scholarly journals Candida albicans Rho-Type GTPase-Encoding Genes Required for Polarized Cell Growth and Cell Separation

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 844-854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Dünkler ◽  
Jürgen Wendland
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Cell Polarity ◽  
Cell Separation ◽  
Cycle Length ◽  
Hyphal Growth ◽  
Rho Proteins ◽  
Polarized Cell Growth ◽  
Bud Growth ◽  
Cell Cycle Length

ABSTRACT Rho proteins are essential regulators of morphogenesis in eukaryotic cells. In this report, we investigate the role of two previously uncharacterized Rho proteins, encoded by the Candida albicans RHO3 (CaRHO3) and CaCRL1/CaRHO4 genes. The CaRHO3 gene was found to contain one intron. Promoter shutdown experiments using a MET3 promoter-controlled RHO3 revealed a strong cell polarity defect and a partially depolarized actin cytoskeleton. Hyphal growth after promoter shutdown was abolished in rho3 mutants even in the presence of a constitutively active ras1(G13V) allele, and existing germ tubes became swollen. Deletion of C. albicans RHO4 indicated that it is a nonessential gene and that rho4 mutants were phenotypically different from rho3. Two distinct phenotypes of rho4 cells were elongated cell morphology and an unexpected cell separation defect generating chains of cells. Colony morphology of crl1/rho4 resulted in a growth-dependent smooth (long cell cycle length) or wrinkled (short cell cycle length) phenotype. This phenotype was additionally dependent on the rho4 cell separation defect and was also found in a Cacht3 chitinase mutant that shows a strong cytokinesis defect. The overexpression of the endoglucanase encoding the ENG1 gene, but not CHT3, suppressed the cell separation defect of crl1/rho4 but could not suppress the cell elongation phenotype. C. albicans Crl1/Rho4 and Bnr1 both localize to septal sites in yeast and hyphal cells but not to the hyphal tip. Deletion of RHO4 and BNR1 produced similar morphological phenotypes. Based on the localization of Rho4 and on the rho4 mutant phenotype, we propose a model in which Rho4p may function as a regulator of cell polarity, breaking the initial axis of polarity found during early bud growth to promote the construction of a septum.

scholarly journals Cell Polarity and Hyphal Morphogenesis Are Controlled by Multiple Rho-Protein Modules in the Filamentous Ascomycete Ashbya gossypii

Genetics ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 157 (2) ◽  
pp. 601-610
Author(s):  
J Wendland ◽  
P Philippsen
Keyword(s):  
Cell Growth ◽  
Filamentous Fungi ◽  
Cell Polarity ◽  
Hyphal Growth ◽  
Ashbya Gossypii ◽  
Rho Proteins ◽  
Filamentous Ascomycete ◽  
Polarized Cell Growth ◽  
Rho Protein ◽  
Protein Modules

Abstract Polarized cell growth requires a polarized organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Small GTP-binding proteins of the Rho-family have been shown to be involved in the regulation of actin polarization as well as other processes. Hyphal growth in filamentous fungi represents an ideal model to investigate mechanisms involved in generating cell polarity and establishing polarized cell growth. Since a potential role of Rho-proteins has not been studied so far in filamentous fungi we isolated and characterized the Ashbya gossypii homologs of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CDC42, CDC24, RHO1, and RHO3 genes. The AgCDC42 and AgCDC24 genes can both complement conditional mutations in the S. cerevisiae CDC42 and CDC24 genes and both proteins are required for the establishment of actin polarization in A. gossypii germ cells. Agrho1 mutants show a cell lysis phenotype. Null mutant strains of Agrho3 show periodic swelling of hyphal tips that is overcome by repolarization and polar hyphal growth in a manner resembling the germination pattern of spores. Thus different Rho-protein modules are required for distinct steps during polarized hyphal growth of A. gossypii.

scholarly journals A Branching Process to Characterize the Dynamics of Stem Cell Differentiation

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
david miguez
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Cycle Length ◽  
Branching Process ◽  
Stem Cell Differentiation ◽  
Stem Cell Population ◽  
Mathematical Framework ◽  
Average Cell ◽  
Cell Cycle Length

The understanding of the regulatory processes that orchestrate stem cell maintenance is a cornerstone in developmental biology. Here, we present a mathematical model based on a branching process formalism that predicts average rates of proliferative and differentiative divisions in a given stem cell population. In the context of vertebrate spinal neurogenesis, the model predicts complex non-monotonic variations in the rates of pp, pd and dd modes of division as well as in cell cycle length, in agreement with experimental results. Moreover, the model shows that the differentiation probability follows a binomial distribution, allowing us to develop equations to predict the rates of each mode of division. A phenomenological simulation of the developing spinal cord informed with the average cell cycle length and division rates predicted by the mathematical model reproduces the correct dynamics of proliferation and differentiation in terms of average numbers of progenitors and differentiated cells. Overall, the present mathematical framework represents a powerful tool to unveil the changes in the rate and mode of division of a given stem cell pool by simply quantifying numbers of cells at different times.

scholarly journals Theoretical Basis for the Measurement of Small Differences in the Length of the Cell Cycle between Two Cell Populations

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-100
Author(s):  
Juan Sebastian Yakisich
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Theoretical Basis ◽  
Cycle Length ◽  
Cell Populations ◽  
Experimental Variability ◽  
Cell Strains ◽  
Novel Strategy ◽  
Cell Cycle Length

The length of the cell cycle (TC) is a tight regulated process and is important for proper development and homeostasis. Although several methods are available for estimating the duration of the cell cycle, it is difficult to determinate small differences of TC between two different cell populations due to biological and/or experimental variability. A novel strategy based in co-cultivation of two cell strains followed by a series of dilution and propagation of the culture will allow the quantification of very small differences in the length of two cell populations at resolution levels not possible at present with current methods. This is achieved by a separation of the endpoint variable measured to compare between two cell populations. The theoretical basis of this approach is discussed in the context of published experimental data and simulation of idealized experiments using virtual strains of different cell cycle length.

scholarly journals Replication fork rate and origin activation during the S phase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

1980 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
C J Rivin ◽  
W L Fangman
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cycle Length ◽  
Replication Fork ◽  
Nitrogen Sources ◽  
S Phase ◽  
Phase Duration ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Origin Activation ◽  
Cell Cycle Length

When the growth rate of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is limited with various nitrogen sources, the duration of the S phase is proportional to cell cycle length over a fourfold range of growth rates (C.J. Rivin and W. L. Fangman, 1980, J. Cell Biol. 85:96-107). Molecular parameters of the S phases of these cells were examined by DNA fiber autoradiography. Changes in replication fork rate account completely for the changes in S-phase duration. No changes in origin-to-origin distances were detected. In addition, it was found that while most adjacent replication origins are activated within a few minutes of each other, new activations occur throughout the S phase.

435 REDUCTION OF CELL CYCLE LENGTH AND INCREASE IN S-PHASE BY GROWTH FACTORS IN PIG FETAL FIBROBLASTS

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 374
Author(s):  
S. Waghmare ◽  
B. Mir
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Growth Factors ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Cycle Length ◽  
S Phase ◽  
Proliferation Rate ◽  
Fetal Fibroblasts ◽  
Cell Cycle Length ◽  
Number Of Cells

Gene targeting in primary somatic cells is inefficient compared with embryonic stem cells. This is because of a slow rate of cell proliferation, fewer cells in S-phase at a given time point under normal culture conditions, and low rate of homologous recombination. Homologous recombination occurs mainly in late S-phase and increase in gene targeting efficiency has been reported in S-phase synchronized cells in bovine and rhesus macaque fetal fibroblasts. In this study we tested several growth factors: platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), tumor necrosis factor a (TNFα), epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1), insulin-like growth factor 1 (ILGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor II (ILGF-II) individually and in various combinations to see the effect on cell proliferation rate. Each experimental set consisted of 3 replicates. TGFβ1-, ILGF1-, ILGFII-, and FGF-treated cells grew very slowly compared with untreated cells. However, a combination of 3 growth factors: PDGF (15 ng mL-1), EGF (50 ng mL-1) and TNFa (100 pg mL-1), herein referred to as the cocktail, accelerated cell proliferation rate and reduced cell cycle length on average from 24.5 ± 0.2 to 20.4 ± 0.5 h with no significant change in number of cells in S-phase. Further, cells grown in the presence of the cocktail showed changes in morphology. The cells became spindle-shaped and occupied less surface area per cell compared with untreated cells. Importantly, cocktail-treated cells maintained a normal karyotype without any chromosomal abnormality. Thymidine has been used successfully to block various cell types in S-phase but it failed to synchronize these cells in S-phase in the concentration range of 2 to 10 mM for 24 to 48 h. However, serum starvation (0.2% fetal bovine serum) for 48 h blocked the cell proliferation rate effectively and synchronized cells in G0 phase (80-82% cells). After releasing from the block, cells were grown in the absence or presence of cocktail and cell cycle analysis was done at different time points by flow cytometry. Each time point was repeated 3 times. We observed the maximum number of cells in S-phase at 22 to 23 h (61.33% ± 7.77 in cocktail-treated cells v. 41.7% ± 3.28 in untreated cells). In summary, the cocktail-treated cells showed changes in cell morphology, higher proliferation rate, reduction in cell cycle length by 16.7%, and maximum percentage of cells in S-phase following serum starvation but maintained normal karyotypes. This high proliferation rate, reduction in cell cycle length, and maximum number of cells in S-phase should be very helpful in increasing the efficiency of gene-targeting in pig fetal fibroblasts.

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