Organization and regulation of cortical microtubules during the first cell cycle of Xenopus eggs

Development ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (3) ◽  
pp. 699-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M. Schroeder ◽  
D.L. Gard
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cortical Microtubule ◽  
Cortical Microtubules ◽  
Confocal Immunofluorescence Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Immunofluorescence ◽  
Vegetal Cortex ◽  
M Phase ◽  
Tubulin Antibodies ◽  
Microtubule Networks ◽  
Sperm Aster

Anti-tubulin antibodies and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy were used to examine the organization and regulation of cytoplasmic and cortical microtubules during the first cell cycle of fertilized Xenopus eggs. Appearance of microtubules in the egg cortex temporally coincided with the outgrowth of the sperm aster. Microtubules of the sperm aster first reached the animal cortex at 0.25, (times normalized to first cleavage), forming a radially organized array of cortical microtubules. A disordered network of microtubules was apparent in the vegetal cortex as early as 0.35. Cortical microtubule networks of both animal and vegetal hemispheres were reorganized at times corresponding to the cortical rotation responsible for specification of the dorsal-ventral (D-V) axis. Optical sections suggest that the cortical microtubules are continuous with the microtubules of the sperm aster in fertilized eggs, or an extensive activation aster in activated eggs. Neither assembly and organization, nor disassembly of the cortical microtubules coincided with MPF activation during mitosis. However, cycloheximide or 6-dimethylaminopurine, which arrest fertilized eggs at interphase, blocked cortical microtubule disassembly. Injection of p13, a protein that specifically inhibits MPF activation, delayed or inhibited cortical microtubule breakdown. In contrast, eggs injected with cyc delta 90, a truncated cyclin that arrest eggs in M-phase, showed normal microtubule disassembly. Finally, injection of partially purified MPF into cycloheximide-arrested eggs induced cortical microtubule breakdown. These results suggest that, despite a lack of temporal coincidence, breakdown of the cortical microtubules is dependent on the activation of MPF.

scholarly journals Evidence for the involvement of microtubules, ER, and kinesin in the cortical rotation of fertilized frog eggs.

1991 ◽  
Vol 114 (5) ◽  
pp. 1017-1028 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Houliston ◽  
R P Elinson
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Sea Urchin ◽  
Rana Pipiens ◽  
Cortical Microtubules ◽  
Cell Biol ◽  
Vegetal Cortex ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Cytoplasmic Side ◽  
Cytokeratin Filaments

During the first cell cycle, the vegetal cortex of the fertilized frog egg is translocated over the cytoplasm. This process of cortical rotation creates regional cytoplasmic differences important in later development, and appears to involve an array of aligned microtubules that forms transiently beneath the vegetal cortex. We have investigated how these microtubules might be involved in generating movement by analyzing isolated cortices and sections of Xenopus laevis and Rana pipiens eggs. First, the polarity of the cortical microtubules was determined using the "hook" assay. Almost all microtubules had their plus ends pointing in the direction of cortical rotation. Secondly, the association of microtubules with other cytoplasmic elements was examined. Immunofluorescence revealed that cytokeratin filaments coalign with the microtubules. The timing of their appearance and their position on the cytoplasmic side of the microtubules suggested that they are not involved directly in generating movement. ER was visualized with the dye DiIC16(3) and by immunofluorescence with anti-BiP (Bole, D. G., L. M. Hendershot, and J. F. Kearney, 1986. J. Cell Biol. 102:1558-1566). One layer of ER was found closely underlying the plasma membrane at all times. An additional, deeper layer formed in association with the microtubules of the array. Antibodies to sea urchin kinesin (Ingold, A. L., S. A. Cohn, and J. M. Scholey. 1988. J. Cell Biol. 107:2657-2667) detected antigens associated with both the ER and microtubules. On immunoblots they recognized microtubule associated polypeptide(s) of approximately 115 kD from Xenopus eggs. These observations are consistent with a role for kinesin in creating movement between the microtubules and ER, which leads in turn to the cortical rotation.

Phases of cytoplasmic and cortical reorganizations of the ascidian zygote between fertilization and first division

Development ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 126 (14) ◽  
pp. 3101-3117
Author(s):  
F. Roegiers ◽  
C. Djediat ◽  
R. Dumollard ◽  
C. Rouviere ◽  
C. Sardet
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Meiotic Cell ◽  
Cytoplasmic Domains ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Rich Domain ◽  
Vegetal Cortex ◽  
Transplantation Experiments ◽  
Sperm Aster

Many eggs undergo reorganizations that localize determinants specifying the developmental axes and the differentiation of various cell types. In ascidians, fertilization triggers spectacular reorganizations that result in the formation and localization of distinct cytoplasmic domains that are inherited by early blastomeres that develop autonomously. By applying various imaging techniques to the transparent eggs of Phallusia mammillata, we now define 9 events and phases in the reorganization of the surface, cortex and the cytoplasm between fertilization and first cleavage. We show that two of the domains that preexist in the egg (the ER-rich cortical domain and the mitochondria-rich subcortical myoplasm) are localized successively by a microfilament-driven cortical contraction, a microtubule-driven migration and rotation of the sperm aster with respect to the cortex, and finally, a novel microfilament-dependant relaxation of the vegetal cortex. The phases of reorganization we have observed can best be explained in terms of cell cycle-regulated phases of coupling, uncoupling and recoupling of the motions of cortical and subcortical layers (ER-rich cortical domain and mitochondria-rich domain) with respect to the surface of the zygote. At the end of the meiotic cell cycle we can distinguish up to 5 cortical and cytoplasmic domains (including two novel ones; the vegetal body and a yolk-rich domain) layered against the vegetal cortex. We have also analyzed how the myoplasm is partitioned into distinct blastomeres at the 32-cell stage and the effects on development of the ablation of precisely located small fragments. On the basis of our observations and of the ablation/ transplantation experiments done in the zygotes of Phallusia and several other ascidians, we suggest that the determinants for unequal cleavage, gastrulation and for the differentiation of muscle and endoderm cells may reside in 4 distinct cortical and cytoplasmic domains localized in the egg between fertilization and cleavage.

Patterns of microtubule polymerization relating to cortical rotation in Xenopus laevis eggs

Development ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 112 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Houliston ◽  
R.P. Elinson
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Microtubule ◽  
Microtubule Polymerization ◽  
Vegetal Cortex ◽  
Sperm Entry ◽  
Female Pronucleus ◽  
Cortical Array ◽  
Xenopus Egg ◽  
Cytoplasmic Microtubules ◽  
Tubulin Immunofluorescence ◽  
Sperm Aster

Following fertilization, the Xenopus egg cortex rotates relative to the cytoplasm by 30 degrees about a horizontal axis. The direction of rotation, and as a result the orientation of the embryonic body axes, is normally specified by the position of sperm entry. The mechanism of rotation appears to involve an array of aligned microtubules in the vegetal cortex (Elinson and Rowning, 1988, Devl Biol. 128, 185–197). We performed anti-tubulin immunofluorescence on sections to follow the formation of this array. Microtubules disappear rapidly from the egg following fertilization, and reappear first in the sperm aster. Surprisingly, astral microtubules then extend radially through both the animal and vegetal cytoplasm. The cortical array arises as they reach the vegetal cell surface. The eccentric position of the sperm aster gives asymmetry to the formation of the array and may explain its alignment since microtubules reaching the cortex tend to bend away from the sperm entry side. The radial polymerization of cytoplasmic microtubules is not dependent on the sperm aster or on the female pronucleus: similar but more symmetric patterns arise in artificially activated and enucleate eggs, slightly later than in fertilized eggs. These observations suggest that the cortical microtubule array forms as a result of asymmetric microtubule growth outward from cytoplasm to cortex and, since cortical and cytoplasmic microtubules remain connected throughout the period of the rotation, that the microtubules of the array rotate with the cytoplasm.

scholarly journals XMAP230 is required for normal spindle assembly in vivo and in vitro

1999 ◽  
Vol 112 (23) ◽  
pp. 4337-4346 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Cha ◽  
L. Cassimeris ◽  
D.L. Gard
Keyword(s):  
Spindle Assembly ◽  
Chromosome Loss ◽  
Mitotic Spindles ◽  
Confocal Immunofluorescence Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Immunofluorescence ◽  
M Phase ◽  
Spindle Microtubules ◽  
Bipolar Spindles

XMAP230 is a high molecular mass microtubule-associated protein isolated from Xenopus oocytes and eggs, and has been recently shown to be a homolog of mammalian MAP4. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that XMAP230 is associated with microtubules throughout the cell cycle of early Xenopus embryos. During interphase XMAP230 is associated with the radial arrays of microtubules and midbodies remaining from the previous division. During mitosis, XMAP230 is associated with both astral microtubules and microtubules of the central spindle. Microinjection of affinity-purified anti-XMAP230 antibody into blastomeres severely disrupted the assembly of mitotic spindles during the rapid cleavage cycles of early development. Both monopolar half spindles and bipolar spindles were assembled from XMAP230-depleted extracts in vitro. However, spindles assembled in XMAP230-depleted extracts exhibited a reduction in spindle width, reduced microtubule density, chromosome loss, and reduced acetylation of spindle MTs. Similar defects were observed in the spindles assembled in XMAP230-depleted extracts that had been cycled through interphase. Depletion of XMAP230 had no effect on the pole-to-pole length of spindles, and depletion of XMAP230 from both interphase and M-phase extracts had no effect on the rate of microtubule elongation. From these results, we conclude that XMAP230 plays an important role in normal spindle assembly, primarily by acting to stabilize spindle microtubules, and that the observed defects in spindle assembly may result from enhanced microtubule dynamics in XMAP230-depleted extracts.

Hybridized Quinoline Derivatives as Anticancer Agents: Design, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and Molecular Docking

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed R. Selim ◽  
Medhat A. Zahran ◽  
Amany Belal ◽  
Moustafa S. Abusaif ◽  
Said A. Shedid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Anticancer Agents ◽  
Caspase 3 ◽  
Biological Evaluation ◽  
Tubulin Polymerization ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Chemical Structures ◽  
M Phase ◽  
Induced Apoptosis ◽  
Derivatives Of

Objective: Conjugating quinolones with different bioactive pharmacophores to obtain potent anticancer active agents. Methods: Fused pyrazolopyrimidoquinolines 3a-d, Schiff bases 5, 6a-e, two hybridized systems: pyrazolochromenquinoline 7 and pyrazolothiazolidinquinoline 8, different substituted thiazoloquinolines 13-15 and thiazolo[3,2-a]pyridine derivatives 16a-c were synthesized. Their chemical structures were characterized through spectral and elemental analysis, cytotoxic activity on five cancer cell lines, caspase-3 activation, tubulin polymerization inhibition and cell cycle analysis were evaluated. Results: Four compounds 3b, 3d, 8 and 13 showed potent activity than doxorubicin on HCT116 and three compounds 3b, 3d and 8 on HEPG2. These promising derivatives showed increase in the level of caspase-3. The trifloromethylphenyl derivatives of pyrazolopyrimidoquinolines 3b and 3d showed considerable tubulin polymerization inhibitory activity. Both compounds arrested cell cycle at G2/M phase and induced apoptosis. Conclusion: Compounds 3b and 3d can be considered as promising anticancer active agents with 70% of colchicine activity on tubulin polymerization inhibition and represent hopeful leads that deserve further investigation and optimization.

scholarly journals The Antiproliferative Activity of Oxypeucedanin via Induction of G2/M Phase Cell Cycle Arrest and p53-Dependent MDM2/p21 Expression in Human Hepatoma Cells

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 501
Author(s):  
So Hyun Park ◽  
Ji-Young Hong ◽  
Hyen Joo Park ◽  
Sang Kook Lee
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cell Cycle Arrest ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Antiproliferative Activity ◽  
Hepatoma Cells ◽  
Phase Cell ◽  
Human Hepatoma Cells ◽  
Cycle Arrest ◽  
Growth Inhibitory Activity ◽  
M Phase

Oxypeucedanin (OPD), a furocoumarin compound from Angelica dahurica (Umbelliferae), exhibits potential antiproliferative activities in human cancer cells. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of OPD as an anticancer agent in human hepatocellular cancer cells have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the present study investigated the antiproliferative effect of OPD in SK-Hep-1 human hepatoma cells. OPD effectively inhibited the growth of SK-Hep-1 cells. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that OPD was able to induce G2/M phase cell cycle arrest in cells. The G2/M phase cell cycle arrest by OPD was associated with the downregulation of the checkpoint proteins cyclin B1, cyclin E, cdc2, and cdc25c, and the up-regulation of p-chk1 (Ser345) expression. The growth-inhibitory activity of OPD against hepatoma cells was found to be p53-dependent. The p53-expressing cells (SK-Hep-1 and HepG2) were sensitive, but p53-null cells (Hep3B) were insensitive to the antiproliferative activity of OPD. OPD also activated the expression of p53, and thus leading to the induction of MDM2 and p21, which indicates that the antiproliferative activity of OPD is in part correlated with the modulation of p53 in cancer cells. In addition, the combination of OPD with gemcitabine showed synergistic growth-inhibitory activity in SK-Hep-1 cells. These findings suggest that the anti-proliferative activity of OPD may be highly associated with the induction of G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and upregulation of the p53/MDM2/p21 axis in SK-HEP-1 hepatoma cells.

scholarly journals Cell cycle re-entry and arrest in G2/M phase induces senescence and fibrosis in Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomas L. White ◽  
Neha Deshpande ◽  
Varun Kumar ◽  
Alex G. Gauthier ◽  
Ula V. Jurkunas
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Corneal Dystrophy ◽  
M Phase

scholarly journals Inhibition of cell expansion enhances cortical microtubule stability in the root apex of Arabidopsis thaliana

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica Giourieva ◽  
Emmanuel Panteris
Keyword(s):  
Arabidopsis Thaliana ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Cell Expansion ◽  
Cortical Microtubule ◽  
Root Apex ◽  
Cellulose Synthase ◽  
Cellulose Biosynthesis ◽  
Cortical Microtubules ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Microtubule Stability

Abstract Background Cortical microtubules regulate cell expansion by determining cellulose microfibril orientation in the root apex of Arabidopsis thaliana. While the regulation of cell wall properties by cortical microtubules is well studied, the data on the influence of cell wall to cortical microtubule organization and stability remain scarce. Studies on cellulose biosynthesis mutants revealed that cortical microtubules depend on Cellulose Synthase A (CESA) function and/or cell expansion. Furthermore, it has been reported that cortical microtubules in cellulose-deficient mutants are hypersensitive to oryzalin. In this work, the persistence of cortical microtubules against anti-microtubule treatment was thoroughly studied in the roots of several cesa mutants, namely thanatos, mre1, any1, prc1-1 and rsw1, and the Cellulose Synthase Interacting 1 protein (csi1) mutant pom2-4. In addition, various treatments with drugs affecting cell expansion were performed on wild-type roots. Whole mount tubulin immunolabeling was applied in the above roots and observations were performed by confocal microscopy. Results Cortical microtubules in all mutants showed statistically significant increased persistence against anti-microtubule drugs, compared to those of the wild-type. Furthermore, to examine if the enhanced stability of cortical microtubules was due to reduced cellulose biosynthesis or to suppression of cell expansion, treatments of wild-type roots with 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (DCB) and Congo red were performed. After these treatments, cortical microtubules appeared more resistant to oryzalin, than in the control. Conclusions According to these findings, it may be concluded that inhibition of cell expansion, irrespective of the cause, results in increased microtubule stability in A. thaliana root. In addition, cell expansion does not only rely on cortical microtubule orientation but also plays a regulatory role in microtubule dynamics, as well. Various hypotheses may explain the increased cortical microtubule stability under decreased cell expansion such as the role of cell wall sensors and the presence of less dynamic cortical microtubules.

scholarly journals Structure-Based Virtual Screening and Biological Evaluation of Peptide Inhibitors for Polo-Box Domain

Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Yan ◽  
Guangmei Liu ◽  
Tingting Chen ◽  
Xiaochen Fu ◽  
Miao-Miao Niu
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Virtual Screening ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Pharmacophore Modeling ◽  
Biological Evaluation ◽  
Peptide Inhibitors ◽  
Regulatory Proteins ◽  
Competitive Binding Assay ◽  
M Phase ◽  
Cell Cycle Regulatory Proteins

The polo-box domain of polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1-PBD) is proved to have crucial roles in cell proliferation. Designing PLK1-PBD inhibitors is challenging due to their poor cellular penetration. In this study, we applied a virtual screening workflow based on a combination of structure-based pharmacophore modeling with molecular docking screening techniques, so as to discover potent PLK1-PBD peptide inhibitors. The resulting 9 virtual screening peptides showed affinities for PLK1-PBD in a competitive binding assay. In particular, peptide 5 exhibited an approximately 100-fold increase in inhibitory activity (IC50 = 70 nM), as compared with the control poloboxtide. Moreover, cell cycle experiments indicated that peptide 5 effectively inhibited the expression of p-Cdc25C and cell cycle regulatory proteins by affecting the function of PLK1-PBD, thereby inducing mitotic arrest at the G2/M phase. Overall, peptide 5 can serve as a potent lead for further investigation as PLK1-PBD inhibitors.

scholarly journals Cell Cycle-Dependent Expression of Mammalian E2-C Regulated by the Anaphase-Promoting Complex/Cyclosome

2000 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2821-2831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atsushi Yamanaka ◽  
Shigetsugu Hatakeyama ◽  
Kin-ichiro Kominami ◽  
Masatoshi Kitagawa ◽  
Masaki Matsumoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Substrate Specificity ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Anaphase Promoting Complex ◽  
Polyubiquitin Chain ◽  
M Phase ◽  
Ubiquitin Conjugating Enzyme ◽  
Recognition Motifs ◽  
Cycle Dependent ◽  
Conjugating Enzyme

Progression through mitosis requires the precisely timed ubiquitin-dependent degradation of specific substrates. E2-C is a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme that plays a critical role with anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) in progression of and exit from M phase. Here we report that mammalian E2-C is expressed in late G2/M phase and is degraded as cells exit from M phase. The mammalian E2-C shows an autoubiquitinating activity leading to covalent conjugation to itself with several ubiquitins. The ubiquitination of E2-C is strongly enhanced by APC/C, resulting in the formation of a polyubiquitin chain. The polyubiquitination of mammalian E2-C occurs only when cells exit from M phase. Furthermore, mammalian E2-C contains two putative destruction boxes that are believed to act as recognition motifs for APC/C. The mutation of this motif reduced the polyubiquitination of mammalian E2-C, resulting in its stabilization. These results suggest that mammalian E2-C is itself a substrate of the APC/C-dependent proteolysis machinery, and that the periodic expression of mammalian E2-C may be a novel autoregulatory system for the control of the APC/C activity and its substrate specificity.

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