Polar organization of gamma-tubulin in acentriolar mitotic spindles of Drosophila melanogaster cells

1995 ◽  
Vol 108 (7) ◽  
pp. 2645-2653 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Debec ◽  
C. Detraves ◽  
C. Montmory ◽  
G. Geraud ◽  
M. Wright

The spindle pole localization of gamma-tubulin was compared in wild type and acentriolar cultured Drosophila cells using polyclonal antibodies specifically raised against the carboxy terminal amino acid sequence of Drosophila gamma-tubulin-1 (-KSEDSRSVTSAGS). During interphase, gamma-tubulin was present in the centrosome of wild type cells and accumulated around this organelle in a cell cycle dependent manner. In contrast, no such structure was observed in acentriolar cells. Wild type mitoses were homogeneously composed of biconical spindles, with two centrosome-associated gamma-tubulin spots at the poles. The mitotic apparatuses observed in the acentriolar cells were heterogeneous; multipolar mitoses, bipolar mitoses with a barrel-shaped spindle and bipolar mitoses with biconical spindles were observed. In acentriolar cells, gamma-tubulin accumulation at mitotic poles was dependent on spindle microtubule integrity. Most acentriolar spindles presented a dispersed gamma-tubulin labeling at the poles. Only well polarized and biconical acentriolar spindles showed a strong gamma-tubulin polar spot. Finally, acentriolar mitotic poles were not organized around true centrosomes. In contrast to wild type cells, in acentriolar cells the Bx63 centrosome-associated antigen was absent and the gamma-tubulin containing material dispersed readily following microtubule disassembly. These observations confirm that gamma-tubulin plays an essential role in the nucleation of microtubules even in the absence of mitotic polar organelles. In addition the data suggest that the mechanisms involved in the bipolarization of wild type and acentriolar mitoses are different, and that centrioles play a role in the spatial organization of the nucleating material containing gamma-tubulin.

2001 ◽  
Vol 114 (2) ◽  
pp. 413-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y.F. Inclan ◽  
E. Nogales

alphabeta-tubulin heterodimers self-assemble to form microtubules nucleated by gamma-tubulin in the cell. Gamma-tubulin is believed to recruit the alphabeta-tubulin dimers that form the minus ends of microtubules, but the molecular mechanism of this action remains a matter of heated controversy. Still less is known about the function and molecular interactions of delta-tubulin and epsilon-tubulin. delta-tubulin may seed the formation of the C triplet tubules in the basal bodies of Chlamydomonas and epsilon-tubulin is known to localize to the centrosome in a cell cycle-dependent manner. Using the structure of alphabeta tubulin as a model, we have analyzed the sequences of gamma-, delta- and epsilon-tubulin in regions corresponding to different polymerization interfaces in the tubulin alphabeta dimer. The sequence comparisons sometimes show clear conservation, pointing to similar types of contacts being functionally important for the new tubulin considered. Conversely, certain surfaces show marked differences that rule out equivalent interactions for non-microtubular tubulins. This sequence/structure analysis has led us to structural models of how these special tubulins may be involved in protein-protein contacts that affect microtubule self-assembly. delta-tubulin most likely interacts longitudinally with alpha-tubulin at the minus ends of microtubules, while epsilon-tubulin most likely binds to the plus end of beta-tubulin. Conservation of key residues in gamma-tubulin suggests that it is capable of longitudinal self-assembly. The implications for the protofilament and template models of nucleation are considered.


1999 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 178-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Cenamor ◽  
J. Jiménez ◽  
V.J. Cid ◽  
C. Nombela ◽  
M. Sánchez

2006 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Schneikert ◽  
Annette Grohmann ◽  
Jürgen Behrens

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuting Liu ◽  
Kehui Wang ◽  
Li Huang ◽  
Jicheng Zhao ◽  
Xinpeng Chen ◽  
...  

Centromere identity is defined by nucleosomes containing CENP-A, a histone H3 variant. The deposition of CENP-A at centromeres is tightly regulated in a cell-cycle-dependent manner. We previously reported that the spatiotemporal control of centromeric CENP-A incorporation is mediated by the phosphorylation of CENP-A Ser68. However, a recent report argued that Ser68 phosphoregulation is dispensable for accurate CENP-A loading. Here, we report that the substitution of Ser68 of endogenous CENP-A with either Gln68 or Glu68 severely impairs CENP-A deposition and cell viability. We also find that mice harboring the corresponding mutations are lethal. Together, these results indicate that the dynamic phosphorylation of Ser68 ensures cell-cycle-dependent CENP-A deposition and cell viability.


2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (16) ◽  
pp. 8439-8451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto González-Medina ◽  
Elena Hidalgo ◽  
José Ayté

Abstract In fission yeast, MBF-dependent transcription is inactivated at the end of S phase through a negative feedback loop that involves the co-repressors, Yox1 and Nrm1. Although this repression system is well known, the molecular mechanisms involved in MBF activation remain largely unknown. Compacted chromatin constitutes a barrier to activators accessing promoters. Here, we show that chromatin regulation plays a key role in activating MBF-dependent transcription. Gcn5, a part of the SAGA complex, binds to MBF-regulated promoters through the MBF co-activator Rep2 in a cell cycle-dependent manner and in a reverse correlation to the binding of the MBF co-repressors, Nrm1 or Yox1. We propose that the co-repressors function as physical barriers to SAGA recruitment onto MBF promoters. We also show that Gcn5 acetylates specific lysine residues on histone H3 in a cell cycle-regulated manner. Furthermore, either in a gcn5 mutant or in a strain in which histone H3 is kept in an unacetylated form, MBF-dependent transcription is downregulated. In summary, Gcn5 is required for the full activation and correct timing of MBF-regulated gene transcription.


1990 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 777-787 ◽  
Author(s):  
J B McCarthy ◽  
A P Skubitz ◽  
Z Qi ◽  
X Y Yi ◽  
D J Mickelson ◽  
...  

Cell adhesion to extracellular matrix components such as fibronectin has a complex basis, involving multiple determinants on the molecule that react with discrete cell surface macromolecules. Our previous results have demonstrated that normal and transformed cells adhere and spread on a 33-kD heparin binding fragment that originates from the carboxy-terminal end of particular isoforms (A-chains) of human fibronectin. This fragment promotes melanoma adhesion and spreading in an arginyl-glycyl-aspartyl-serine (RGDS) independent manner, suggesting that cell adhesion to this region of fibronectin is independent of the typical RGD/integrin-mediated binding. Two synthetic peptides from this region of fibronectin were recently identified that bound [3H]heparin in a solid-phase assay and promoted the adhesion and spreading of melanoma cells (McCarthy, J. B., M. K. Chelberg, D. J. Mickelson, and L. T. Furcht. 1988. Biochemistry. 27:1380-1388). The current studies further define the cell adhesion and heparin binding properties of one of these synthetic peptides. This peptide, termed peptide I, has the sequence YEKPGSP-PREVVPRPRPGV and represents residues 1906-1924 of human plasma fibronectin. In addition to promoting RGD-independent melanoma adhesion and spreading in a concentration-dependent manner, this peptide significantly inhibited cell adhesion to the 33-kD fragment or intact fibronectin. Polyclonal antibodies generated against peptide I also significantly inhibited cell adhesion to the peptide, to the 33-kD fragment, but had minimal effect on melanoma adhesion to fibronectin. Anti-peptide I antibodies also partially inhibited [3H]heparin binding to fibronectin, suggesting that peptide I represents a major heparin binding domain on the intact molecule. The cell adhesion activity of another peptide from the 33-kD fragment, termed CS1 (Humphries, M. J., A. Komoriya, S. K. Akiyama, K. Olden, and K. M. Yamada. 1987. J. Biol. Chem., 262:6886-6892) was contrasted with peptide I. Whereas both peptides promoted RGD-independent cell adhesion, peptide CS1 failed to bind heparin, and exogenous peptide CS1 failed to inhibit peptide I-mediated cell adhesion. The results demonstrate a role for distinct heparin-dependent and -independent cell adhesion determinants on the 33-kD fragment, neither of which are related to the RGD-dependent integrin interaction with fibronectin.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole F. Robichaud ◽  
Jeanette Sassine ◽  
Margaret J. Beaton ◽  
Vett K. Lloyd

Daphnids are fresh water microcrustaceans, many of which follow a cyclically parthenogenetic life cycle. Daphnia species have been well studied in the context of ecology, toxicology, and evolution, but their epigenetics remain largely unexamined even though sex determination, the production of sexual females and males, and distinct adult morphological phenotypes, are determined epigenetically. Here, we report on the characterization of histone modifications in Daphnia. We show that a number of histone H3 and H4 modifications are present in Daphnia embryos and histone H3 dimethylated at lysine 4 (H3K4me2) is present nonuniformly in the nucleus in a cell cycle-dependent manner. In addition, this histone modification, while present in blastula and gastrula cells as well as the somatic cells of adults, is absent or reduced in oocytes and nurse cells. Thus, the epigenetic repertoire of Daphnia includes modified histones and as these epigenetic forces act on a genetically homogeneous clonal population Daphnia offers an exceptional tool to investigate the mechanism and role of epigenetics in the life cycle and development of an ecologically important species.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e1004971 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Génin ◽  
Frédérique Cuvelier ◽  
Sandrine Lambin ◽  
Josina Côrte-Real Filipe ◽  
Elodie Autrusseau ◽  
...  

2004 ◽  
Vol 297 (1) ◽  
pp. 285-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriko Yasuhara ◽  
Eri Takeda ◽  
Hitomi Inoue ◽  
Ippei Kotera ◽  
Yoshihiro Yoneda

2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 2876-2889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison J. Faragher ◽  
Andrew M. Fry

Nek2A is a cell cycle-regulated kinase of the never in mitosis A (NIMA) family that is highly enriched at the centrosome. One model for Nek2A function proposes that it regulates cohesion between the mother and daughter centriole through phosphorylation of C-Nap1, a large coiled-coil protein that localizes to centriolar ends. Phosphorylation of C-Nap1 at the G2/M transition may trigger its displacement from centrioles, promoting their separation and subsequent bipolar spindle formation. To test this model, we generated tetracycline-inducible cell lines overexpressing wild-type and kinase-dead versions of Nek2A. Live cell imaging revealed that active Nek2A stimulates the sustained splitting of interphase centrioles indicative of loss of cohesion. However, this splitting is accompanied by only a partial reduction in centriolar C-Nap1. Strikingly, induction of kinase-dead Nek2A led to formation of monopolar spindles with unseparated spindle poles that lack C-Nap1. Furthermore, kinase-dead Nek2A interfered with chromosome segregation and cytokinesis and led to an overall change in the DNA content of the cell population. These results provide the first direct evidence in human cells that Nek2A function is required for the correct execution of mitosis, most likely through promotion of centrosome disjunction. However, they suggest that loss of centriole cohesion and C-Nap1 displacement may be distinct mitotic events.


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