Faculty Opinions recommendation of Actin polymerization serves as a membrane domain switch in model lipid bilayers.

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Stephens
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Membrane Domain ◽  
Domain Switch

scholarly journals WASp Is Crucial for the Unique Architecture of the Immunological Synapse in Germinal Center B-Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanan Li ◽  
Anshuman Bhanja ◽  
Arpita Upadhyaya ◽  
Xiaodong Zhao ◽  
Wenxia Song
Keyword(s):  
B Cells ◽  
B Cell ◽  
Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Germinal Center ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Immunological Synapse ◽  
Somatic Hypermutation ◽  
Affinity Maturation ◽  
Membrane Protrusions ◽  
Germinal Center B Cells

B-cells undergo somatic hypermutation and affinity maturation in germinal centers. Somatic hypermutated germinal center B-cells (GCBs) compete to engage with and capture antigens on follicular dendritic cells. Recent studies show that when encountering membrane antigens, GCBs generate actin-rich pod-like structures with B-cell receptor (BCR) microclusters to facilitate affinity discrimination. While deficiencies in actin regulators, including the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASp), cause B-cell affinity maturation defects, the mechanism by which actin regulates BCR signaling in GBCs is not fully understood. Using WASp knockout (WKO) mice that express Lifeact-GFP and live-cell total internal reflection fluorescence imaging, this study examined the role of WASp-mediated branched actin polymerization in the GCB immunological synapse. After rapid spreading on antigen-coated planar lipid bilayers, GCBs formed microclusters of phosphorylated BCRs and proximal signaling molecules at the center and the outer edge of the contact zone. The centralized signaling clusters localized at actin-rich GCB membrane protrusions. WKO reduced the centralized micro-signaling clusters by decreasing the number and stability of F-actin foci supporting GCB membrane protrusions. The actin structures that support the spreading membrane also appeared less frequently and regularly in WKO than in WT GCBs, which led to reductions in both the level and rate of GCB spreading and antigen gathering. Our results reveal essential roles for WASp in the generation and maintenance of unique structures for GCB immunological synapses.

scholarly journals Arf6 Can Trigger Wave Regulatory Complex-Dependent Actin Assembly Independent of Arno

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 2457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikash Singh ◽  
Anthony C. Davidson ◽  
Peter J. Hume ◽  
Vassilis Koronakis
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Membrane Trafficking ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Small Gtpase ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Actin Assembly ◽  
Nucleotide Exchange ◽  
Cortical Actin ◽  
Nucleotide Exchange Factor ◽  
Regulatory Complex

The small GTPase ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6) anchors at the plasma membrane to orchestrate key functions, such as membrane trafficking and regulating cortical actin cytoskeleton rearrangement. A number of studies have identified key players that interact with Arf6 to regulate actin dynamics in diverse cell processes, yet it is still unknown whether Arf6 can directly signal to the wave regulatory complex to mediate actin assembly. By reconstituting actin dynamics on supported lipid bilayers, we found that Arf6 in co-ordination with Rac1(Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1) can directly trigger actin polymerization by recruiting wave regulatory complex components. Interestingly, we demonstrated that Arf6 triggers actin assembly at the membrane directly without recruiting the Arf guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) ARNO (ARF nucleotide-binding site opener), which is able to activate Arf1 to enable WRC-dependent actin assembly. Furthermore, using labelled E. coli, we demonstrated that actin assembly by Arf6 also contributes towards efficient phagocytosis in THP-1 macrophages. Taken together, this study reveals a mechanism for Arf6-driven actin polymerization.

Membrane domain modulation of Aβ1–42 oligomer interactions with supported lipid bilayers: an atomic force microscopy investigation

Nanoscale ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (43) ◽  
pp. 20857-20867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehdi Azouz ◽  
Christophe Cullin ◽  
Sophie Lecomte ◽  
Michel Lafleur
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Amyloid Peptide ◽  
Supported Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Membrane Domain ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Nucleation Sites ◽  
Microscopy Investigation ◽  
Packing Defects ◽  
As Adsorption

Lipid domains favour membrane perturbations induced by Aβ1–42, an amyloid peptide identified as a trigger of Alzheimer's disease. It is proposed that lipid packing defects at domain interfaces could act as adsorption and nucleation sites.

Observation of Concanavalin-A receptors on hydrated planar erythrocyte membrane film by in situ electron microscopy

1983 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 608-609
Author(s):  
Neng-Bo He ◽  
S.W. Hui
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Erythrocyte Membrane ◽  
Lipid Membranes ◽  
Surface Film ◽  
Biological Membranes ◽  
Electron Microscopic Observation ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Black Lipid Membranes ◽  
Fine Mesh ◽  
Planar Films

Monolayers and planar "black" lipid membranes have been widely used as models for studying the structure and properties of biological membranes. Because of the lack of a suitable method to prepare these membranes for electron microscopic observation, their ultrastructure is so far not well understood. A method of forming molecular bilayers over the holes of fine mesh grids was developed by Hui et al. to study hydrated and unsupported lipid bilayers by electron diffraction, and to image phase separated domains by diffraction contrast. We now adapted the method of Pattus et al. of spreading biological membranes vesicles on the air-water interfaces to reconstitute biological membranes into unsupported planar films for electron microscopic study. hemoglobin-free human erythrocyte membrane stroma was prepared by hemolysis. The membranes were spreaded at 20°C on balanced salt solution in a Langmuir trough until a surface pressure of 20 dyne/cm was reached. The surface film was repeatedly washed by passing to adjacent troughs over shallow partitions (fig. 1).

Effect of Integral Proteins on Frozen Membrane Fracture

1980 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 756-759 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kirchanski ◽  
D. Branton
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Covalent Bond ◽  
Erythrocyte Membranes ◽  
Glycophorin A ◽  
Experimental Protocol ◽  
Transmembrane Glycoprotein ◽  
Bond Breakage ◽  
Human Erythrocyte Membranes ◽  
Integral Proteins

We have investigated the effect of integral membrane proteins upon the fracturing of frozen lipid bilayers. This investigation has been part of an effort to develop freeze fracture labeling techniques and to assess the possible breakage of covalent protein bonds during the freeze fracture process. We have developed an experimental protocol utilizing lectin affinity columns which should detect small amounts of covalent bond breakage during the fracture of liposomes containing purified (1) glycophorin (a transmembrane glycoprotein of human erythrocyte membranes). To fracture liposomes in bulk, frozen liposomes are ground repeatedly under liquid nitrogen. Failure to detect any significant covalent bond breakage (contrary to (2)) led us to question the effectiveness of our grinding procedure in fracturing and splitting lipid bilayers.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document