scholarly journals Stability of microtubule attachment to metaphase kinetochores in PtK1 cells

1990 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Cassimeris ◽  
C.L. Rieder ◽  
G. Rupp ◽  
E.D. Salmon
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Site ◽  
Microtubule Assembly ◽  
Microtubule Depolymerization ◽  
Spindle Poles ◽  
Microtubule Attachment ◽  
Section Electron ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Serial Section Electron Microscopy ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Section Electron Microscopy

Kinetochore microtubules are known to be differentially stable to a variety of microtubule depolymerization agents compared to the non-kinetochore polar microtubules, but the dynamics of microtubule attachment to the kinetochore is currently controversial. We have examined the stability of kinetochore microtubules in metaphase PtK1 spindles at 23 degrees C when microtubule assembly is abruptly blocked with the drug nocodazole. Metaphase cells were incubated in medium containing 34 microM nocodazole for various times before fixation and processing either for immunofluorescence light microscopy or serial-section electron microscopy. Microtubules not associated with kinetochore fibers disappeared completely in less than 1 min. Kinetochore fibers persisted and shortened, as the spindle poles moved close to the chromosomes over a 10–20 min interval. During this shortening process, the number of kinetochore microtubules decreased slowly. The mean number of kinetochore microtubules was 24 +/− 5 in control cells and zero in cells incubated with nocodazole for 20 min. The half-time of microtubule attachment to the kinetochore was approximately 7.5 min. These results show that when microtubule assembly is blocked, kinetochore microtubules shorten more slowly and persist about 10 times longer than the labile polar microtubules. If kinetochore microtubules shorten by tubulin dissociation at their plus-ends like the non-kinetochore polar microtubules, then the microtubule surface lattice must be able to translocate through the kinetochore attachment site without frequent detachment occurring.

Normal Synaptonemal Complex and Abnormal Recombination Nodules in Two Alleles of the Drosophila Meiotic Mutant mei-W68

Genetics ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 163 (4) ◽  
pp. 1337-1356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adelaide T C Carpenter
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Serial Section ◽  
The Other ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Recombination Nodules ◽  
Section Electron ◽  
Serial Section Electron Microscopy ◽  
Section Electron Microscopy

Abstract The meiotic phenotypes of two mutant alleles of the mei-W68 gene, 1 and L1, were studied by genetics and by serial-section electron microscopy. Despite no or reduced exchange, both mutant alleles have normal synaptonemal complex. However, neither has any early recombination nodules; instead, both exhibit high numbers of very long (up to 2 μm) structures here named “noodles.” These are hypothesized to be formed by the unchecked extension of identical but much shorter structures ephemerally seen in wild type, which may be precursors of early recombination nodules. Although the mei-W68L1 allele is identical to the mei-W681 allele in both the absence of early recombination nodules and a high frequency of noodles (i.e., it is amorphic for the noodle phene), it is hypomorphic in its effects on exchange and late recombination nodules. The differential effects of this allele on early and late recombination nodules are consistent with the hypothesis that Drosophila females have two separate recombination pathways—one for simple gene conversion, the other for exchange.

scholarly journals Centriolar remodeling underlies basal body maturation during ciliogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans

eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inna V Nechipurenko ◽  
Cristina Berciu ◽  
Piali Sengupta ◽  
Daniela Nicastro
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Sensory Neurons ◽  
Basal Body ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Mother Centriole ◽  
Section Electron ◽  
Serial Section Electron Microscopy ◽  
Section Electron Microscopy

The primary cilium is nucleated by the mother centriole-derived basal body (BB) via as yet poorly characterized mechanisms. BBs have been reported to degenerate following ciliogenesis in the C. elegans embryo, although neither BB architecture nor early ciliogenesis steps have been described in this organism. In a previous study (Doroquez et al., 2014), we described the three-dimensional morphologies of sensory neuron cilia in adult C. elegans hermaphrodites at high resolution. Here, we use serial section electron microscopy and tomography of staged C. elegans embryos to demonstrate that BBs remodel to support ciliogenesis in a subset of sensory neurons. We show that centriolar singlet microtubules are converted into BB doublets which subsequently grow asynchronously to template the ciliary axoneme, visualize degeneration of the centriole core, and define the developmental stage at which the transition zone is established. Our work provides a framework for future investigations into the mechanisms underlying BB remodeling.

scholarly journals Reconstruction of genetically identified neurons imaged by serial-section electron microscopy

eLife ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian Joesch ◽  
David Mankus ◽  
Masahito Yamagata ◽  
Ali Shahbazi ◽  
Richard Schalek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Serial Section ◽  
Viral Vectors ◽  
Unsupervised Segmentation ◽  
Neuronal Structure ◽  
Section Electron ◽  
Neuronal Types ◽  
Serial Section Electron Microscopy ◽  
Complete Circuit ◽  
Section Electron Microscopy

Resolving patterns of synaptic connectivity in neural circuits currently requires serial section electron microscopy. However, complete circuit reconstruction is prohibitively slow and may not be necessary for many purposes such as comparing neuronal structure and connectivity among multiple animals. Here, we present an alternative strategy, targeted reconstruction of specific neuronal types. We used viral vectors to deliver peroxidase derivatives, which catalyze production of an electron-dense tracer, to genetically identify neurons, and developed a protocol that enhances the electron-density of the labeled cells while retaining the quality of the ultrastructure. The high contrast of the marked neurons enabled two innovations that speed data acquisition: targeted high-resolution reimaging of regions selected from rapidly-acquired lower resolution reconstruction, and an unsupervised segmentation algorithm. This pipeline reduces imaging and reconstruction times by two orders of magnitude, facilitating directed inquiry of circuit motifs.

scholarly journals BUB-1 promotes amphitelic chromosome biorientation via multiple activities at the kinetochore

eLife ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances Edwards ◽  
Gilliane Maton ◽  
Nelly Gareil ◽  
Julie C Canman ◽  
Julien Dumont
Keyword(s):  
Chromosome Segregation ◽  
Spindle Assembly Checkpoint ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Microtubule Assembly ◽  
Spindle Poles ◽  
Microtubule Attachment ◽  
Anaphase Onset ◽  
Chromatid Segregation ◽  
Associated Proteins ◽  
Chromosome Attachment

Accurate chromosome segregation relies on bioriented amphitelic attachments of chromosomes to microtubules of the mitotic spindle, in which sister chromatids are connected to opposite spindle poles. BUB-1 is a protein of the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint (SAC) that coordinates chromosome attachment with anaphase onset. BUB-1 is also required for accurate sister chromatid segregation independently of its SAC function, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here we show that, in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, BUB-1 accelerates the establishment of non-merotelic end-on kinetochore-microtubule attachments by recruiting the RZZ complex and its downstream partner dynein-dynactin at the kinetochore. In parallel, BUB-1 limits attachment maturation by the SKA complex. This activity opposes kinetochore-microtubule attachment stabilisation promoted by CLS-2CLASP-dependent kinetochore-microtubule assembly. BUB-1 is therefore a SAC component that coordinates the function of multiple downstream kinetochore-associated proteins to ensure accurate chromosome segregation.

scholarly journals The organization of the gravity-sensing system in zebrafish

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhikai Liu ◽  
David Grant Colburn Hildebrand ◽  
Joshua L. Morgan ◽  
Nicholas Slimmon ◽  
Martha W. Bagnall
Keyword(s):  
Hair Cells ◽  
Developmental Sequence ◽  
Directional Tuning ◽  
Larval Zebrafish ◽  
Sensing System ◽  
Motor Circuits ◽  
Section Electron ◽  
Serial Section Electron Microscopy ◽  
Organizing Principles ◽  
Section Electron Microscopy

Motor circuits develop in sequence from those governing fast movements to those governing slow. Here we examine whether upstream sensory circuits are organized by similar principles. Using serial-section electron microscopy in larval zebrafish, we generated a complete map of the gravity-sensing (utricular) system from the inner ear to the brainstem. We find that both sensory tuning and developmental sequence are organizing principles of vestibular topography. Patterned rostrocaudal innervation from hair cells to afferents creates a directional tuning map in the utricular ganglion, forming segregated pathways for rostral and caudal tilt. Furthermore, the mediolateral axis of the ganglion is linked to both developmental sequence and temporal kinetics. Early-born pathways carrying phasic information preferentially excite fast escape circuits, whereas later-born pathways carrying tonic signals excite slower postural and oculomotor circuits. These results demonstrate that vestibular circuits are organized by tuning direction and kinetics, aligning them with downstream motor circuits and behaviors.

scholarly journals Central vestibular tuning arises from patterned convergence of otolith afferents

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhikai Liu ◽  
Yukiko Kimura ◽  
Shin-ichi Higashijima ◽  
David G. Hildebrand ◽  
Joshua L. Morgan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Vestibular Neurons ◽  
Section Electron ◽  
Afferent Inputs ◽  
Sensory Responses ◽  
Serial Section Electron Microscopy ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Section Electron Microscopy

AbstractAs sensory information moves through the brain, higher-order areas exhibit more complex tuning than lower areas. Though models predict this complexity is due to convergent inputs from neurons with diverse response properties, in most vertebrate systems convergence has only been inferred rather than tested directly. Here we measure sensory computations in zebrafish vestibular neurons across multiple axes in vivo. We establish that whole-cell physiological recordings reveal tuning of individual vestibular afferent inputs and their postsynaptic targets. An independent approach, serial section electron microscopy, supports the inferred connectivity. We find that afferents with similar or differing preferred directions converge on central vestibular neurons, conferring more simple or complex tuning, respectively. Our data also resolve a long-standing contradiction between anatomical and physiological analyses by revealing that sensory responses are produced by sparse but powerful inputs from vestibular afferents. Together these results provide a direct, quantifiable demonstration of feedforward input convergence in vivo.

scholarly journals Whole-brain serial-section electron microscopy in larval zebrafish

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Grant Colburn Hildebrand ◽  
Marcelo Cicconet ◽  
Russel Miguel Torres ◽  
Woohyuk Choi ◽  
Tran Minh Quan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Serial Section ◽  
Acquisition Time ◽  
Myelinated Axons ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Larval Zebrafish ◽  
Section Electron ◽  
Serial Section Electron Microscopy ◽  
Section Electron Microscopy

Investigating the dense meshwork of wires and synapses that form neuronal circuits is possible with the high resolution of serial-section electron microscopy (ssEM)1. However, the imaging scale required to comprehensively reconstruct axons and dendrites is more than 10 orders of magnitude smaller than the spatial extents occupied by networks of interconnected neurons2—some of which span nearly the entire brain. The difficulties in generating and handling data for relatively large volumes at nanoscale resolution has thus restricted all studies in vertebrates to neuron fragments, thereby hindering investigations of complete circuits. These efforts were transformed by recent advances in computing, sample handling, and imaging techniques1, but examining entire brains at high resolution remains a challenge. Here we present ssEM data for a complete 5.5 days post-fertilisation larval zebrafish brain. Our approach utilizes multiple rounds of targeted imaging at different scales to reduce acquisition time and data management. The resulting dataset can be analysed to reconstruct neuronal processes, allowing us to, for example, survey all the myelinated axons (the projectome). Further, our reconstructions enabled us to investigate the precise projections of neurons and their contralateral counterparts. In particular, we observed that myelinated axons of reticulospinal and lateral line afferent neurons exhibit remarkable bilateral symmetry. Additionally, we found that fasciculated reticulospinal axons maintain the same neighbour relations throughout the extent of their projections. Furthermore, we use the dataset to set the stage for whole-brain comparisons of structure and function by co-registering functional reference atlases and in vivo two-photon fluorescence microscopy data from the same specimen. We provide the complete dataset and reconstructions as an open-access resource for neurobiologists and others interested in the ultrastructure of the larval zebrafish.

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