scholarly journals Twinfilin1 controls lamellipodial protrusive activity and actin turnover during vertebrate gastrulation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caitlin C. Devitt ◽  
Chanjae Lee ◽  
Rachael M. Cox ◽  
Ophelia Papoulas ◽  
José Alvarado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Cell ◽  
Dynamic Control ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Early Embryo ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Convergent Extension ◽  
Cell Movements ◽  
Actin Cables

The dynamic control of the actin cytoskeleton is a key aspect of essentially all animal cell movements. Experiments in single migrating cells and in vitro systems have provided an exceptionally deep understanding of actin dynamics. However, we still know relatively little of how these systems are tuned in cell-type specific ways, for example in the context of collective cell movements that sculpt the early embryo. Here, we provide an analysis of the actin severing and depolymerization machinery during vertebrate gastrulation, with a focus on Twinfilin1 (Twf1). We find that Twf1 is essential for convergent extension, and loss of Twf1 results in a failure of lamellipodial dynamics and polarity. Moreover, Twf1 loss results in a failure to assemble polarized cytoplasmic actin cables essential for convergent extension. These data provide an in vivo complement to our more-extensive understanding of Twf1 action in vitro and provide new links between the core machinery of actin regulation and specialized cell behaviors of embryonic morphogenesis.

scholarly journals Twinfilin1 controls lamellipodial protrusive activity and actin turnover during vertebrate gastrulation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caitlin C. Devitt ◽  
Chanjae Lee ◽  
Rachael M. Cox ◽  
Ophelia Papoulas ◽  
José Alvarado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Cell ◽  
Dynamic Control ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Early Embryo ◽  
Cell Polarization ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Convergent Extension ◽  
Cell Movements ◽  
Actin Turnover

AbstractThe dynamic control of the actin cytoskeleton is a key aspect of essentially all animal cell movements. Experiments in single migrating cells and in vitro systems have provided an exceptionally deep understanding of actin dynamics. However, we still know relatively little of how these systems are tuned in cell-type specific ways, for example in the context of collective cell movements that sculpt the early embryo. Here, we provide an analysis of the actin severing and depolymerization machinery during vertebrate gastrulation, with a focus on Twinfilin1. We confirm previous results on the role of Twf1 in lamellipodia and extend those findings by linking Twf1, actin turnover, and cell polarization required for convergent extension during vertebrate gastrulation.

scholarly journals A Novel Actin Binding Drug with In Vivo Efficacy

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akshaya Ravichandran ◽  
Mengxin Geng ◽  
Kenneth G. Hull ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Daniel Romo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Apoptotic Cell ◽  
Affinity Purification ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Actin Cables

ABSTRACT Occidiofungin is produced by the soil bacterium Burkolderia contaminans MS14 and is structurally similar or identical to the burkholdines, xylocandins, and cepacidines. This study identified the primary cellular target of occidiofungin, which was determined to be actin. The modification of occidiofungin with a functional alkyne group enabled affinity purification assays and localization studies in yeast. Occidiofungin has a subtle effect on actin dynamics that triggers apoptotic cell death. We demonstrate the highly specific localization of occidiofungin to cellular regions rich in actin in yeast and the binding of occidiofungin to purified actin in vitro. Furthermore, a disruption of actin-mediated cellular processes, such as endocytosis, nuclear segregation, and hyphal formation, was observed. All of these processes require the formation of stable actin cables, which are disrupted following the addition of a subinhibitory concentration of occidiofungin. We were also able to demonstrate the effectiveness of occidiofungin in treating a vulvovaginal yeast infection in a murine model. The results of this study are important for the development of an efficacious novel class of actin binding drugs that may fill the existing gap in treatment options for fungal infections or different types of cancer.

scholarly journals The roles and prognostic significance of ABI1-TSV-11 expression in patients with left-sided colorectal cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Zhaohui Zhong ◽  
Mei Li ◽  
Jingyi Chen ◽  
Tingru Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Prognostic Significance ◽  
Growth Factor Receptor ◽  
The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Elevated Expression ◽  
Sw480 Cells ◽  
And Migration

AbstractAbnormally expressed and/or phosphorylated Abelson interactor 1 (ABI1) participates in the metastasis and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). ABI1 presents as at least 12 transcript variants (TSVs) by mRNA alternative splicing, but it is unknown which of them is involved in CRC metastasis and prognosis. Here, we firstly identified ABI1-TSV-11 as a key TSV affecting the metastasis and prognosis of left-sided colorectal cancer (LsCC) and its elevated expression is related to lymph node metastasis and shorter overall survival (OS) in LsCC by analyzing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and TSVdb. Secondly, ABI1-TSV-11 overexpression promoted LoVo and SW480 cells adhesion and migration in vitro, and accelerated LoVo and SW480 cells lung metastasis in vivo. Finally, mechanism investigations revealed that ABI1-isoform-11 interacted with epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate 8 (ESP8) and regulated actin dynamics to affect LoVo and SW480 cells biological behaviors. Taken together, our data demonstrated that ABI1-TSV-11 plays an oncogenic role in LsCC, it is an independent risk factor of prognosis and may be a potential molecular marker and therapeutic target in LsCC.

scholarly journals TGFβ signalling acts as a molecular brake of myoblast fusion

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Melendez ◽  
Daniel Sieiro ◽  
David Salgado ◽  
Valérie Morin ◽  
Marie-Julie Dejardin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Control ◽  
Muscle Growth ◽  
Myoblast Fusion ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
In Vitro Assays ◽  
Receptor Complex ◽  
Tgfβ Signalling ◽  
Molecular Brake

AbstractFusion of nascent myoblasts to pre-existing myofibres is critical for skeletal muscle growth and repair. The vast majority of molecules known to regulate myoblast fusion are necessary in this process. Here, we uncover, through high-throughput in vitro assays and in vivo studies in the chicken embryo, that TGFβ (SMAD2/3-dependent) signalling acts specifically and uniquely as a molecular brake on muscle fusion. While constitutive activation of the pathway arrests fusion, its inhibition leads to a striking over-fusion phenotype. This dynamic control of TGFβ signalling in the embryonic muscle relies on a receptor complementation mechanism, prompted by the merging of myoblasts with myofibres, each carrying one component of the heterodimer receptor complex. The competence of myofibres to fuse is likely restored through endocytic degradation of activated receptors. Altogether, this study shows that muscle fusion relies on TGFβ signalling to regulate its pace.

scholarly journals Villin Severing Activity Enhances Actin-based Motility In Vivo

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 827-838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Céline Revenu ◽  
Matthieu Courtois ◽  
Alphée Michelot ◽  
Cécile Sykes ◽  
Daniel Louvard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shigella Flexneri ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Capping Protein ◽  
Function Strategy ◽  
In Cells

Villin, an actin-binding protein associated with the actin bundles that support microvilli, bundles, caps, nucleates, and severs actin in a calcium-dependant manner in vitro. We hypothesized that the severing activity of villin is responsible for its reported role in enhancing cell plasticity and motility. To test this hypothesis, we chose a loss of function strategy and introduced mutations in villin based on sequence comparison with CapG. By pyrene-actin assays, we demonstrate that this mutant has a strongly reduced severing activity, whereas nucleation and capping remain unaffected. The bundling activity and the morphogenic effects of villin in cells are also preserved in this mutant. We thus succeeded in dissociating the severing from the three other activities of villin. The contribution of villin severing to actin dynamics is analyzed in vivo through the actin-based movement of the intracellular bacteria Shigella flexneri in cells expressing villin and its severing variant. The severing mutations abolish the gain of velocity induced by villin. To further analyze this effect, we reconstituted an in vitro actin-based bead movement in which the usual capping protein is replaced by either the wild type or the severing mutant of villin. Confirming the in vivo results, villin-severing activity enhances the velocity of beads by more than two-fold and reduces the density of actin in the comets. We propose a model in which, by severing actin filaments and capping their barbed ends, villin increases the concentration of actin monomers available for polymerization, a mechanism that might be paralleled in vivo when an enterocyte undergoes an epithelio-mesenchymal transition.

scholarly journals The activity of superoxide-dismutase in animal cell culture CHO-K1 after treatment with fullerenol and mytomicine C

2009 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Visnja Bogdanovic ◽  
Marija Slavic ◽  
Jasminka Mrdjanovic ◽  
Slavica Solajic ◽  
Aleksandar Djordjevic
Keyword(s):  
Superoxide Dismutase ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Animal Cell ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Cytotoxic Agents ◽  
Antioxidant Defenses ◽  
Free Radical Scavengers ◽  
Sod Activity

Eukaryotic cell survives in predominantly reduced conditions. Homeostasis of cellular redox system is an imperative of cell surviving and its normal metabolism. ROS are well recognized for playing a dual role as both deleterious and beneficial species, since they can be either harmful or beneficial to living systems. These species are mutagenic compounds known to lead to DNA damage, favor cell transformation, and contribute to the development of a variety of malignant diseases. All the effects of oxidants are influenced by the cellular antioxidant defenses. This multilayer system consists of low molecular weight components and several antioxidant enzymes. Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are the only enzymes dismuting superoxide radicals. Mitomycin C, a cross-linking agent, demonstrated genotoxicity in all in vitro and in vivo test systems in mammalian cells and animals. Water-soluble fullerenes are well known as cytotoxic agents for many cell lines in vitro. At the other side, fullerenols are good free radical scavengers and antioxidants both in vitro and in vivo. This paper investigates the effects of fullerenol on survival and fullerenol/ /mytomicine (MMC) treatment on superoxide-dismutase (SOD) activity in CHO-K1 cells. Samples were treated 3 and 24 h with fullerenol (C60(OH)24) at concentration range 0.01-0.5 mg/mL and survival was monitored with dye exclusion test (DET). The activity of total SOD was estimated in samples treated with chosen concentrations of fullerenol and MMC (0.5 and 0.1 mg/mL) after 3 and 24 h of cell incubation. Increasing of C60(OH)24 concentration leads to decreasing of percent of surviving cells 3 and 24 h after incubation. The activity of total SOD enhanced with higher concentration of fullerenol, while decreased in the highest concentration at both experimental points. In samples treated with MMC, as well as in samples treated with fullerenol (0.0625 mg/mL) + MMC was noticed boost in total SOD activity in comparison with controls. Treatment with fullerenol decreased SOD activity in rest of samples treated with MMC. Decreased activity of superoxide-dismutase in almost all samples treated with fullerenol and MMC might be contributed to antioxidative properties of fullerenol. Increased enzyme level at concentration of 0.0625 mg/mL may be due to its prooxidative activity.

scholarly journals Prediction and control of symmetry breaking in embryoid bodies by environment and signal integration

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naor Sagy ◽  
Shaked Slovin ◽  
Maya Allalouf ◽  
Maayan Pour ◽  
Gaya Savyon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Symmetry Breaking ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Developmental Process ◽  
Primitive Streak ◽  
Early Embryo ◽  
Embryoid Bodies ◽  
Neighboring Cell ◽  
Contact Points

AbstractDuring early embryogenesis, mechanical signals, localized biochemical signals and neighboring cell layers interaction coordinate around anteroposterior axis determination and symmetry breaking. Deciphering their relative roles, which are hard to tease apart in vivo, will enhance our understanding of how these processes are driven. In recent years, in vitro 3D models of early mammalian development, such as embryoid bodies (EBs) and gastruloids, were successful in mimicking various aspects of the early embryo, providing high throughput accessible systems for studying the basic rules shaping cell fate and morphology during embryogenesis. Using Brachyury (Bry), a primitive streak and mesendoderm marker in EBs, we study how contact, biochemical and neighboring cell cues affect the positioning of a primitive streak-like locus, determining the AP axis. We show that a Bry-competent layer must be formed in the EB before Bry expression initiates, and that Bry onset locus selection depends on contact points of the EB with its surrounding. We can maneuver Bry onset to occur at a specific locus, a few loci, or in an isotropic peripheral pattern. By spatially separating contact and biochemical signal sources, we show these two modalities can be integrated by the EB to generate a single Bry locus. Finally, we show Foxa2+ cells are predictive of the future location of Bry onset, demonstrating an earlier symmetry-breaking event. By delineating the temporal signaling pathway dependencies of Bry and Foxa2, we were able to selectively abolish either, or spatially decouple the two cell types during EB differentiation. These findings demonstrate multiple inputs integration during an early developmental process, and may prove valuable in directing in vitro differentiation.

Slow muscle induction by Hedgehog signalling in vitro

2000 ◽  
Vol 113 (15) ◽  
pp. 2695-2703 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Norris ◽  
C. Neyt ◽  
P.W. Ingham ◽  
P.D. Currie
Keyword(s):  
Cell Fate ◽  
Sonic Hedgehog ◽  
Culture System ◽  
Early Embryo ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
Fast Myosin ◽  
Neural Input ◽  
Slow Twitch

Muscles are composed of several fibre types, the precise combination of which determines muscle function. Whereas neonatal and adult fibre type is influenced by a number of extrinsic factors, such as neural input and muscle load, there is little knowledge of how muscle cells are initially determined in the early embryo. In the zebrafish, fibres of the slow twitch class arise from precociously specified myoblasts that lie close to the midline whereas the remainder of the myotome differentiates as fast myosin expressing muscle. In vivo evidence has suggested the Sonic Hedgehog glycoprotein, secreted from the notochord, controls the formation of slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fates. Here we describe an in vitro culture system that we have developed to test directly the ability of zebrafish myoblasts to respond to exogenous Sonic Hedgehog peptide. We find that Sonic Hedgehog peptide can control the binary cell fate choice of embryonic zebrafish myoblasts in vitro. We have also used this culture system to assay the relative activities of different Hedgehog-family proteins and to investigate the possible involvement of heterotrimeric G-proteins in Hedgehog signal transduction.

F-actin serves as a template for cytokeratin organization in cell free extracts

2002 ◽  
Vol 115 (7) ◽  
pp. 1373-1382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kari L. Weber ◽  
William M. Bement
Keyword(s):  
Time Course ◽  
Early Time ◽  
Dynamic Imaging ◽  
Actin Network ◽  
Intact Cells ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Egg Extracts ◽  
Actin Cables

The microtubule, F-actin, and intermediate filament systems are often studied as isolated systems, yet the three display mutual interdependence in living cells. To overcome limitations inherent in analysis of polymer-polymer interactions in intact cells, associations between these systems were assessed in Xenopus egg extracts. In both fixed and unfixed extract preparations, cytokeratin associated with F-actin cables that spontaneously assembled in the extracts. Time-course experiments revealed that at early time points cytokeratin cables were invariably associated with F-actin cables,while at later time points they could be found without associated F-actin. In extract samples where F-actin assembly was prevented, cytokeratin formed unorganized aggregates rather than cables. Dynamic imaging revealed transport of cytokeratin by moving F-actin as well as examples of cytokeratin release from F-actin. Experimental alteration of F-actin network organization by addition of α-actinin resulted in a corresponding change in the organization of the cytokeratin network. Finally, pharmacological disruption of the F-actin network in intact, activated eggs disrupted the normal pattern of cytokeratin assembly. These results provide direct evidence for an association between F-actin and cytokeratin in vitro and in vivo, and indicate that this interaction is necessary for proper cytokeratin assembly after transition into the first mitotic interphase of Xenopus.

scholarly journals Interaction between p53 N terminus and core domain regulates specific and nonspecific DNA binding

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (18) ◽  
pp. 8859-8868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan He ◽  
Wade Borcherds ◽  
Tanjing Song ◽  
Xi Wei ◽  
Mousumi Das ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Binding ◽  
Posttranslational Modifications ◽  
Dynamic Control ◽  
Transactivation Domains ◽  
Binding Surface ◽  
N Terminus ◽  
Response To Stress ◽  
Stress Signals

The p53 tumor suppressor is a sequence-specific DNA binding protein that activates gene transcription to regulate cell survival and proliferation. Dynamic control of p53 degradation and DNA binding in response to stress signals are critical for tumor suppression. The p53 N terminus (NT) contains two transactivation domains (TAD1 and TAD2), a proline-rich region (PRR), and multiple phosphorylation sites. Previous work revealed the p53 NT reduced DNA binding in vitro. Here, we show that TAD2 and the PRR inhibit DNA binding by directly interacting with the sequence-specific DNA binding domain (DBD). NMR spectroscopy revealed that TAD2 and the PRR interact with the DBD at or near the DNA binding surface, possibly acting as a nucleic acid mimetic to competitively block DNA binding. In vitro and in vivo DNA binding analyses showed that the NT reduced p53 DNA binding affinity but improved the ability of p53 to distinguish between specific and nonspecific sequences. MDMX inhibits p53 binding to specific target promoters but stimulates binding to nonspecific chromatin sites. The results suggest that the p53 NT regulates the affinity and specificity of DNA binding by the DBD. The p53 NT-interacting proteins and posttranslational modifications may regulate DNA binding, partly by modulating the NT–DBD interaction.

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