Nonmuscle myosin II isoforms coassemble in living cells

Fission yeast myosin Myo2 is down-regulated in actin affinity by light chain phosphorylation

Studies in fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe have provided the basis for the most advanced models of the dynamics of the cytokinetic contractile ring. Myo2, a class-II myosin, is the major source of tension in the contractile ring, but how Myo2 is anchored and regulated to produce force is poorly understood. To enable more detailed biochemical/biophysical studies, Myo2 was expressed in the baculovirus/Sf9 insect cell system with its two native light chains, Rlc1 and Cdc4. Milligram yields of soluble, unphosphorylated Myo2 were obtained that exhibited high actin-activated ATPase activity and in vitro actin filament motility. The fission yeast specific chaperone Rng3 was thus not required for expression or activity. In contrast to nonmuscle myosins from animal cells that require phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain for activation, phosphorylation of Rlc1 markedly reduced the affinity of Myo2 for actin. Another unusual feature of Myo2 was that, unlike class-II myosins, which generally form bipolar filamentous structures, Myo2 showed no inclination to self-assemble at approximately physiological salt concentrations, as analyzed by sedimentation velocity ultracentrifugation. This lack of assembly supports the hypothesis that clusters of Myo2 depend on interactions at the cell cortex in structural units called nodes for force production during cytokinesis.

Self-sorting of nonmuscle myosins IIA and IIB polarizes the cytoskeleton and modulates cell motility

Nonmuscle myosin II (NMII) is uniquely responsible for cell contractility and thus defines multiple aspects of cell behavior. To generate contraction, NMII molecules polymerize into bipolar minifilaments. Different NMII paralogs are often coexpressed in cells and can copolymerize, suggesting that they may cooperate to facilitate cell motility. However, whether such cooperation exists and how it may work remain unknown. We show that copolymerization of NMIIA and NMIIB followed by their differential turnover leads to self-sorting of NMIIA and NMIIB along the front-rear axis, thus producing a polarized actin-NMII cytoskeleton. Stress fibers newly formed near the leading edge are enriched in NMIIA, but over time, they become progressively enriched with NMIIB because of faster NMIIA turnover. In combination with retrograde flow, this process results in posterior accumulation of more stable NMIIB-rich stress fibers, thus strengthening cell polarity. By copolymerizing with NMIIB, NMIIA accelerates the intrinsically slow NMIIB dynamics, thus increasing cell motility and traction and enabling chemotaxis.

Non-muscle (NM) myosin heavy chain phosphorylation regulates the formation of NM myosin filaments, adhesome assembly and smooth muscle contraction

KEY POINTS

Non-muscle (NM) and smooth muscle (SM) myosin II are both expressed in smooth muscle tissues, however the role of NM myosin in SM contraction is unknown. Contractile stimulation of tracheal smooth muscle tissues stimulates phosphorylation of the NM myosin heavy chain on Ser1943 and causes NM myosin filament assembly at the SM cell cortex. Expression of a non-phosphorylatable NM myosin mutant, NM myosin S1943A, in SM tissues inhibits ACh-induced NM myosin filament assembly and SM contraction, and also inhibits the assembly of membrane adhesome complexes during contractile stimulation. NM myosin regulatory light chain (RLC) phosphorylation but not SM myosin RLC phosphorylation is regulated by RhoA GTPase during ACh stimulation, and NM RLC phosphorylation is required for NM myosin filament assembly and SM contraction. NM myosin II plays a critical role in airway SM contraction that is independent and distinct from the function of SM myosin.

ABSTRACT

The molecular function of non-muscle (NM) isoforms of myosin II in smooth muscle (SM) tissues and their possible role in contraction are largely unknown. We evaluated the function of NM myosin during contractile stimulation of canine tracheal SM tissues. Stimulation with ACh caused NM myosin filament assembly, as assessed by a Triton solubility assay and a proximity ligation assay aiming to measure interactions between NM myosin monomers. ACh stimulated the phosphorylation of NM myosin heavy chain on Ser1943 in tracheal SM tissues, which can regulate NM myosin IIA filament assembly in vitro. Expression of the non-phosphorylatable mutant NM myosin S1943A in SM tissues inhibited ACh-induced endogenous NM myosin Ser1943 phosphorylation, NM myosin filament formation, the assembly of membrane adhesome complexes and tension development. The NM myosin cross-bridge cycling inhibitor blebbistatin suppressed adhesome complex assembly and SM contraction without inhibiting NM myosin Ser1943 phosphorylation or NM myosin filament assembly. RhoA inactivation selectively inhibited phosphorylation of the NM myosin regulatory light chain (RLC), NM myosin filament assembly and contraction, although it did not inhibit SM RLC phosphorylation. We conclude that the assembly and activation of NM myosin II is regulated during contractile stimulation of airway SM tissues by RhoA-mediated NM myosin RLC phosphorylation and by NM myosin heavy chain Ser1943 phosphorylation. NM myosin II actomyosin cross-bridge cycling regulates the assembly of membrane adhesome complexes that mediate the cytoskeletal processes required for tension generation. NM myosin II plays a critical role in airway SM contraction that is independent and distinct from the function of SM myosin.

The ultrastructural organization of actin and myosin II filaments in the contractile ring: new support for an old model of cytokinesis

Despite recent advances in our understanding of the components and spatial regulation of the contractile ring (CR), the precise ultrastructure of actin and myosin II within the animal cell CR remains an unanswered question. We used superresolution light microscopy and platinum replica transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to determine the structural organization of actin and myosin II in isolated cortical cytoskeletons prepared from dividing sea urchin embryos. Three-dimensional structured illumination microscopy indicated that within the CR, actin and myosin II filaments were organized into tightly packed linear arrays oriented along the axis of constriction and restricted to a narrow zone within the furrow. In contrast, myosin II filaments in earlier stages of cytokinesis were organized into small, discrete, and regularly spaced clusters. TEM showed that actin within the CR formed a dense and anisotropic array of elongate, antiparallel filaments, whereas myosin II was organized into laterally associated, head-to-head filament chains highly reminiscent of mammalian cell stress fibers. Together these results not only support the canonical "purse-string" model for contractile ring constriction, but also suggest that the CR may be derived from foci of myosin II filaments in a manner similar to what has been demonstrated in fission yeast.

Actin dynamics and competition for myosin monomer govern the sequential amplification of myosin filaments

The cellular mechanisms governing non-muscle myosin II (NM2) filament assembly are largely unknown. Using EGFP-NM2A knock-in fibroblasts and multiple super-resolution imaging modalities, we characterized and quantified the sequential amplification of NM2 filaments within lamellae, wherein filaments emanating from single nucleation events continuously partition, forming filament clusters that populate large-scale actomyosin structures deeper in the cell. Individual partitioning events coincide spatially and temporally with the movements of diverging actin fibres, suppression of which inhibits partitioning. These and other data indicate that NM2A filaments are partitioned by the dynamic movements of actin fibres to which they are bound. Finally, we showed that partition frequency and filament growth rate in the lamella depend on MLCK, and that MLCK is competing with centrally active ROCK for a limiting pool of monomer with which to drive lamellar filament assembly. Together, our results provide new insights into the mechanism and spatio-temporal regulation of NM2 filament assembly in cells.

Long-range self-organization of cytoskeletal myosin II filament stacks

Although myosin II filaments are known to exist in non-muscle cells, their dynamics and organization are incompletely understood. Here, we combined structured illumination microscopy with pharmacological and genetic perturbations, to study the process of actomyosin cytoskeleton self-organization into arcs and stress fibres. A striking feature of the myosin II filament organization was their 'registered' alignment into stacks, spanning up to several micrometres in the direction orthogonal to the parallel actin bundles. While turnover of individual myosin II filaments was fast (characteristic half-life time 60 s) and independent of actin filament turnover, the process of stack formation lasted a longer time (in the range of several minutes) and required myosin II contractility, as well as actin filament assembly/disassembly and crosslinking (dependent on formin Fmnl3, cofilin1 and α-actinin-4). Furthermore, myosin filament stack formation involved long-range movements of individual myosin filaments towards each other suggesting the existence of attractive forces between myosin II filaments. These forces, possibly transmitted via mechanical deformations of the intervening actin filament network, may in turn remodel the actomyosin cytoskeleton and drive its self-organization.

Local pulsatile contractions are an intrinsic property of the myosin 2A motor in the cortical cytoskeleton of adherent cells

The role of nonmuscle myosin 2 (NM2) pulsatile dynamics in generating contractile forces required for developmental morphogenesis has been characterized, but whether these pulsatile contractions are an intrinsic property of all actomyosin networks is not known. Here we used live-cell fluorescence imaging to show that transient, local assembly of NM2A "pulses" occurs in the cortical cytoskeleton of single adherent cells of mesenchymal, epithelial, and sarcoma origin, independent of developmental signaling cues and cell-cell or cell-ECM interactions. We show that pulses in the cortical cytoskeleton require Rho-associated kinase- or myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) activity, increases in cytosolic calcium, and NM2 ATPase activity. Surprisingly, we find that cortical cytoskeleton pulses specifically require the head domain of NM2A, as they do not occur with either NM2B or a 2B-head-2A-tail chimera. Our results thus suggest that pulsatile contractions in the cortical cytoskeleton are an intrinsic property of the NM2A motor that may mediate its role in homeostatic maintenance of tension in the cortical cytoskeleton of adherent cells.

Drosophila non-muscle myosin II motor activity determines the rate of tissue folding

Non-muscle cell contractility is critical for tissues to adopt shape changes. Although, the non-muscle myosin II holoenzyme (myosin) is a molecular motor that powers contraction of actin cytoskeleton networks, recent studies have questioned the importance of myosin motor activity cell and tissue shape changes. Here, combining the biochemical analysis of enzymatic and motile properties for purified myosin mutants with in vivo measurements of apical constriction for the same mutants, we show that in vivo constriction rate scales with myosin motor activity. We show that so-called phosphomimetic mutants of the Drosophila regulatory light chain (RLC) do not mimic the phosphorylated RLC state in vitro. The defect in the myosin motor activity in these mutants is evident in developing Drosophila embryos where tissue recoil following laser ablation is decreased compared to wild-type tissue. Overall, our data highlights that myosin activity is required for rapid cell contraction and tissue folding in developing Drosophila embryos.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20828.001

Analysis of Myosin II Minifilament Orientation at Epithelial Zonula Adherens

Non-muscle myosin II (NMII) form bipolar filaments, which bind F-actin to exert cellular contractility during physiological processes (Vicente-Manzanares et al., 2009). Using a combinatorial approach to fluorescently label both N- and C-termini of the NMII heavy chain, recent works have demonstrated the ability to visualize NMII bipolar filaments at various subcellular localizations (Ebrahim et al., 2013; Beach et al., 2014). At the zonula adherens (ZA) of epithelia, NMII minifilaments bind the circumferential actin bundles in a pseudo-sarcomeric manner (Ebrahim et al., 2013), a conformation required to maintain junctional tension and tissue integrity (Ratheesh et al., 2012). By expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-NMIIA heavy chain and immunolabel it using a NMIIA C-terminus specific antibody, we were able to visualize the NMII minifilaments bound to F-actin bundles in Caco-2 cells (Michael et al., 2016), as previously reported (Ebrahim et al., 2013; Beach et al., 2014). In addition, we designed an FIJI/MATLAB analysis module to quantify the size, distance and alignment of these minifilaments with respect to junctional F-actin at the ZA. Measurements of the dispersion of minifilaments angles were proven to be a useful parameter that closely correlated to the extent of contractility at junctions (Michael et al., 2016).

Live-cell single-molecule labeling and analysis of myosin motors with quantum dots

Quantum dots (QDs) are a powerful tool for quantitative biology, but two challenges are associated with using them to track intracellular molecules in live cells. A simple and convenient method is presented for labeling intracellular molecules by using HaloTag technology and electroporation and is used to successfully track myosins within live cells.

Quantum dots (QDs) are a powerful tool for quantitatively analyzing dynamic cellular processes by single-particle tracking. However, tracking of intracellular molecules with QDs is limited by their inability to penetrate the plasma membrane and bind to specific molecules of interest. Although several techniques for overcoming these problems have been proposed, they are either complicated or inconvenient. To address this issue, in this study, we developed a simple, convenient, and nontoxic method for labeling intracellular molecules in cells using HaloTag technology and electroporation. We labeled intracellular myosin motors with this approach and tracked their movement within cells. By simultaneously imaging myosin movement and F-actin architecture, we observed that F-actin serves not only as a rail but also as a barrier for myosin movement. We analyzed the effect of insulin on the movement of several myosin motors, which have been suggested to regulate intracellular trafficking of the insulin-responsive glucose transporter GLUT4, but found no significant enhancement in myosin motor motility as a result of insulin treatment. Our approach expands the repertoire of proteins for which intracellular dynamics can be analyzed at the single-molecule level.

Formin-generated actomyosin arcs propel T cell receptor microcluster movement at the immune synapse

Murugesan et al. report that actomyosin arcs at the T cell synapse are formin-generated structures that directly propel T cell receptor cluster movement. The authors reveal the origin, organization, and functions of a major cytoskeletal network during synapse maturation.

Actin assembly and inward flow in the plane of the immunological synapse (IS) drives the centralization of T cell receptor microclusters (TCR MCs) and the integrin leukocyte functional antigen 1 (LFA-1). Using structured-illumination microscopy (SIM), we show that actin arcs populating the medial, lamella-like region of the IS arise from linear actin filaments generated by one or more formins present at the IS distal edge. After traversing the outer, Arp2/3-generated, lamellipodia-like region of the IS, these linear filaments are organized by myosin II into antiparallel concentric arcs. Three-dimensional SIM shows that active LFA-1 often aligns with arcs, whereas TCR MCs commonly reside between arcs, and total internal reflection fluorescence SIM shows TCR MCs being swept inward by arcs. Consistently, disrupting actin arc formation via formin inhibition results in less centralized TCR MCs, missegregated integrin clusters, decreased T–B cell adhesion, and diminished TCR signaling. Together, our results define the origin, organization, and functional significance of a major actomyosin contractile structure at the IS that directly propels TCR MC transport.

N-terminal polar amino acids of the C2 insert of nonmuscle myosin II-C2 regulate its functional properties

In this study, we investigated the regions in the alternatively spliced C2 insert of nonmuscle myosin (NM) II-C conferring unique functional properties to the protein. We used constructs carrying deletions within different regions of C2 in neuronal cells; namely, the polar N terminus, the proline/serine-rich middle, and the nonpolar C terminus. We compared the wild-type NM II-C2 and deletion mutants with respect to ATPase activity, coassembly with NM II-B, regulation by myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK), and solubility, to determine the C2 region(s) involved in these processes. In addition, we examined the ability of the mutants to rescue the neurite-shortening phenotype upon NM II-C2 knockdown in Neuro-2a cells. Our data highlight the importance of the polar N terminus in NM II-C2 function.

Molecular organization of cytokinesis nodes and contractile rings by super-resolution fluorescence microscopy of live fission yeast

Cytokinesis in animals, fungi, and amoebas depends on the constriction of a contractile ring built from a common set of conserved proteins. Many fundamental questions remain about how these proteins organize to generate the necessary tension for cytokinesis. Using quantitative high-speed fluorescence photoactivation localization microscopy (FPALM), we probed this question in live fission yeast cells at unprecedented resolution. We show that nodes, protein assembly precursors to the contractile ring, are discrete structural units with stoichiometric ratios and distinct distributions of constituent proteins. Anillin Mid1p, Fes/CIP4 homology-Bin/amphiphysin/Rvs (F-BAR) Cdc15p, IQ motif containing GTPase-activating protein (IQGAP) Rng2p, and formin Cdc12p form the base of the node that anchors the ends of myosin II tails to the plasma membrane, with myosin II heads extending into the cytoplasm. This general node organization persists in the contractile ring where nodes move bidirectionally during constriction. We observed the dynamics of the actin network during cytokinesis, starting with the extension of short actin strands from nodes, which sometimes connected neighboring nodes. Later in cytokinesis, a broad network of thick bundles coalesced into a tight ring around the equator of the cell. The actin ring was ∼125 nm wide and ∼125 nm thick. These observations establish the organization of the proteins in the functional units of a cytokinetic contractile ring.

Actomyosin stress fiber mechanosensing in 2D and 3D

Mechanotransduction is the process through which cells survey the mechanical properties of their environment, convert these mechanical inputs into biochemical signals, and modulate their phenotype in response. These mechanical inputs, which may be encoded in the form of extracellular matrix stiffness, dimensionality, and adhesion, all strongly influence cell morphology, migration, and fate decisions. One mechanism through which cells on planar or pseudo-planar matrices exert tensile forces and interrogate microenvironmental mechanics is through stress fibers, which are bundles composed of actin filaments and, in most cases, non-muscle myosin II filaments. Stress fibers form a continuous structural network that is mechanically coupled to the extracellular matrix through focal adhesions. Furthermore, myosin-driven contractility plays a central role in the ability of stress fibers to sense matrix mechanics and generate tension. Here, we review the distinct roles that non-muscle myosin II plays in driving mechanosensing and focus specifically on motility. In a closely related discussion, we also describe stress fiber classification schemes and the differing roles of various myosin isoforms in each category. Finally, we briefly highlight recent studies exploring mechanosensing in three-dimensional environments, in which matrix content, structure, and mechanics are often tightly interrelated. Stress fibers and the myosin motors therein represent an intriguing and functionally important biological system in which mechanics, biochemistry, and architecture all converge.

Coronin 1B Reorganizes the Architecture of F-Actin Networks for Contractility at Steady-State and Apoptotic Adherens Junctions

In this study we sought to identify how contractility at adherens junctions influences apoptotic cell extrusion. We first found that the generation of effective contractility at steady-state junctions entails a process of architectural reorganization whereby filaments that are initially generated as poorly organized networks of short bundles are then converted into co-aligned perijunctional bundles. Reorganization requires coronin 1B, which is recruited to junctions by E-cadherin adhesion and is necessary to establish contractile tension at the zonula adherens. When cells undergo apoptosis within an epithelial monolayer, coronin 1B is also recruited to the junctional cortex at the apoptotic/neighbor cell interface in an E-cadherin-dependent fashion to support actin architectural reorganization, contractility, and extrusion. We propose that contractile stress transmitted from the apoptotic cell through E-cadherin adhesions elicits a mechanosensitive response in neighbor cells that is necessary for the morphogenetic event of apoptotic extrusion to occur.

A Perspective on the Role of Myosins as Mechanosensors

Cells are dynamic systems that generate and respond to forces over a range of spatial and temporal scales, spanning from single molecules to tissues. Substantial progress has been made in recent years in identifying the molecules and pathways responsible for sensing and transducing mechanical signals to short-term cellular responses and longer-term changes in gene expression, cell identity, and tissue development. In this perspective article, we focus on myosin motors, as they not only function as the primary force generators in well-studied mechanobiological processes, but also act as key mechanosensors in diverse functions including intracellular transport, signaling, cell migration, muscle contraction, and sensory perception. We discuss how the biochemical and mechanical properties of different myosin isoforms are tuned to fulfill these roles in an array of cellular processes, and we highlight the underappreciated diversity of mechanosensing properties within the myosin superfamily. In particular, we use modeling and simulations to make predictions regarding how diversity in force sensing affects the lifetime of the actomyosin bond, the myosin power output, and the ability of myosin to respond to a perturbation in force for several nonprocessive myosin isoforms.

Analysis of protein dynamics during cytokinesis in budding yeast

Cytokinesis is essential for development and survival of all organisms by increasing cell number and diversity. It is a highly regulated process that requires spatiotemporal coordination of hundreds of proteins functioning in the assembly, constriction, and disassembly of a contractile actomyosin ring, targeted vesicle fusion, and localized extracellular matrix remodeling. Cytokinesis has been studied in multiple systems with a wide range of technologies to learn the common principles. In this chapter, we describe the analysis of protein dynamics during cytokinesis in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by several live-cell imaging methods. This, in combination with the power of yeast genetics, has yielded novel insights into the mechanism of cytokinesis. Similar approaches are increasingly used to study this fundamental process in more complex systems.

Focusing super resolution on the cytoskeleton

Super resolution imaging is becoming an increasingly important tool in the arsenal of methods available to cell biologists. In recognition of its potential, the Nobel Prize for chemistry was awarded to three investigators involved in the development of super resolution imaging methods in 2014. The availability of commercial instruments for super resolution imaging has further spurred the development of new methods and reagents designed to take advantage of super resolution techniques. Super resolution offers the advantages traditionally associated with light microscopy, including the use of gentle fixation and specimen preparation methods, the ability to visualize multiple elements within a single specimen, and the potential to visualize dynamic changes in living specimens over time. However, imaging of living cells over time is difficult and super resolution imaging is computationally demanding. In this review, we discuss the advantages/disadvantages of different super resolution systems for imaging fixed live specimens, with particular regard to cytoskeleton structures.

Depletion of kinesin-12, a myosin-IIB-interacting protein, promotes migration of cortical astrocytes

Kinesin-12 (also named Kif15) participates in important events during neuronal development, such as cell division of neuronal precursors, migration of young neurons and establishment of axons and dendritic arbors, by regulating microtubule organization. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms behind the functions of kinesin-12, and even less is known about its roles in other cell types of the nervous system. Here, we show that kinesin-12 depletion from cultured rat cortical astrocytes decreases cell proliferation but increases migration. Co-immunoprecipitation, GST pulldown and small interfering RNA (siRNA) experiments indicated that kinesin-12 directly interacts with myosin-IIB through their tail domains. Immunofluorescence analyses indicated that kinesin-12 and myosin-IIB colocalize in the lamellar region of astrocytes, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer analyses revealed an interaction between the two. The phosphorylation at Thr1142 of kinesin-12 was vital for their interaction. Loss of their interaction through expression of a phosphorylation mutant of kinesin-12 promoted astrocyte migration. We suggest that kinesin-12 and myosin-IIB can form a hetero-oligomer that generates force to integrate microtubules and actin filaments in certain regions of cells, and in the case of astrocytes, that this interaction can modulate their migration.

Structural determinants governing S100A4-induced isoform-selective disassembly of nonmuscle myosin II filaments

The Ca(2+) -binding protein S100A4 interacts with the C terminus of nonmuscle myosin IIA (NMIIA) causing filament disassembly, which is correlated with an increased metastatic potential of tumor cells. Despite high sequence similarity of the three NMII isoforms, S100A4 discriminates against binding to NMIIB. We searched for structural determinants of this selectivity. Based on paralog scanning using phage display, we identified a single position as major determinant of isoform selectivity. Reciprocal single amino acid replacements showed that at position 1907 (NMIIA numbering), the NMIIA/NMIIC-specific alanine provides about 60-fold higher affinity than the NMIIB-specific asparagine. The structural background of this can be explained in part by a communication between the two consecutive α-helical binding segments. This communication is completely abolished by the Ala-to-Asn substitution. Mutual swapping of the disordered tailpieces only slightly affects the affinity of the NMII chimeras. Interestingly, we found that the tailpiece and position 1907 act in a nonadditive fashion. Finally, we also found that the higher stability of the C-terminal coiled-coil region of NMIIB also discriminates against interaction with S100A4. Our results clearly show that the isoform-selective binding of S100A4 is determined at multiple levels in the structure of the three NMII isoforms and the corresponding functional elements of NMII act synergistically with one another resulting in a complex interaction network. The experimental and in silico results suggest two divergent evolutionary pathways: NMIIA and NMIIB evolved to possess S100A4-dependent and -independent regulations, respectively.

Response to Comment on "Extended-resolution structured illumination imaging of endocytic and cytoskeletal dynamics"

Sahl et al in their Comment raise criticisms of our work that fall into three classes: image artifacts, resolution criteria, and comparative performance on live cells. We explore each of these in turn.

Kinetic Adaptations of Myosins for Their Diverse Cellular Functions

Members of the myosin superfamily are involved in all aspects of eukaryotic life. Their function ranges from the transport of organelles and cargos to the generation of membrane tension, and the contraction of muscle. The diversity of physiological functions is remarkable, given that all enzymatically active myosins follow a conserved mechanoenzymatic cycle in which the hydrolysis of ATP to ADP and inorganic phosphate is coupled to either actin-based transport or tethering of actin to defined cellular compartments. Kinetic capacities and limitations of a myosin are determined by the extent to which actin can accelerate the hydrolysis of ATP and the release of the hydrolysis products and are indispensably linked to its physiological tasks. This review focuses on kinetic competencies that - together with structural adaptations - result in myosins with unique mechanoenzymatic properties targeted to their diverse cellular functions.

Matrix-driven Myosin II Mediates the Pro-fibrotic Fibroblast Phenotype

Pro-fibrotic mesenchymal cells are known to be the key effector cells of fibroproliferative disease, but the specific matrix signals and the induced cellular responses that drive the fibrogenic phenotype remain to be elucidated. The key mediators of the fibroblast fibrogenic phenotype were characterized using a novel assay system that measures fibroblast behavior in response to actual normal and fibrotic lung tissue. Using this system, we demonstrate that normal lung promotes fibroblast motility and polarization, while fibrotic lung immobilizes the fibroblast and promotes myofibroblast differentiation. These context-specific phenotypes are surprisingly both mediated by myosin II. The role of myosin II is supported by the observation of an increase in myosin phosphorylation and a change in intracellular distribution in fibroblasts on fibrotic lung, as compared with normal lung. Moreover, loss of myosin II activity has opposing effects on protrusive activity in fibroblasts on normal and fibrotic lung. Loss of myosin II also selectively inhibits myofibroblast differentiation in fibroblasts on fibrotic lung. Importantly, these findings are recapitulated by varying the matrix stiffness of polyacrylamide gels in the range of normal and fibrotic lung tissue. Comparison of the effects of myosin inhibition on lung tissue with that of polyacrylamide gels suggests that matrix fiber organization drives the fibroblast phenotype under conditions of normal/soft lung, while matrix stiffness drives the phenotype under conditions of fibrotic/stiff lung. This work defines novel roles for myosin II as a key regulatory effector molecule of the pro-fibrotic phenotype, in response to biophysical properties of the matrix.

Expansion and concatenation of non-muscle myosin IIA filaments drive cellular contractile system formation during interphase and mitosis

Cell movement and cytokinesis are facilitated by contractile forces generated by the molecular motor, non-muscle myosin II (NMII). NMII molecules form a filament (NMII-F) through interactions of their C-terminal rod domains, positioning groups of N-terminal motor domains on opposite sides. The NMII motors then bind and pull actin filaments toward the NMII-F, thus driving contraction. Inside of crawling cells, NMIIA-Fs form large macromolecular ensembles (i.e., NMIIA-F stacks) but how this occurs is unknown. Here we show NMIIA-F stacks are formed through two non-mutually exclusive mechanisms: expansion and concatenation. During expansion, NMIIA molecules within the NMIIA-F spread out concurrent with addition of new NMIIA molecules. Concatenation occurs when multiple NMIIA-F/NMIIA-F stacks move together and align. We found NMIIA-F stack formation was regulated by both motor-activity and the availability of surrounding actin filaments. Furthermore, our data showed expansion and concatenation also formed the contractile ring in dividing cells. Thus, interphase and mitotic cells share similar mechanisms for creating large contractile units, and these are likely to underlie how other myosin II-based contractile systems are assembled.

Actomyosin dynamics drive local membrane component organization in an in vitro active composite layer

The surface of a living cell provides a platform for receptor signaling, protein sorting, transport, and endocytosis, whose regulation requires the local control of membrane organization. Previous work has revealed a role for dynamic actomyosin in membrane protein and lipid organization, suggesting that the cell surface behaves as an active composite composed of a fluid bilayer and a thin film of active actomyosin. We reconstitute an analogous system in vitro that consists of a fluid lipid bilayer coupled via membrane-associated actin-binding proteins to dynamic actin filaments and myosin motors. Upon complete consumption of ATP, this system settles into distinct phases of actin organization, namely bundled filaments, linked apolar asters, and a lattice of polar asters. These depend on actin concentration, filament length, and actin/myosin ratio. During formation of the polar aster phase, advection of the self-organizing actomyosin network drives transient clustering of actin-associated membrane components. Regeneration of ATP supports a constitutively remodeling actomyosin state, which in turn drives active fluctuations of coupled membrane components, resembling those observed at the cell surface. In a multicomponent membrane bilayer, this remodeling actomyosin layer contributes to changes in the extent and dynamics of phase-segregating domains. These results show how local membrane composition can be driven by active processes arising from actomyosin, highlighting the fundamental basis of the active composite model of the cell surface, and indicate its relevance to the study of membrane organization.

A theoretical model of cytokinesis implicates feedback between membrane curvature and cytoskeletal organization in asymmetric cytokinetic furrowing

Furrow ingression is asymmetric in cytokinesis in the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote. A combination of quantitative high-resolution live-cell microscopy and theoretical modeling revealed a mechanistic basis for asymmetry: feedback among membrane curvature, cytoskeletal alignment, and contractility. The model also suggests that asymmetry promotes energy efficiency.

During cytokinesis, the cell undergoes a dramatic shape change as it divides into two daughter cells. Cell shape changes in cytokinesis are driven by a cortical ring rich in actin filaments and nonmuscle myosin II. The ring closes via actomyosin contraction coupled with actin depolymerization. Of interest, ring closure and hence the furrow ingression are nonconcentric (asymmetric) within the division plane across Metazoa. This nonconcentricity can occur and persist even without preexisting asymmetric cues, such as spindle placement or cellular adhesions. Cell-autonomous asymmetry is not explained by current models. We combined quantitative high-resolution live-cell microscopy with theoretical modeling to explore the mechanistic basis for asymmetric cytokinesis in the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote, with the goal of uncovering basic principles of ring closure. Our theoretical model suggests that feedback among membrane curvature, cytoskeletal alignment, and contractility is responsible for asymmetric cytokinetic furrowing. It also accurately predicts experimental perturbations of conserved ring proteins. The model further suggests that curvature-mediated filament alignment speeds up furrow closure while promoting energy efficiency. Collectively our work underscores the importance of membrane–cytoskeletal anchoring and suggests conserved molecular mechanisms for this activity.

Four things to know about myosin light chains as reporters for non-muscle myosin-2 dynamics in live cells

The interplay between non-muscle myosins-2 and filamentous actin results in cytoplasmic contractility which is essential for eukaryotic life. Concomitantly, there is tremendous interest in elucidating the physiological function and temporal localization of non-muscle myosin-2 in cells. A commonly used method to study the function and localization of non-muscle myosin-2 is to overexpress a fluorescent protein (FP)-tagged version of the regulatory light chain (RLC) which binds to the myosin-2 heavy chain by mass action. Caveats about this approach include findings from recent studies indicating that the RLC does not bind exclusively to the non-muscle myosin-2 heavy chain. Rather, it can also associate with the myosin heavy chains of several other classes as well as other targets than myosin. In addition, the presence of the FP moiety may compromise myosin's enzymatic and mechanical performance. This and other factors to be discussed in this commentary raise questions about the possible complications in using FP-RLC as a marker for the dynamic localization and regulatory aspects of non-muscle myosin-2 motor functions in cell biological experiments.

Various Themes of Myosin Regulation

Members of the myosin superfamily are actin-based molecular motors that are indispensable for cellular homeostasis. The vast functional and structural diversity of myosins accounts for the variety and complexity of the underlying allosteric regulatory mechanisms that determine the activation or inhibition of myosin motor activity and enable precise timing and spatial aspects of myosin function at the cellular level. This review focuses on the molecular basis of posttranslational regulation of eukaryotic myosins from different classes across species by allosteric intrinsic and extrinsic effectors. First, we highlight the impact of heavy and light chain phosphorylation. Second, we outline intramolecular regulatory mechanisms such as autoinhibition and subsequent activation. Third, we discuss diverse extramolecular allosteric mechanisms ranging from actin-linked regulatory mechanisms to myosin:cargo interactions. At last, we briefly outline the allosteric regulation of myosins with synthetic compounds.

Actin Filament Structures in Migrating Cells

Cell migration is necessary for several developmental processes in multicellular organisms. Furthermore, many physiological processes such as wound healing and immunological events in adult animals are dependent on cell migration. Consequently, defects in cell migration are linked to various diseases including immunological disorders as well as cancer progression and metastasis formation. Cell migration is driven by specific protrusive and contractile actin filament structures, but the types and relative contributions of these actin filament arrays vary depending on the cell type and the environment of the cell. In this chapter, we introduce the most important actin filament structures that contribute to mesenchymal and amoeboid cell migration modes and discuss the mechanisms by which the assembly and turnover of these structures are controlled by various actin-binding proteins.

Non-muscle myosin II in disease: mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities

The actin motor protein non-muscle myosin II (NMII) acts as a master regulator of cell morphology, with a role in several essential cellular processes, including cell migration and post-synaptic dendritic spine plasticity in neurons. NMII also generates forces that alter biochemical signaling, by driving changes in interactions between actin-associated proteins that can ultimately regulate gene transcription. In addition to its roles in normal cellular physiology, NMII has recently emerged as a critical regulator of diverse, genetically complex diseases, including neuronal disorders, cancers and vascular disease. In the context of these disorders, NMII regulatory pathways can be directly mutated or indirectly altered by disease-causing mutations. NMII regulatory pathway genes are also increasingly found in disease-associated copy-number variants, particularly in neuronal disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. Furthermore, manipulation of NMII-mediated contractility regulates stem cell pluripotency and differentiation, thus highlighting the key role of NMII-based pharmaceuticals in the clinical success of stem cell therapies. In this Review, we discuss the emerging role of NMII activity and its regulation by kinases and microRNAs in the pathogenesis and prognosis of a diverse range of diseases, including neuronal disorders, cancer and vascular disease. We also address promising clinical applications and limitations of NMII-based inhibitors in the treatment of these diseases and the development of stem-cell-based therapies.

Differential Contributions of Nonmuscle Myosin II Isoforms and Functional Domains to Stress Fiber Mechanics

While is widely acknowledged that nonmuscle myosin II (NMMII) enables stress fibers (SFs) to generate traction forces against the extracellular matrix, little is known about how specific NMMII isoforms and functional domains contribute to SF mechanics. Here we combine biophotonic and genetic approaches to address these open questions. First, we suppress the NMMII isoforms MIIA and MIIB and apply femtosecond laser nanosurgery to ablate and investigate the viscoelastic retraction of individual SFs. SF retraction dynamics associated with MIIA and MIIB suppression qualitatively phenocopy our earlier measurements in the setting of Rho kinase (ROCK) and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) inhibition, respectively. Furthermore, fluorescence imaging and photobleaching recovery reveal that MIIA and MIIB are enriched in and more stably localize to ROCK- and MLCK-controlled central and peripheral SFs, respectively. Additional domain-mapping studies surprisingly reveal that deletion of the head domain speeds SF retraction, which we ascribe to reduced drag from actomyosin crosslinking and frictional losses. We propose a model in which ROCK/MIIA and MLCK/MIIB functionally regulate common pools of SFs, with MIIA crosslinking and motor functions jointly contributing to SF retraction dynamics and cellular traction forces.

Non-muscle myosin IIB is critical for nuclear translocation during 3D invasion

Non-muscle myosin II (NMII) is reported to play multiple roles during cell migration and invasion. However, the exact biophysical roles of different NMII isoforms during these processes remain poorly understood. We analyzed the contributions of NMIIA and NMIIB in three-dimensional (3D) migration and in generating the forces required for efficient invasion by mammary gland carcinoma cells. Using traction force microscopy and microfluidic invasion devices, we demonstrated that NMIIA is critical for generating force during active protrusion, and NMIIB plays a major role in applying force on the nucleus to facilitate nuclear translocation through tight spaces. We further demonstrate that the nuclear membrane protein nesprin-2 is a possible linker coupling NMIIB-based force generation to nuclear translocation. Together, these data reveal a central biophysical role for NMIIB in nuclear translocation during 3D invasive migration, a result with relevance not only to cancer metastasis but for 3D migration in other settings such as embryonic cell migration and wound healing.

A small part of myosin IIB takes on a big role in cell polarity

A migrating cell must establish front-to-back polarity in order to move. In this issue, Juanes-Garcia et al. (2015. J. Cell Biol.http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201407059) report that a short serine-rich motif in nonmuscle myosin IIB is required to establish the cell’s rear. This motif represents a new paradigm for what determines directional cell migration.

Myotonic dystrophy kinase-related Cdc42-binding kinases (MRCK), the ROCK-like effectors of Cdc42 and Rac1

Cdc42 is a member of the Rho GTPase protein family that plays key roles in local F-actin organization through a number of kinase and non-kinase effector proteins. The myotonic dystrophy kinase-related Cdc42-binding kinases (MRCKs), and the RhoA binding coiled-coil containing kinases (ROCKs) are widely expressed members of the Dystrophia myotonica protein kinase (DMPK) family. The MRCK proteins are ∼190 kDa multi-domain proteins expressed in all cells and coordinate certain acto-myosin networks. Notably MRCK is a key regulator of myosin18A and myosin IIA/B, and through phosphorylation of their common regulatory light chains (MYL9 or MLC2) to promote actin stress fiber contractility. The MRCK kinases are regulated by Cdc42, which is required for cell polarity and directional migration; MRCK links to the acto-myosin complex through interaction with a coiled-coil containing adaptor proteins LRAP35a/b. The biological activities of MRCK in model organisms such as worms and flies confirm it as a myosin II activator. In mammalian cell culture MRCK can be critical for cancer cell migration and neurite outgrowth. We review the current literatures regarding MRCK and highlight the similarities and differences between MRCK and ROCK kinases.

The contractome – a systems view of actomyosin contractility in non-muscle cells

Actomyosin contractility is a highly regulated process that affects many fundamental biological processes in each and every cell in our body. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we mined the literature and databases to map the contractome of non-muscle cells. Actomyosin contractility is involved in at least 49 distinct cellular functions that range from providing cell architecture to signal transduction and nuclear activity. Containing over 100 scaffolding and regulatory proteins, the contractome forms a highly complex network with more than 230 direct interactions between its components, 86 of them involving phosphorylation. Mapping these interactions, we identify the key regulatory pathways involved in the assembly of actomyosin structures and in activating myosin to produce contractile forces within non-muscle cells at the exact time and place necessary for cellular function.

Isoforms Confer Characteristic Force Generation and Mechanosensation by Myosin II Filaments

Myosin II isoforms with varying mechanochemistry and filament size interact with filamentous actin (F-actin) arrays to generate contractile forces in muscle and nonmuscle cells. How myosin II force production is shaped by isoform-specific motor properties and environmental stiffness remains poorly understood. Here, we used computer simulations to analyze force production by an ensemble of myosin motors against an elastically tethered actin filament. We found that force output depends on two timescales: the duration of F-actin attachment, which varies sharply with the ensemble size, motor duty ratio, and external load; and the time to build force, which scales with the ensemble stall force, gliding speed, and environmental stiffness. Although force-dependent kinetics were not required to sense changes in stiffness, the myosin catch bond produced positive feedback between the attachment time and force to trigger switch-like transitions from transient attachments, generating small forces, to high-force-generating runs. Using parameters representative of skeletal muscle myosin, nonmuscle myosin IIB, and nonmuscle myosin IIA revealed three distinct regimes of behavior, respectively: 1) large assemblies of fast, low-duty ratio motors rapidly build stable forces over a large range of environmental stiffness; 2) ensembles of slow, high-duty ratio motors serve as high-affinity cross-links with force buildup times that exceed physiological timescales; and 3) small assemblies of low-duty ratio motors operating at intermediate speeds are poised to respond sharply to changes in mechanical context-at low force or stiffness, they serve as low-affinity cross-links, but they can transition to force production via the positive-feedback mechanism described above. Together, these results reveal how myosin isoform properties may be tuned to produce force and respond to mechanical cues in their environment.

A biomechanical perspective on stress fiber structure and function

Stress fibers are actomyosin-based bundles whose structural and contractile properties underlie numerous cellular processes including adhesion, motility and mechanosensing. Recent advances in high-resolution live-cell imaging and single-cell force measurement have dramatically sharpened our understanding of the assembly, connectivity, and evolution of various specialized stress fiber subpopulations. This in turn has motivated interest in understanding how individual stress fibers generate tension and support cellular structure and force generation. In this review, we discuss approaches for measuring the mechanical properties of single stress fibers. We begin by discussing studies conducted in cell-free settings, including strategies based on isolation of intact stress fibers and reconstitution of stress fiber-like structures from purified components. We then discuss measurements obtained in living cells based both on inference of stress fiber properties from whole-cell mechanical measurements (e.g., atomic force microscopy) and on direct interrogation of single stress fibers (e.g., subcellular laser nanosurgery). We conclude by reviewing various mathematical models of stress fiber function that have been developed based on these experimental measurements. An important future challenge in this area will be the integration of these sophisticated biophysical measurements with the field's increasingly detailed molecular understanding of stress fiber assembly, dynamics, and signal transduction. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Mechanobiology.

Myosin 18A coassembles with nonmuscle myosin 2 to form mixed bipolar filaments

Class-18 myosins are most closely related to conventional class-2 nonmuscle myosins (NM2). Surprisingly, the purified head domains of Drosophila, mouse, and human myosin 18A (M18A) lack actin-activated ATPase activity and the ability to translocate actin filaments, suggesting that the functions of M18A in vivo do not depend on intrinsic motor activity. M18A has the longest coiled coil of any myosin outside of the class-2 myosins, suggesting that it might form bipolar filaments similar to conventional myosins. To address this possibility, we expressed and purified full-length mouse M18A using the baculovirus/Sf9 system. M18A did not form large bipolar filaments under any of the conditions tested. Instead, M18A formed an ∼ 65-nm-long bipolar structure with two heads at each end. Importantly, when NM2 was polymerized in the presence of M18A, the two myosins formed mixed bipolar filaments, as evidenced by cosedimentation, electron microscopy, and single-molecule imaging. Moreover, super-resolution imaging of NM2 and M18A using fluorescently tagged proteins and immunostaining of endogenous proteins showed that NM2 and M18A are present together within individual filaments inside living cells. Together, our in vitro and live-cell imaging data argue strongly that M18A coassembles with NM2 into mixed bipolar filaments. M18A could regulate the biophysical properties of these filaments and, by virtue of its extra N- and C-terminal domains, determine the localization and/or molecular interactions of the filaments. Given the numerous, fundamental cellular and developmental roles attributed to NM2, our results have far-reaching biological implications.

Myosin II isoform co-assembly and differential regulation in mammalian systems

Non-muscle myosin 2 (NM2) is a major force-producing, actin-based motor in mammalian non-muscle cells, where it plays important roles in a broad range of fundamental biological processes, including cytokinesis, cell migration, and epithelial barrier function. This breadth of function at the tissue and cellular levels suggests extensive diversity and differential regulation of NM2 bipolar filaments, the major, if not sole, functional form of NM2s in vivo. Previous in vitro, cellular and animal studies indicate that some of this diversity is supported by the existence of multiple NM2 isoforms. Moreover, two recent studies have shown that these isoforms can co-assemble to form heterotypic filaments, further expanding functional diversity. In addition to isoform co-assembly, cells may differentially regulate NM2 function via isoform-specific expression, RLC phosphorylation, MHC phosphorylation or regulation via binding partners. Here, we provide a brief summary of NM2 filament assembly, summarize the recent findings regarding NM2 isoform co-assembly, consider the mechanisms cells might utilize to differentially regulate NM2 isoforms, and review the data available to support these mechanisms.

Non-muscle myosin IIA and IIB differentially regulate cell shape changes during zebrafish brain morphogenesis

During brain morphogenesis, the neuroepithelium must fold in specific regions to delineate functional units, and give rise to conserved embryonic brain shape. Individual cell shape changes are the basis for the morphogenetic events that occur during whole tissue shaping. We used the zebrafish to study the molecular mechanisms that regulate the first fold in the vertebrate brain, the highly conserved midbrain-hindbrain boundary (MHB). Since the contractile state of the neuroepithelium is tightly regulated by non-muscle myosin II (NMII) activity, we tested the role of NMIIA and NMIIB in regulating cell shape changes that occur during MHB morphogenesis. Using morpholino knockdown, we show that NMIIA and NMIIB are both required for normal MHB tissue angle. Quantification of cell shapes revealed that NMIIA is required for the shortening of cells specifically at the MHB constriction (MHBC), while NMIIB is required for the proper width of cells throughout the MHB region. NMIIA and NMIIB knockdown also correlated with abnormal distribution of actin within the cells of the MHBC. Thus, NMIIA and NMIIB perform distinct functions in regulating cell shape during MHB morphogenesis.

Endogenous species of mammalian nonmuscle myosin IIA and IIB include activated monomers and heteropolymers

BACKGROUND

Class II myosins generate contractile forces in cells by polymerizing into bipolar filaments and pulling on anchored actin filaments. Nonmuscle myosin II (NMII) plays central roles during cell adhesion, migration, cytokinesis, and tissue morphogenesis. NMII is present in virtually all mammalian cell types as tissue-specific combinations of NMIIA, NMIIB, and NMIIC isoforms. It remains poorly understood how the highly dynamic NMII-actin contractile system begins to assemble at new cellular locations during cell migration and how incorporation of different NMII isoforms into this system is coordinated.

RESULTS

Using platinum replica electron microscopy in combination with immunogold labeling, we demonstrate that individual activated (phosphorylated on the regulatory light chain and unfolded) NMIIA and NMIIB molecules represent a functional form of NMII in motile cells and that NMIIA and NMIIB copolymerize into nascent bipolar filaments during contractile system assembly. Using subdiffraction stimulated emission depletion microscopy together with a pharmacological block-and-release approach, we report that NMIIA and NMIIB simultaneously incorporate into the cytoskeleton during initiation of contractile system assembly, whereas the characteristic rearward shift of NMIIB relative to NMIIA is established later in the course of NMII turnover.

CONCLUSIONS

We show existence of activated NMII monomers in cells, copolymerization of endogenous NMIIA and NMIIB molecules, and contribution of both isoforms, rather than only NMIIA, to early stages of the contractile system assembly. These data change the current paradigms about dynamics and functions of NMII and provide new conceptual insights into the organization and dynamics of the ubiquitous cellular machinery for contraction that acts in multiple cellular contexts.

Regulation of nonmuscle myosin II by tropomyosin

The actin cytoskeleton carries out cellular functions, including division, migration, adhesion, and intracellular transport, that require a variety of actin binding proteins, including myosins. Our focus here is on class II nonmuscle myosin isoforms, NMIIA, NMIIB, and NMIIC, and their regulation by the actin binding protein, tropomyosin. NMII myosins are localized to different populations of stress fibers and the contractile ring, structures involved in force generation required for cell migration, adhesion, and cytokinesis. The stress fibers and contractile ring that contain NMII myosins also contain tropomyosin. Four mammalian genes encode more than 40 tropomyosins. Tropomyosins inhibit or activate actomyosin MgATPase and motility depending on the myosin and tropomyosin isoform. In vivo, tropomyosins play a role in cell migration, adhesion, cytokinesis, and NMII isoform localization in an isoform-specific manner. We postulate that the isoform-specific tropomyosin localization and effect on NMII isoform localization reflect modulation of NMII actomyosin kinetics and motile function. In this study, we compare the ability of different tropomyosin isoforms to support actin filament motility with NMIIA, NMIIB, and NMIIC as well as skeletal muscle myosin. Tropomyosins activated, inhibited, or had no effect on motility depending on the myosin, indicating that the myosin isoform is the primary determinant of the isoform-specific effect of tropomyosin on actomyosin regulation. Activation of motility of nonmuscle tropomyosin–actin filaments by NMII myosin correlates with an increased V_max of the myosin MgATPase, implying a direct effect on the myosin MgATPase, in contrast to the skeletal tropomyosin–actin filament that has no effect on the V_max or maximal filament velocity.