) ◽  
pp. 4032-4040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Bartolini ◽  
Nagendran Ramalingam ◽  
Gregg G. Gundersen
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Proliferating Cells ◽  
Capping Protein ◽  
Microtubule Stability ◽  
Selective Stabilization ◽  
Actin Capping Protein ◽  
Actin Capping ◽  
Interfering Rna

In migrating fibroblasts, RhoA and its effector mDia1 regulate the selective stabilization of microtubules (MTs) polarized in the direction of migration. The conserved formin homology 2 domain of mDia1 is involved both in actin polymerization and MT stabilization, and the relationship between these two activities is unknown. We found that latrunculin A (LatA) and jasplakinolide, actin drugs that release mDia1 from actin filament barbed ends, stimulated stable MT formation in serum-starved fibroblasts and caused a redistribution of mDia1 onto MTs. Knockdown of mDia1 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) prevented stable MT induction by LatA, whereas blocking upstream Rho or integrin signaling had no effect. In search of physiological regulators of mDia1, we found that actin-capping protein induced stable MTs in an mDia1-dependent manner and inhibited the translocation of mDia on the ends of growing actin filaments. Knockdown of capping protein by siRNA reduced stable MT levels in proliferating cells and in starved cells stimulated with lysophosphatidic acid. These results show that actin-capping protein is a novel regulator of MT stability that functions by antagonizing mDia1 activity toward actin filaments and suggest a novel form of actin–MT cross-talk in which a single factor acts sequentially on actin and MTs.

scholarly journals Cap Z(36/32), a barbed end actin-capping protein, is a component of the Z-line of skeletal muscle.

1987 ◽  
Vol 105 (1) ◽  
pp. 371-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
J F Casella ◽  
S W Craig ◽  
D J Maack ◽  
A E Brown
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Capping Protein ◽  
Actin Capping Protein ◽  
In Vitro Effects ◽  
Actin Capping

Various biological activities have been attributed to actin-capping proteins based on their in vitro effects on actin filaments. However, there is little direct evidence for their in vivo activities. In this paper, we show that Cap Z(36/32), a barbed end, actin-capping protein isolated from muscle (Casella, J. F., D. J. Maack, and S. Lin, 1986, J. Biol. Chem., 261:10915-10921) is localized to the barbed ends of actin filaments by electron microscopy and to the Z-line of chicken skeletal muscle by indirect immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. Since actin filaments associate with the Z-line at their barbed ends, these findings suggest that Cap Z(36/32) may play a role in regulating length, orienting, or attaching actin filaments to Z-discs.

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