1
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Lang C, Maxian O, Anneken A, Munro E. Oligomerization and positive feedback on membrane recruitment encode dynamically stable PAR-3 asymmetries in the C. elegans zygote. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.04.552031. [PMID: 39253498 PMCID: PMC11383301 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.04.552031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Studies of PAR polarity have emphasized a paradigm in which mutually antagonistic PAR proteins form complementary polar domains in response to transient cues. A growing body of work suggests that the oligomeric scaffold PAR-3 can form unipolar asymmetries without mutual antagonism, but how it does so is largely unknown. Here we combine single molecule analysis and modeling to show how the interplay of two positive feedback loops promote dynamically stable unipolar PAR-3 asymmetries in early C. elegans embryos. First, the intrinsic dynamics of PAR-3 membrane binding and oligomerization encode negative feedback on PAR-3 dissociation. Second, membrane-bound PAR-3 promotes its own recruitment through a mechanism that requires the anterior polarity proteins CDC-42, PAR-6 and PKC-3. Using a kinetic model tightly constrained by our experimental measurements, we show that these two feedback loops are individually required and jointly sufficient to encode dynamically stable and locally inducible unipolar PAR-3 asymmetries in the absence of posterior inhibition. Given the central role of PAR-3, and the conservation of PAR-3 membrane-binding, oligomerization, and core interactions with PAR-6/aPKC, these results have widespread implications for PAR-mediated polarity in metazoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlie Lang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Current address: Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Ondrej Maxian
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Alexander Anneken
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Edwin Munro
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
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2
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Bland T, Hirani N, Briggs DC, Rossetto R, Ng K, Taylor IA, McDonald NQ, Zwicker D, Goehring NW. Optimized PAR-2 RING dimerization mediates cooperative and selective membrane binding for robust cell polarity. EMBO J 2024; 43:3214-3239. [PMID: 38907033 PMCID: PMC11294563 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00123-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell polarity networks are defined by quantitative features of their constituent feedback circuits, which must be tuned to enable robust and stable polarization, while also ensuring that networks remain responsive to dynamically changing cellular states and/or spatial cues during development. Using the PAR polarity network as a model, we demonstrate that these features are enabled by the dimerization of the polarity protein PAR-2 via its N-terminal RING domain. Combining theory and experiment, we show that dimer affinity is optimized to achieve dynamic, selective, and cooperative binding of PAR-2 to the plasma membrane during polarization. Reducing dimerization compromises positive feedback and robustness of polarization. Conversely, enhanced dimerization renders the network less responsive due to kinetic trapping of PAR-2 on internal membranes and reduced sensitivity of PAR-2 to the anterior polarity kinase, aPKC/PKC-3. Thus, our data reveal a key role for a dynamically oligomeric RING domain in optimizing interaction affinities to support a robust and responsive cell polarity network, and highlight how optimization of oligomerization kinetics can serve as a strategy for dynamic and cooperative intracellular targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Bland
- Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Riccardo Rossetto
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany
| | - KangBo Ng
- Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Neil Q McDonald
- Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, London, WC1E 7HX, UK
| | - David Zwicker
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nathan W Goehring
- Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK.
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK.
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3
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Packer J, Gubieda AG, Brooks A, Deutz LN, Squires I, Ellison S, Schneider C, Naganathan SR, Wollman AJ, Dickinson DJ, Rodriguez J. Atypical Protein Kinase C Promotes its own Asymmetric Localisation by Phosphorylating Cdc42 in the C. elegans zygote. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.27.563985. [PMID: 38009101 PMCID: PMC10675845 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.27.563985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) is a major regulator of cell polarity. Acting in conjunction with Par6, Par3 and the small GTPase Cdc42, aPKC becomes asymmetrically localised and drives the polarisation of cells. aPKC activity is crucial for its own asymmetric localisation, suggesting a hitherto unknown feedback mechanism contributing to polarisation. Here we show in the C. elegans zygote that the feedback relies on aPKC phosphorylation of Cdc42 at serine 71. The turnover of CDC-42 phosphorylation ensures optimal aPKC asymmetry and activity throughout polarisation by tuning Par6/aPKC association with Par3 and Cdc42. Moreover, turnover of Cdc42 phosphorylation regulates actomyosin cortex dynamics that are known to drive aPKC asymmetry. Given the widespread role of aPKC and Cdc42 in cell polarity, this form of self-regulation of aPKC may be vital for the robust control of polarisation in many cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Packer
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Alicia G. Gubieda
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Aaron Brooks
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Lars N. Deutz
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Iolo Squires
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | | | | | - Sundar Ram Naganathan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Adam J.M. Wollman
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Daniel J. Dickinson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Josana Rodriguez
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
- Lead contact
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4
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Manzi NI, de Jesus BN, Shi Y, Dickinson DJ. Temporally distinct roles of Aurora A in polarization of the C. elegans zygote. Development 2024; 151:dev202479. [PMID: 38488018 PMCID: PMC11165718 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
During asymmetric cell division, cell polarity is coordinated with the cell cycle to allow proper inheritance of cell fate determinants and the generation of cellular diversity. In the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote, polarity is governed by evolutionarily conserved Partitioning-defective (PAR) proteins that segregate to opposing cortical domains to specify asymmetric cell fates. Timely establishment of PAR domains requires a cell cycle kinase, Aurora A (AIR-1 in C. elegans). Aurora A depletion by RNAi causes a spectrum of phenotypes including reversed polarity, excess posterior domains and no posterior domain. How depletion of a single kinase can cause seemingly opposite phenotypes remains obscure. Using an auxin-inducible degradation system and drug treatments, we found that AIR-1 regulates polarity differently at different times of the cell cycle. During meiosis I, AIR-1 acts to prevent later formation of bipolar domains, whereas in meiosis II, AIR-1 is necessary to recruit PAR-2 onto the membrane. Together, these data clarify the origin of multiple polarization phenotypes in RNAi experiments and reveal multiple roles of AIR-1 in coordinating PAR protein localization with cell cycle progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia I. Manzi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, PAT 206, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Bailey N. de Jesus
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, PAT 206, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Yu Shi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, PAT 206, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Daniel J. Dickinson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, PAT 206, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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5
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Doerr S, Zhou P, Ragkousi K. Origin and development of primary animal epithelia. Bioessays 2024; 46:e2300150. [PMID: 38009581 PMCID: PMC11164562 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Epithelia are the first organized tissues that appear during development. In many animal embryos, early divisions give rise to a polarized monolayer, the primary epithelium, rather than a random aggregate of cells. Here, we review the mechanisms by which cells organize into primary epithelia in various developmental contexts. We discuss how cells acquire polarity while undergoing early divisions. We describe cases where oriented divisions constrain cell arrangement to monolayers including organization on top of yolk surfaces. We finally discuss how epithelia emerge in embryos from animals that branched early during evolution and provide examples of epithelia-like arrangements encountered in single-celled eukaryotes. Although divergent and context-dependent mechanisms give rise to primary epithelia, here we trace the unifying principles underlying their formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Doerr
- Department of Biology, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, USA
| | - Phillip Zhou
- Department of Biology, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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6
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Manzi NI, de Jesus BN, Shi Y, Dickinson DJ. Temporally distinct roles of Aurora A in polarization of the C. elegans zygote. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.25.563816. [PMID: 37961467 PMCID: PMC10634818 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.25.563816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
During asymmetric cell division, coordination of cell polarity and the cell cycle is critical for proper inheritance of cell fate determinants and generation of cellular diversity. In Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), polarity is established in the zygote and is governed by evolutionarily conserved Partitioning defective (PAR) proteins that localize to distinct cortical domains. At the time of polarity establishment, anterior and posterior PARs segregate to opposing cortical domains that specify asymmetric cell fates. Timely establishment of these PAR domains requires a cell cycle kinase, Aurora A (AIR-1 in C.elegans). Aurora A depletion by RNAi causes a spectrum of phenotypes including no posterior domain, reversed polarity, and excess posterior domains. How depletion of a single kinase can cause seemingly opposite phenotypes remains obscure. Using an auxin-inducible degradation system, drug treatments, and high-resolution microscopy, we found that AIR-1 regulates polarity via distinct mechanisms at different times of the cell cycle. During meiosis I, AIR-1 acts to prevent the formation of bipolar domains, while in meiosis II, AIR-1 is necessary to recruit PAR-2 onto the membrane. Together these data clarify the origin of the multiple polarization phenotypes observed in RNAi experiments and reveal multiple roles of AIR-1 in coordinating PAR protein localization with the progression of the cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia I. Manzi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, PAT 206, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Bailey N. de Jesus
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, PAT 206, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Yu Shi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, PAT 206, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Daniel J. Dickinson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, PAT 206, Austin, TX 78712
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7
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Ng K, Hirani N, Bland T, Borrego-Pinto J, Wagner S, Kreysing M, Goehring NW. Cleavage furrow-directed cortical flows bias PAR polarization pathways to link cell polarity to cell division. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4298-4311.e6. [PMID: 37729912 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
During development, the conserved PAR polarity network is continuously redeployed, requiring that it adapt to changing cellular contexts and environmental cues. In the early C. elegans embryo, polarity shifts from being a cell-autonomous process in the zygote to one that must be coordinated between neighbors as the embryo becomes multicellular. Here, we sought to explore how the PAR network adapts to this shift in the highly tractable C. elegans germline P lineage. We find that although P lineage blastomeres exhibit a distinct pattern of polarity emergence compared with the zygote, the underlying mechanochemical processes that drive polarity are largely conserved. However, changes in the symmetry-breaking cues of P lineage blastomeres ensure coordination of their polarity axis with neighboring cells. Specifically, we show that furrow-directed cortical flows associated with cytokinesis of the zygote induce symmetry breaking in the germline blastomere P1 by transporting PAR-3 into the nascent cell contact. This pool of PAR-3 then biases downstream PAR polarization pathways to establish the polarity axis of P1 with respect to the position of its anterior sister, AB. Thus, our data suggest that cytokinesis itself induces symmetry breaking through the advection of polarity proteins by furrow-directed flows. By directly linking cell polarity to cell division, furrow-directed cortical flows could be a general mechanism to ensure proper organization of cell polarity within actively dividing systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- KangBo Ng
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Nisha Hirani
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Tom Bland
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Susan Wagner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Moritz Kreysing
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Nathan W Goehring
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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8
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Illukkumbura R, Hirani N, Borrego-Pinto J, Bland T, Ng K, Hubatsch L, McQuade J, Endres RG, Goehring NW. Design principles for selective polarization of PAR proteins by cortical flows. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:e202209111. [PMID: 37265444 PMCID: PMC10238861 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202209111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Clustering of membrane-associated molecules is thought to promote interactions with the actomyosin cortex, enabling size-dependent transport by actin flows. Consistent with this model, in the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote, efficient anterior segregation of the polarity protein PAR-3 requires oligomerization. However, through direct assessment of local coupling between motion of PAR proteins and the underlying cortex, we find no links between PAR-3 oligomer size and the degree of coupling. Indeed, both anterior and posterior PAR proteins experience similar advection velocities, at least over short distances. Consequently, differential cortex engagement cannot account for selectivity of PAR protein segregation by cortical flows. Combining experiment and theory, we demonstrate that a key determinant of differential segregation of PAR proteins by cortical flow is the stability of membrane association, which is enhanced by clustering and enables transport across cellular length scales. Thus, modulation of membrane binding dynamics allows cells to achieve selective transport by cortical flows despite widespread coupling between membrane-associated molecules and the cell cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rukshala Illukkumbura
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Tom Bland
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK
| | - KangBo Ng
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lars Hubatsch
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jessica McQuade
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Robert G. Endres
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Nathan W. Goehring
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK
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9
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Naturale VF, Pickett MA, Feldman JL. Context matters: Lessons in epithelial polarity from the Caenorhabditis elegans intestine and other tissues. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 154:37-71. [PMID: 37100523 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Epithelia are tissues with diverse morphologies and functions across metazoans, ranging from vast cell sheets encasing internal organs to internal tubes facilitating nutrient uptake, all of which require establishment of apical-basolateral polarity axes. While all epithelia tend to polarize the same components, how these components are deployed to drive polarization is largely context-dependent and likely shaped by tissue-specific differences in development and ultimate functions of polarizing primordia. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) offers exceptional imaging and genetic tools and possesses unique epithelia with well-described origins and roles, making it an excellent model to investigate polarity mechanisms. In this review, we highlight the interplay between epithelial polarization, development, and function by describing symmetry breaking and polarity establishment in a particularly well-characterized epithelium, the C. elegans intestine. We compare intestinal polarization to polarity programs in two other C. elegans epithelia, the pharynx and epidermis, correlating divergent mechanisms with tissue-specific differences in geometry, embryonic environment, and function. Together, we emphasize the importance of investigating polarization mechanisms against the backdrop of tissue-specific contexts, while also underscoring the benefits of cross-tissue comparisons of polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor F Naturale
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Melissa A Pickett
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States; Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, San José, CA, United States
| | - Jessica L Feldman
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States.
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10
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Pickett MA, Sallee MD, Cote L, Naturale VF, Akpinaroglu D, Lee J, Shen K, Feldman JL. Separable mechanisms drive local and global polarity establishment in the Caenorhabditiselegans intestinal epithelium. Development 2022; 149:dev200325. [PMID: 36264257 PMCID: PMC9845746 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Apico-basolateral polarization is essential for epithelial cells to function as selective barriers and transporters, and to provide mechanical resilience to organs. Epithelial polarity is established locally, within individual cells to establish distinct apical, junctional and basolateral domains, and globally, within a tissue where cells coordinately orient their apico-basolateral axes. Using live imaging of endogenously tagged proteins and tissue-specific protein depletion in the Caenorhabditiselegans embryonic intestine, we found that local and global polarity establishment are temporally and genetically separable. Local polarity is initiated prior to global polarity and is robust to perturbation. PAR-3 is required for global polarization across the intestine but local polarity can arise in its absence, as small groups of cells eventually established polarized domains in PAR-3-depleted intestines in a HMR-1 (E-cadherin)-dependent manner. Despite the role of PAR-3 in localizing PKC-3 to the apical surface, we additionally found that PAR-3 and PKC-3/aPKC have distinct roles in the establishment and maintenance of local and global polarity. Taken together, our results indicate that different mechanisms are required for local and global polarity establishment in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A. Pickett
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA 95112, USA
| | - Maria D. Sallee
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lauren Cote
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | | | - Joo Lee
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kang Shen
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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11
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Calvi I, Schwager F, Gotta M. PP1 phosphatases control PAR-2 localization and polarity establishment in C. elegans embryos. J Cell Biol 2022; 221:213453. [PMID: 36083688 PMCID: PMC9467853 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202201048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell polarity relies on the asymmetric distribution of the conserved PAR proteins, which is regulated by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation reactions. While the kinases involved have been well studied, the role of phosphatases remains poorly understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans zygotes, phosphorylation of the posterior PAR-2 protein by the atypical protein kinase PKC-3 inhibits PAR-2 cortical localization. Polarity establishment depends on loading of PAR-2 at the posterior cortex. We show that the PP1 phosphatases GSP-1 and GSP-2 are required for polarity establishment in embryos. We find that codepletion of GSP-1 and GSP-2 abrogates the cortical localization of PAR-2 and that GSP-1 and GSP-2 interact with PAR-2 via a PP1 docking motif in PAR-2. Mutating this motif in vivo, to prevent binding of PAR-2 to PP1, abolishes cortical localization of PAR-2, while optimizing this motif extends PAR-2 cortical localization. Our data suggest a model in which GSP-1/-2 counteracts PKC-3 phosphorylation of PAR-2, allowing its cortical localization at the posterior and polarization of the one-cell embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Calvi
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Françoise Schwager
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Monica Gotta
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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12
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Rodrigues NTL, Bland T, Borrego-Pinto J, Ng K, Hirani N, Gu Y, Foo S, Goehring NW. SAIBR: a simple, platform-independent method for spectral autofluorescence correction. Development 2022; 149:dev200545. [PMID: 35713287 PMCID: PMC9445497 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Biological systems are increasingly viewed through a quantitative lens that demands accurate measures of gene expression and local protein concentrations. CRISPR/Cas9 gene tagging has enabled increased use of fluorescence to monitor proteins at or near endogenous levels under native regulatory control. However, owing to typically lower expression levels, experiments using endogenously tagged genes run into limits imposed by autofluorescence (AF). AF is often a particular challenge in wavelengths occupied by commonly used fluorescent proteins (GFP, mNeonGreen). Stimulated by our work in C. elegans, we describe and validate Spectral Autofluorescence Image Correction By Regression (SAIBR), a simple platform-independent protocol and FIJI plug-in to correct for autofluorescence using standard filter sets and illumination conditions. Validated for use in C. elegans embryos, starfish oocytes and fission yeast, SAIBR is ideal for samples with a single dominant AF source; it achieves accurate quantitation of fluorophore signal, and enables reliable detection and quantification of even weakly expressed proteins. Thus, SAIBR provides a highly accessible low-barrier way to incorporate AF correction as standard for researchers working on a broad variety of cell and developmental systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tom Bland
- Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - KangBo Ng
- Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Ying Gu
- Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Sherman Foo
- Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Nathan W. Goehring
- Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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13
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Wilson C, Moyano AL, Cáceres A. Perspectives on Mechanisms Supporting Neuronal Polarity From Small Animals to Humans. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:878142. [PMID: 35517494 PMCID: PMC9062071 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.878142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Axon-dendrite formation is a crucial milestone in the life history of neurons. During this process, historically referred as “the establishment of polarity,” newborn neurons undergo biochemical, morphological and functional transformations to generate the axonal and dendritic domains, which are the basis of neuronal wiring and connectivity. Since the implementation of primary cultures of rat hippocampal neurons by Gary Banker and Max Cowan in 1977, the community of neurobiologists has made significant achievements in decoding signals that trigger axo-dendritic specification. External and internal cues able to switch on/off signaling pathways controlling gene expression, protein stability, the assembly of the polarity complex (i.e., PAR3-PAR6-aPKC), cytoskeleton remodeling and vesicle trafficking contribute to shape the morphology of neurons. Currently, the culture of hippocampal neurons coexists with alternative model systems to study neuronal polarization in several species, from single-cell to whole-organisms. For instance, in vivo approaches using C. elegans and D. melanogaster, as well as in situ imaging in rodents, have refined our knowledge by incorporating new variables in the polarity equation, such as the influence of the tissue, glia-neuron interactions and three-dimensional development. Nowadays, we have the unique opportunity of studying neurons differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), and test hypotheses previously originated in small animals and propose new ones perhaps specific for humans. Thus, this article will attempt to review critical mechanisms controlling polarization compiled over decades, highlighting points to be considered in new experimental systems, such as hiPSC neurons and human brain organoids.
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14
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Ramalho JJ, Jones VAS, Mutte S, Weijers D. Pole position: How plant cells polarize along the axes. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:174-192. [PMID: 34338785 PMCID: PMC8774072 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Having a sense of direction is a fundamental cellular trait that can determine cell shape, division orientation, or function, and ultimately the formation of a functional, multicellular body. Cells acquire and integrate directional information by establishing discrete subcellular domains along an axis with distinct molecular profiles, a process known as cell polarization. Insight into the principles and mechanisms underlying cell polarity has been propelled by decades of extensive research mostly in yeast and animal models. Our understanding of cell polarity establishment in plants, which lack most of the regulatory molecules identified in other eukaryotes, is more limited, but significant progress has been made in recent years. In this review, we explore how plant cells coordinately establish stable polarity axes aligned with the organ axes, highlighting similarities in the molecular logic used to polarize both plant and animal cells. We propose a classification system for plant cell polarity events and nomenclature guidelines. Finally, we provide a deep phylogenetic analysis of polar proteins and discuss the evolution of polarity machineries in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sumanth Mutte
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University, Stippeneng 4, 6703WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
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15
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Kroll JR, Remmelzwaal S, Boxem M. CeLINC, a fluorescence-based protein-protein interaction assay in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2021; 219:6380436. [PMID: 34849800 PMCID: PMC8664570 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions among proteins are fundamental for life and determining whether two particular proteins physically interact can be essential for fully understanding a protein’s function. We present Caenorhabditis elegans light-induced coclustering (CeLINC), an optical binary protein–protein interaction assay to determine whether two proteins interact in vivo. Based on CRY2/CIB1 light-dependent oligomerization, CeLINC can rapidly and unambiguously identify protein–protein interactions between pairs of fluorescently tagged proteins. A fluorescently tagged bait protein is captured using a nanobody directed against the fluorescent protein (GFP or mCherry) and brought into artificial clusters within the cell. Colocalization of a fluorescently tagged prey protein in the cluster indicates a protein interaction. We tested the system with an array of positive and negative reference protein pairs. Assay performance was extremely robust with no false positives detected in the negative reference pairs. We then used the system to test for interactions among apical and basolateral polarity regulators. We confirmed interactions seen between PAR-6, PKC-3, and PAR-3, but observed no physical interactions among the basolateral Scribble module proteins LET-413, DLG-1, and LGL-1. We have generated a plasmid toolkit that allows use of custom promoters or CRY2 variants to promote flexibility of the system. The CeLINC assay is a powerful and rapid technique that can be widely applied in C. elegans due to the universal plasmids that can be used with existing fluorescently tagged strains without need for additional cloning or genetic modification of the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason R Kroll
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sanne Remmelzwaal
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Mike Boxem
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
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16
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Bonello T, Aguilar-Aragon M, Tournier A, Thompson BJ, Campanale JP. A picket fence function for adherens junctions in epithelial cell polarity. Cells Dev 2021; 168:203719. [PMID: 34242843 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2021.203719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Adherens junctions are a defining feature of all epithelial cells, providing cell-cell adhesion and contractile ring formation that is essential for cell and tissue morphology. In Drosophila, adherens junctions are concentrated between the apical and basolateral plasma membrane domains, defined by aPKC-Par6-Baz and Lgl/Dlg/Scrib, respectively. Whether adherens junctions contribute to apical-basal polarization itself has been unclear because neuroblasts exhibit apical-basal polarization of aPKC-Par6-Baz and Lgl in the absence of adherens junctions. Here we show that, upon disruption of adherens junctions in epithelial cells, apical polarity determinants such as aPKC can still segregate from basolateral Lgl, but lose their sharp boundaries and also overlap with Dlg and Scrib - similar to neuroblasts. In addition, control of apical versus basolateral domain size is lost, along with control of cell shape, in the absence of adherens junctions. Manipulating the levels of apical Par3/Baz or basolateral Lgl polarity determinants in experiments and in computer simulations confirms that adherens junctions provide a 'picket fence' diffusion barrier that restricts the spread of polarity determinants along the membrane to enable precise domain size control. Movement of adherens junctions in response to mechanical forces during morphogenetic change thus enables spontaneous adjustment of apical versus basolateral domain size as an emergent property of the polarising system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Bonello
- ACRF Department of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, 131 Garran Rd, Acton, ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia
| | - Mario Aguilar-Aragon
- ACRF Department of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, 131 Garran Rd, Acton, ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia
| | - Alexander Tournier
- ACRF Department of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, 131 Garran Rd, Acton, ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia
| | - Barry J Thompson
- ACRF Department of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, 131 Garran Rd, Acton, ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia.
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17
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Lim YW, Wen FL, Shankar P, Shibata T, Motegi F. A balance between antagonizing PAR proteins specifies the pattern of asymmetric and symmetric divisions in C. elegans embryogenesis. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109326. [PMID: 34233197 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Coordination between cell differentiation and proliferation during development requires the balance between asymmetric and symmetric modes of cell division. However, the cellular intrinsic cue underlying the choice between these two division modes remains elusive. Here, we show evidence in Caenorhabditis elegans that the invariable lineage of the division modes is specified by the balance between antagonizing complexes of partitioning-defective (PAR) proteins. By uncoupling unequal inheritance of PAR proteins from that of fate determinants during cell division, we demonstrate that changes in the balance between PAR-2 and PAR-6 can be sufficient to re-program the division modes from symmetric to asymmetric and vice versa in two daughter cells. The division mode adopted occurs independently of asymmetry in cytoplasmic fate determinants, cell-size asymmetry, and cell-cycle asynchrony between sister cells. We propose that the balance between PAR proteins represents an intrinsic self-organizing cue for the specification of the two division modes during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen Wei Lim
- Temasek Life-sciences Laboratory, Singapore 117604, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
| | - Fu-Lai Wen
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Prabhat Shankar
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Shibata
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan.
| | - Fumio Motegi
- Temasek Life-sciences Laboratory, Singapore 117604, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore; Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0815, Japan.
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18
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Delattre M, Goehring NW. The first steps in the life of a worm: Themes and variations in asymmetric division in C. elegans and other nematodes. Curr Top Dev Biol 2021; 144:269-308. [PMID: 33992156 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2020.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Starting with Boveri in the 1870s, microscopic investigation of early embryogenesis in a broad swath of nematode species revealed the central role of asymmetric cell division in embryonic axis specification, blastomere positioning, and cell fate specification. Notably, across the class Chromadorea, a conserved theme emerges-asymmetry is first established in the zygote and specifies its asymmetric division, giving rise to an anterior somatic daughter cell and a posterior germline daughter cell. Beginning in the 1980s, the emergence of Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism saw the advent of genetic tools that enabled rapid progress in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying asymmetric division, in many cases defining key paradigms that turn out to regulate asymmetric division in a wide range of systems. Yet, the consequence of this focus on C. elegans came at the expense of exploring the extant diversity of developmental variation exhibited across nematode species. Given the resurgent interest in evolutionary studies facilitated in part by new tools, here we revisit the diversity in this asymmetric first division, juxtaposing molecular insight into mechanisms of symmetry-breaking, spindle positioning and fate specification, with a consideration of plasticity and variability within and between species. In the process, we hope to highlight questions of evolutionary forces and molecular variation that may have shaped the extant diversity of developmental mechanisms observed across Nematoda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Delattre
- Laboratory of Biology and Modeling of the Cell, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS, Inserm, UCBL, Lyon, France.
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19
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Gan WJ, Motegi F. Mechanochemical Control of Symmetry Breaking in the Caenorhabditis elegans Zygote. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 8:619869. [PMID: 33537308 PMCID: PMC7848089 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.619869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell polarity is the asymmetric organization of cellular components along defined axes. A key requirement for polarization is the ability of the cell to break symmetry and achieve a spatially biased organization. Despite different triggering cues in various systems, symmetry breaking (SB) usually relies on mechanochemical modulation of the actin cytoskeleton, which allows for advected movement and reorganization of cellular components. Here, the mechanisms underlying SB in Caenorhabditis elegans zygote, one of the most popular models to study cell polarity, are reviewed. A zygote initiates SB through the centrosome, which modulates mechanics of the cell cortex to establish advective flow of cortical proteins including the actin cytoskeleton and partitioning defective (PAR) proteins. The chemical signaling underlying centrosomal control of the Aurora A kinase–mediated cascade to convert the organization of the contractile actomyosin network from an apolar to polar state is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Jun Gan
- Temasek Life-Sciences Laboratory, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fumio Motegi
- Temasek Life-Sciences Laboratory, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Institute of Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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20
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Castiglioni VG, Pires HR, Rosas Bertolini R, Riga A, Kerver J, Boxem M. Epidermal PAR-6 and PKC-3 are essential for larval development of C. elegans and organize non-centrosomal microtubules. eLife 2020; 9:e62067. [PMID: 33300872 PMCID: PMC7755398 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The cortical polarity regulators PAR-6, PKC-3, and PAR-3 are essential for the polarization of a broad variety of cell types in multicellular animals. In C. elegans, the roles of the PAR proteins in embryonic development have been extensively studied, yet little is known about their functions during larval development. Using inducible protein degradation, we show that PAR-6 and PKC-3, but not PAR-3, are essential for postembryonic development. PAR-6 and PKC-3 are required in the epidermal epithelium for animal growth, molting, and the proper pattern of seam-cell divisions. Finally, we uncovered a novel role for PAR-6 in organizing non-centrosomal microtubule arrays in the epidermis. PAR-6 was required for the localization of the microtubule organizer NOCA-1/Ninein, and defects in a noca-1 mutant are highly similar to those caused by epidermal PAR-6 depletion. As NOCA-1 physically interacts with PAR-6, we propose that PAR-6 promotes non-centrosomal microtubule organization through localization of NOCA-1/Ninein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria G Castiglioni
- Division of Developmental Biology, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Helena R Pires
- Division of Developmental Biology, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Rodrigo Rosas Bertolini
- Division of Developmental Biology, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Amalia Riga
- Division of Developmental Biology, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Jana Kerver
- Division of Developmental Biology, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Mike Boxem
- Division of Developmental Biology, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
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21
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Gubieda AG, Packer JR, Squires I, Martin J, Rodriguez J. Going with the flow: insights from Caenorhabditis elegans zygote polarization. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190555. [PMID: 32829680 PMCID: PMC7482210 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell polarity is the asymmetric distribution of cellular components along a defined axis. Polarity relies on complex signalling networks between conserved patterning proteins, including the PAR (partitioning defective) proteins, which become segregated in response to upstream symmetry breaking cues. Although the mechanisms that drive the asymmetric localization of these proteins are dependent upon cell type and context, in many cases the regulation of actomyosin cytoskeleton dynamics is central to the transport, recruitment and/or stabilization of these polarity effectors into defined subcellular domains. The transport or advection of PAR proteins by an actomyosin flow was first observed in the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote more than a decade ago. Since then a multifaceted approach, using molecular methods, high-throughput screens, and biophysical and computational models, has revealed further aspects of this flow and how polarity regulators respond to and modulate it. Here, we review recent findings on the interplay between actomyosin flow and the PAR patterning networks in the polarization of the C. elegans zygote. We also discuss how these discoveries and developed methods are shaping our understanding of other flow-dependent polarizing systems. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Contemporary morphogenesis'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Josana Rodriguez
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
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22
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Ventura G, Moreira S, Barros-Carvalho A, Osswald M, Morais-de-Sá E. Lgl cortical dynamics are independent of binding to the Scrib-Dlg complex but require Dlg-dependent restriction of aPKC. Development 2020; 147:dev.186593. [PMID: 32665243 DOI: 10.1242/dev.186593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Apical-basal polarity underpins the formation of epithelial barriers that are crucial for metazoan physiology. Although apical-basal polarity is long known to require the basolateral determinants Lethal Giant Larvae (Lgl), Discs Large (Dlg) and Scribble (Scrib), mechanistic understanding of their function is limited. Lgl plays a role as an aPKC inhibitor, but it remains unclear whether Lgl also forms complexes with Dlg or Scrib. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, we show that Lgl does not form immobile complexes at the lateral domain of Drosophila follicle cells. Optogenetic depletion of plasma membrane PIP2 or dlg mutants accelerate Lgl cortical dynamics. However, Dlg and Scrib are required only for Lgl localization and dynamic behavior in the presence of aPKC function. Furthermore, light-induced oligomerization of basolateral proteins indicates that Lgl is not part of the Scrib-Dlg complex in the follicular epithelium. Thus, Scrib and Dlg are necessary to repress aPKC activity in the lateral domain but do not provide cortical binding sites for Lgl. Our work therefore highlights that Lgl does not act in a complex but in parallel with Scrib-Dlg to antagonize apical determinants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Ventura
- i3S (Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto) and IBMC (Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular), Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sofia Moreira
- i3S (Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto) and IBMC (Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular), Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - André Barros-Carvalho
- i3S (Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto) and IBMC (Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular), Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Mariana Osswald
- i3S (Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto) and IBMC (Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular), Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Eurico Morais-de-Sá
- i3S (Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto) and IBMC (Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular), Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
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23
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The Role of pkc-3 and Genetic Suppressors in Caenorhabditis elegans Epithelial Cell Junction Formation. Genetics 2020; 214:941-959. [PMID: 32005655 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial cells form intercellular junctions to strengthen cell-cell adhesion and limit diffusion, allowing epithelia to function as dynamic tissues and barriers separating internal and external environments. Junctions form as epithelial cells differentiate; clusters of junction proteins first concentrate apically, then mature into continuous junctional belts that encircle and connect each cell. In mammals and Drosophila, atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) is required for junction maturation, although how it contributes to this process is poorly understood. A role for the Caenorhabditis elegans aPKC homolog PKC-3 in junction formation has not been described previously. Here, we show that PKC-3 is essential for junction maturation as epithelia first differentiate. Using a temperature-sensitive allele of pkc-3 that causes junction breaks in the spermatheca and leads to sterility, we identify intragenic and extragenic suppressors that render pkc-3 mutants fertile. Intragenic suppressors include an unanticipated stop-to-stop mutation in the pkc-3 gene, providing evidence for the importance of stop codon identity in gene activity. One extragenic pkc-3 suppressor is a loss-of-function allele of the lethal(2) giant larvae homolog lgl-1, which antagonizes aPKC within epithelia of Drosophila and mammals, but was not known previously to function in C. elegans epithelia. Finally, two extragenic suppressors are loss-of-function alleles of sups-1-a previously uncharacterized gene. We show that SUPS-1 is an apical extracellular matrix protein expressed in epidermal cells, suggesting that it nonautonomously regulates junction formation in the spermatheca. These findings establish a foundation for dissecting the role of PKC-3 and interacting genes in epithelial junction maturation.
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24
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Hubatsch L, Peglion F, Reich JD, Rodrigues NTL, Hirani N, Illukkumbura R, Goehring NW. A cell size threshold limits cell polarity and asymmetric division potential. NATURE PHYSICS 2019; 15:1075-1085. [PMID: 31579399 PMCID: PMC6774796 DOI: 10.1038/s41567-019-0601-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Reaction-diffusion networks underlie pattern formation in a range of biological contexts, from morphogenesis of organisms to the polarisation of individual cells. One requirement for such molecular networks is that output patterns be scaled to system size. At the same time, kinetic properties of constituent molecules constrain the ability of networks to adapt to size changes. Here we explore these constraints and the consequences thereof within the conserved PAR cell polarity network. Using the stem cell-like germ lineage of the C. elegans embryo as a model, we find that the behaviour of PAR proteins fails to scale with cell size. Theoretical analysis demonstrates that this lack of scaling results in a size threshold below which polarity is destabilized, yielding an unpolarized system. In empirically-constrained models, this threshold occurs near the size at which germ lineage cells normally switch between asymmetric and symmetric modes of division. Consistent with cell size limiting polarity and division asymmetry, genetic or physical reduction in germ lineage cell size is sufficient to trigger loss of polarity in normally polarizing cells at predicted size thresholds. Physical limits of polarity networks may be one mechanism by which cells read out geometrical features to inform cell fate decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Hubatsch
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College
London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | | | | | - Nisha Hirani
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | - Nathan W Goehring
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College
London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College
London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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25
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Establishment of the PAR-1 cortical gradient by the aPKC-PRBH circuit. Nat Chem Biol 2018; 14:917-927. [PMID: 30177850 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-018-0117-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cell polarity is the asymmetric compartmentalization of cellular components. An opposing gradient of partitioning-defective protein kinases, atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) and PAR-1, at the cell cortex guides diverse asymmetries in the structure of metazoan cells, but the mechanism underlying their spatial patterning remains poorly understood. Here, we show in Caenorhabditis elegans zygotes that the cortical PAR-1 gradient is patterned as a consequence of dual mechanisms: stabilization of cortical dynamics and protection from aPKC-mediated cortical exclusion. Dual control of cortical PAR-1 depends on a physical interaction with the PRBH-domain protein PAR-2. Using a reconstitution approach in heterologous cells, we demonstrate that PAR-1, PAR-2, and polarized Cdc42-PAR-6-aPKC comprise the minimal network sufficient for the establishment of an opposing cortical gradient. Our findings delineate the mechanism governing cortical polarity, in which a circuit consisting of aPKC and the PRBH-domain protein ensures the local recruitment of PAR-1 to a well-defined cortical compartment.
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26
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Hamidi S, Sheng G. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in haematopoietic stem cell development and homeostasis. J Biochem 2018; 164:265-275. [DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvy063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sofiane Hamidi
- Laboratory of Developmental Morphogenesis, International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Guojun Sheng
- Laboratory of Developmental Morphogenesis, International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
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27
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Nakama AB, Chou HC, Schneider SQ. The asymmetric cell division machinery in the spiral-cleaving egg and embryo of the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2017; 17:16. [PMID: 29228898 PMCID: PMC5725810 DOI: 10.1186/s12861-017-0158-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over one third of all animal phyla utilize a mode of early embryogenesis called 'spiral cleavage' to divide the fertilized egg into embryonic cells with different cell fates. This mode is characterized by a series of invariant, stereotypic, asymmetric cell divisions (ACDs) that generates cells of different size and defined position within the early embryo. Astonishingly, very little is known about the underlying molecular machinery to orchestrate these ACDs in spiral-cleaving embryos. Here we identify, for the first time, cohorts of factors that may contribute to early embryonic ACDs in a spiralian embryo. RESULTS To do so we analyzed stage-specific transcriptome data in eggs and early embryos of the spiralian annelid Platynereis dumerilii for the expression of over 50 candidate genes that are involved in (1) establishing cortical domains such as the partitioning defective (par) genes, (2) directing spindle orientation, (3) conveying polarity cues including crumbs and scribble, and (4) maintaining cell-cell adhesion between embryonic cells. In general, each of these cohorts of genes are co-expressed exhibiting high levels of transcripts in the oocyte and fertilized single-celled embryo, with progressively lower levels at later stages. Interestingly, a small number of key factors within each ACD module show different expression profiles with increased early zygotic expression suggesting distinct regulatory functions. In addition, our analysis discovered several highly co-expressed genes that have been associated with specialized neural cell-cell recognition functions in the nervous system. The high maternal contribution of these 'neural' adhesion complexes indicates novel general adhesion functions during early embryogenesis. CONCLUSIONS Spiralian embryos are champions of ACD generating embryonic cells of different size with astonishing accuracy. Our results suggest that the molecular machinery for ACD is already stored as maternal transcripts in the oocyte. Thus, the spiralian egg can be viewed as a totipotent yet highly specialized cell that evolved to execute fast and precise ACDs during spiral cleaving stages. Our survey identifies cohorts of factors in P. dumerilii that are candidates for these molecular mechanisms and their regulation, and sets the stage for a functional dissection of ACD in a spiral-cleaving embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aron B. Nakama
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, 503 Science Hall II, Ames, IA 50011 USA
| | - Hsien-Chao Chou
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, 503 Science Hall II, Ames, IA 50011 USA
- current address: Center for Cancer Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894 USA
| | - Stephan Q. Schneider
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, 503 Science Hall II, Ames, IA 50011 USA
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28
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Lang CF, Munro E. The PAR proteins: from molecular circuits to dynamic self-stabilizing cell polarity. Development 2017; 144:3405-3416. [PMID: 28974638 DOI: 10.1242/dev.139063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
PAR proteins constitute a highly conserved network of scaffolding proteins, adaptors and enzymes that form and stabilize cortical asymmetries in response to diverse inputs. They function throughout development and across the metazoa to regulate cell polarity. In recent years, traditional approaches to identifying and characterizing molecular players and interactions in the PAR network have begun to merge with biophysical, theoretical and computational efforts to understand the network as a pattern-forming biochemical circuit. Here, we summarize recent progress in the field, focusing on recent studies that have characterized the core molecular circuitry, circuit design and spatiotemporal dynamics. We also consider some of the ways in which the PAR network has evolved to polarize cells in different contexts and in response to different cues and functional constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles F Lang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.,Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Edwin Munro
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA .,Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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29
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Rodriguez J, Peglion F, Martin J, Hubatsch L, Reich J, Hirani N, Gubieda AG, Roffey J, Fernandes AR, St Johnston D, Ahringer J, Goehring NW. aPKC Cycles between Functionally Distinct PAR Protein Assemblies to Drive Cell Polarity. Dev Cell 2017; 42:400-415.e9. [PMID: 28781174 PMCID: PMC5563072 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The conserved polarity effector proteins PAR-3, PAR-6, CDC-42, and atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) form a core unit of the PAR protein network, which plays a central role in polarizing a broad range of animal cell types. To functionally polarize cells, these proteins must activate aPKC within a spatially defined membrane domain on one side of the cell in response to symmetry-breaking cues. Using the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote as a model, we find that the localization and activation of aPKC involve distinct, specialized aPKC-containing assemblies: a PAR-3-dependent assembly that responds to polarity cues and promotes efficient segregation of aPKC toward the anterior but holds aPKC in an inactive state, and a CDC-42-dependent assembly in which aPKC is active but poorly segregated. Cycling of aPKC between these distinct functional assemblies, which appears to depend on aPKC activity, effectively links cue-sensing and effector roles within the PAR network to ensure robust establishment of polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josana Rodriguez
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK; Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK.
| | | | - Jack Martin
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | | | - Jacob Reich
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | - Alicia G Gubieda
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Jon Roffey
- Cancer Research Technology, Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Daniel St Johnston
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Julie Ahringer
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Nathan W Goehring
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK; Medical Research Council Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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30
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Campanale JP, Sun TY, Montell DJ. Development and dynamics of cell polarity at a glance. J Cell Sci 2017; 130:1201-1207. [PMID: 28365593 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.188599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells exhibit morphological and molecular asymmetries that are broadly categorized as cell polarity. The cell polarity established in early embryos prefigures the macroscopic anatomical asymmetries characteristic of adult animals. For example, eggs and early embryos have polarized distributions of RNAs and proteins that generate global anterior/posterior and dorsal/ventral axes. The molecular programs that polarize embryos are subsequently reused in multiple contexts. Epithelial cells require apical/basal polarity to establish their barrier function. Migrating cells polarize in the direction of movement, creating distinct leading and trailing structures. Asymmetrically dividing stem cells partition different molecules between themselves and their daughter cells. Cell polarity can develop de novo, be maintained through rounds of cell division and be dynamically remodeled. In this Cell Science at a Glance review and poster, we describe molecular asymmetries that underlie cell polarity in several cellular contexts. We highlight multiple developmental systems that first establish cell/developmental polarity, and then maintain it. Our poster showcases repeated use of the Par, Scribble and Crumbs polarity complexes, which drive the development of cell polarity in many cell types and organisms. We then briefly discuss the diverse and dynamic changes in cell polarity that occur during cell migration, asymmetric cell division and in planar polarized tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P Campanale
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Thomas Y Sun
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Denise J Montell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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31
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Wang SC, Low TYF, Nishimura Y, Gole L, Yu W, Motegi F. Cortical forces and CDC-42 control clustering of PAR proteins for Caenorhabditis elegans embryonic polarization. Nat Cell Biol 2017; 19:988-995. [DOI: 10.1038/ncb3577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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32
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Hansen AH, Duellberg C, Mieck C, Loose M, Hippenmeyer S. Cell Polarity in Cerebral Cortex Development-Cellular Architecture Shaped by Biochemical Networks. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:176. [PMID: 28701923 PMCID: PMC5487411 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The human cerebral cortex is the seat of our cognitive abilities and composed of an extraordinary number of neurons, organized in six distinct layers. The establishment of specific morphological and physiological features in individual neurons needs to be regulated with high precision. Impairments in the sequential developmental programs instructing corticogenesis lead to alterations in the cortical cytoarchitecture which is thought to represent the major underlying cause for several neurological disorders including neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diseases. In this review article we discuss the role of cell polarity at sequential stages during cortex development. We first provide an overview of morphological cell polarity features in cortical neural stem cells and newly-born postmitotic neurons. We then synthesize a conceptual molecular and biochemical framework how cell polarity is established at the cellular level through a break in symmetry in nascent cortical projection neurons. Lastly we provide a perspective how the molecular mechanisms applying to single cells could be probed and integrated in an in vivo and tissue-wide context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andi H Hansen
- Institute of Science and Technology AustriaKlosterneuburg, Austria
| | | | - Christine Mieck
- Institute of Science and Technology AustriaKlosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Martin Loose
- Institute of Science and Technology AustriaKlosterneuburg, Austria
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33
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Von Stetina SE, Liang J, Marnellos G, Mango SE. Temporal regulation of epithelium formation mediated by FoxA, MKLP1, MgcRacGAP, and PAR-6. Mol Biol Cell 2017; 28:2042-2065. [PMID: 28539408 PMCID: PMC5509419 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e16-09-0644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
During embryo morphogenesis, minor epithelia are generated after, and then form bridges between, major epithelia (e.g., epidermis and gut). In Caenorhabditis elegans, this delay is regulated by four proteins that control production and localization of polarity proteins: the pioneer factor PHA-4/FoxA, kinesin ZEN-4/MKLP1, its partner CYK-4/MgcRacGAP, and PAR-6. To establish the animal body plan, embryos link the external epidermis to the internal digestive tract. In Caenorhabditis elegans, this linkage is achieved by the arcade cells, which form an epithelial bridge between the foregut and epidermis, but little is known about how development of these three epithelia is coordinated temporally. The arcade cell epithelium is generated after the epidermis and digestive tract epithelia have matured, ensuring that both organs can withstand the mechanical stress of embryo elongation; mistiming of epithelium formation leads to defects in morphogenesis. Using a combination of genetic, bioinformatic, and imaging approaches, we find that temporal regulation of the arcade cell epithelium is mediated by the pioneer transcription factor and master regulator PHA-4/FoxA, followed by the cytoskeletal regulator and kinesin ZEN-4/MKLP1 and the polarity protein PAR-6. We show that PHA-4 directly activates mRNA expression of a broad cohort of epithelial genes, including junctional factor dlg-1. Accumulation of DLG-1 protein is delayed by ZEN-4, acting in concert with its binding partner CYK-4/MgcRacGAP. Our structure–function analysis suggests that nuclear and kinesin functions are dispensable, whereas binding to CYK-4 is essential, for ZEN-4 function in polarity. Finally, PAR-6 is necessary to localize polarity proteins such as DLG-1 within adherens junctions and at the apical surface, thereby generating arcade cell polarity. Our results reveal that the timing of a landmark event during embryonic morphogenesis is mediated by the concerted action of four proteins that delay the formation of an epithelial bridge until the appropriate time. In addition, we find that mammalian FoxA associates with many epithelial genes, suggesting that direct regulation of epithelial identity may be a conserved feature of FoxA factors and a contributor to FoxA function in development and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen E Von Stetina
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge; MA 02138
| | - Jennifer Liang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge; MA 02138
| | - Georgios Marnellos
- Informatics and Scientific Applications, Science Division, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge; MA 02138
| | - Susan E Mango
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge; MA 02138
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34
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Zhang Z, Lim YW, Zhao P, Kanchanawong P, Motegi F. ImaEdge: a platform for the quantitative analysis of cortical proteins spatiotemporal dynamics during cell polarization. J Cell Sci 2017; 130:4200-4212. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.206870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell polarity involves the compartmentalization of the cell cortex. The establishment of cortical compartments arises from the spatial bias in the activity and concentration of cortical proteins. The mechanistic dissection of cell polarity requires the accurate detection of dynamic changes in cortical proteins, but the fluctuations of cell shape and the inhomogeneous distributions of cortical proteins greatly complicate the quantitative extraction of their global and local changes during cell polarization. To address these problems, we introduce an open-source software package, ImaEdge, which automates the segmentation of the cortex from time-lapse movies, and enables quantitative extraction of cortical protein intensities. We demonstrate that ImaEdge enables efficient and rigorous analysis of the dynamic evolution of cortical PAR proteins during C. elegans embryogenesis. It is also capable of accurate tracking of varying levels of transgene expression and discontinuous signals of the actomyosin cytoskeleton during multiple rounds of cell division. ImaEdge provides a unique resource for the quantitative studies of cortical polarization, with the potential for application to many types of polarized cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhang
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yen Wei Lim
- Temasek Life-sciences Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Peng Zhao
- Temasek Life-sciences Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pakorn Kanchanawong
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biomedical engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fumio Motegi
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Temasek Life-sciences Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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35
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Pacquelet A. Asymmetric Cell Division in the One-Cell C. elegans Embryo: Multiple Steps to Generate Cell Size Asymmetry. Results Probl Cell Differ 2017; 61:115-140. [PMID: 28409302 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-53150-2_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The first division of the one-cell C. elegans embryo has been a fundamental model in deciphering the mechanisms underlying asymmetric cell division. Polarization of the one-cell zygote is induced by a signal from the sperm centrosome and results in the asymmetric distribution of PAR proteins. Multiple mechanisms then maintain PAR polarity until the end of the first division. Once asymmetrically localized, PAR proteins control several essential aspects of asymmetric division, including the position of the mitotic spindle along the polarity axis. Coordination of the spindle and cytokinetic furrow positions is the next essential step to ensure proper asymmetric division. In this chapter, I review the different mechanisms underlying these successive steps of asymmetric division. Work from the last 30 years has revealed the existence of multiple and redundant regulatory pathways which ensure division robustness. Besides the essential role of PAR proteins, this work also emphasizes the importance of both microtubules and actomyosin throughout the different steps of asymmetric division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Pacquelet
- CNRS, UMR6290, Rennes, France. .,Université de Rennes 1, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France. .,CNRS UMR6290-IGDR, 2 avenue du Professeur Léon Bernard, 35043, Rennes Cedex, France.
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36
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Visco I, Hoege C, Hyman AA, Schwille P. In vitro Reconstitution of a Membrane Switch Mechanism for the Polarity Protein LGL. J Mol Biol 2016; 428:4828-4842. [PMID: 27720986 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2016.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Revised: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cell polarity arises from a combination of interactions between biological molecules, such as activation, inhibition, and positive or negative feedback between specific polarity units. Activation and inhibition often take place in the form of a membrane binding switch. Lethal giant larvae (LGL), a conserved regulator of cell polarity in animals, was suggested to function as such a switch. LGL localizes to both the cytoplasm and, asymmetrically, the membrane. However, the spatial regulation mechanism of LGL membrane localization has remained unclear. For systematic elucidation, we set out to reconstitute a minimal polarity unit using a model membrane, Caenorhabditis elegans LGL (LGL-1), and atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) supposed to activate the membrane switch. We identified a membrane binding sequence (MBS) in LGL-1 by a screen in vivo, reconstituted LGL-1 membrane binding in vitro, and successfully implemented the membrane switch by aPKC phosphorylation activity, detaching LGL from membranes. Upon membrane binding, LGL-1 MBS folds into an alpha-helix in which three regions can be identified: a positively charged patch, a switch area containing the three aPKC phosphorylation sites, and a hydrophobic area probably buried in the membrane. Phosphorylation by aPKC dramatically reduces the binding affinity of the LGL-1 MBS to negatively charged model membranes, inducing its detachment. Specific residues in the MBS are critical for LGL-1 function in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Visco
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Carsten Hoege
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Anthony A Hyman
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Petra Schwille
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
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37
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Waaijers S, Muñoz J, Berends C, Ramalho JJ, Goerdayal SS, Low TY, Zoumaro-Djayoon AD, Hoffmann M, Koorman T, Tas RP, Harterink M, Seelk S, Kerver J, Hoogenraad CC, Bossinger O, Tursun B, van den Heuvel S, Heck AJR, Boxem M. A tissue-specific protein purification approach in Caenorhabditis elegans identifies novel interaction partners of DLG-1/Discs large. BMC Biol 2016; 14:66. [PMID: 27506200 PMCID: PMC4977824 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-016-0286-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Affinity purification followed by mass spectrometry (AP/MS) is a widely used approach to identify protein interactions and complexes. In multicellular organisms, the accurate identification of protein complexes by AP/MS is complicated by the potential heterogeneity of complexes in different tissues. Here, we present an in vivo biotinylation-based approach for the tissue-specific purification of protein complexes from Caenorhabditis elegans. Tissue-specific biotinylation is achieved by the expression in select tissues of the bacterial biotin ligase BirA, which biotinylates proteins tagged with the Avi peptide. Results We generated N- and C-terminal tags combining GFP with the Avi peptide sequence, as well as four BirA driver lines expressing BirA ubiquitously and specifically in the seam and hyp7 epidermal cells, intestine, or neurons. We validated the ability of our approach to identify bona fide protein interactions by identifying the known LGL-1 interaction partners PAR-6 and PKC-3. Purification of the Discs large protein DLG-1 identified several candidate interaction partners, including the AAA-type ATPase ATAD-3 and the uncharacterized protein MAPH-1.1. We have identified the domains that mediate the DLG-1/ATAD-3 interaction, and show that this interaction contributes to C. elegans development. MAPH-1.1 co-purified specifically with DLG-1 purified from neurons, and shared limited homology with the microtubule-associated protein MAP1A, a known neuronal interaction partner of mammalian DLG4/PSD95. A CRISPR/Cas9-engineered GFP::MAPH-1.1 fusion was broadly expressed and co-localized with microtubules. Conclusions The method we present here is able to purify protein complexes from specific tissues. We uncovered a series of DLG-1 interactors, and conclude that ATAD-3 is a biologically relevant interaction partner of DLG-1. Finally, we conclude that MAPH-1.1 is a microtubule-associated protein of the MAP1 family and a candidate neuron-specific interaction partner of DLG-1. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-016-0286-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selma Waaijers
- Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Present address: Department of Physiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 26, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Javier Muñoz
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Proteomics Centre, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Present address: Proteomics Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), ProteoRed-ISCIII, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Christian Berends
- Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - João J Ramalho
- Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Soenita S Goerdayal
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Proteomics Centre, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Teck Y Low
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Proteomics Centre, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Adja D Zoumaro-Djayoon
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Proteomics Centre, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Hoffmann
- Institut für Wissenschaftliche Medizin, D-40591, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Thijs Koorman
- Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Present address: Center for Cancer Research and Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School Department of Pathology, 149 13th Street, 02129, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Roderick P Tas
- Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Harterink
- Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Stefanie Seelk
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Robert-Roessle-Strasse 10, Berlin, 13125, Germany
| | - Jana Kerver
- Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Casper C Hoogenraad
- Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Olaf Bossinger
- Molecular Cell Biology, Anatomy I, University of Cologne, D-50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Baris Tursun
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Robert-Roessle-Strasse 10, Berlin, 13125, Germany.
| | - Sander van den Heuvel
- Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Albert J R Heck
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Proteomics Centre, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mike Boxem
- Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Cortical Polarity of the RING Protein PAR-2 Is Maintained by Exchange Rate Kinetics at the Cortical-Cytoplasmic Boundary. Cell Rep 2016; 16:2156-2168. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.07.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2015] [Revised: 01/10/2016] [Accepted: 07/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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39
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aPKC regulates apical localization of Lgl to restrict elongation of microridges in developing zebrafish epidermis. Nat Commun 2016; 7:11643. [PMID: 27249668 PMCID: PMC4895443 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 04/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial cells exhibit apical membrane protrusions, which confer specific functions to epithelial tissues. Microridges are short actin protrusions that are laterally long and form a maze-like pattern in the apical domain. They are widely found on vertebrate squamous epithelia including epidermis and have functions in mucous retention, membrane storage and abrasion resistance. It is largely unknown how the formation of these laterally long actin projections is regulated. Here, we show that antagonistic interactions between aPKC and Lgl–regulators of apical and basolateral domain identity, respectively,–control the length of microridges in the zebrafish periderm, the outermost layer of the epidermis. aPKC regulates the levels of Lgl and the active form of non-muscle myosinII at the apical cortex to prevent actin polymerization-dependent precocious fusion and elongation of microridges. Our data unravels the functional significance of exclusion of Lgl from the apical domain in epithelial cells. Squamous epithelia present actin-rich microridges on the apical surface, but the mechanism of their formation is not known. Here the authors show that, in zebrafish epidermis, the exclusion of the basolateral regulator Lgl from the apical domain by atypical protein kinase C prevents precocious elongation and fusion of microridges.
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40
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Chen JX, Cipriani PG, Mecenas D, Polanowska J, Piano F, Gunsalus KC, Selbach M. In Vivo Interaction Proteomics in Caenorhabditis elegans Embryos Provides New Insights into P Granule Dynamics. Mol Cell Proteomics 2016; 15:1642-57. [PMID: 26912668 PMCID: PMC4858945 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m115.053975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Studying protein interactions in whole organisms is fundamental to understanding development. Here, we combine in vivo expressed GFP-tagged proteins with quantitative proteomics to identify protein-protein interactions of selected key proteins involved in early C. elegans embryogenesis. Co-affinity purification of interaction partners for eight bait proteins resulted in a pilot in vivo interaction map of proteins with a focus on early development. Our network reflects known biology and is highly enriched in functionally relevant interactions. To demonstrate the utility of the map, we looked for new regulators of P granule dynamics and found that GEI-12, a novel binding partner of the DYRK family kinase MBK-2, is a key regulator of P granule formation and germline maintenance. Our data corroborate a recently proposed model in which the phosphorylation state of GEI-12 controls P granule dynamics. In addition, we find that GEI-12 also induces granule formation in mammalian cells, suggesting a common regulatory mechanism in worms and humans. Our results show that in vivo interaction proteomics provides unique insights into animal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Xuan Chen
- From the ‡Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, D-13092 Berlin, Germany; §Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003
| | - Patricia G Cipriani
- §Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003; ¶New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Desirea Mecenas
- §Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003
| | - Jolanta Polanowska
- §Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003; ‖INSERM, U1104, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Fabio Piano
- §Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003; ¶New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Kristin C Gunsalus
- §Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003; ¶New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Matthias Selbach
- From the ‡Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, D-13092 Berlin, Germany; **Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
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41
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Dynamic Opposition of Clustered Proteins Stabilizes Cortical Polarity in the C. elegans Zygote. Dev Cell 2016; 35:131-42. [PMID: 26460948 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2015.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Revised: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Dynamic maintenance of cell polarity is essential for development and physiology. Here we combine experiments and modeling to elucidate mechanisms that maintain cortical polarity in the C. elegans zygote. We show that polarity is dynamically stabilized by two coupled cross-inhibitory feedback loops: one involves the oligomeric scaffold PAR-3 and the kinase PAR-1, and the other involves CDC-42 and its putative GAP CHIN-1. PAR-3 and CDC-42 are both required locally to recruit PAR-6/PKC-3, which inhibits PAR-1 (shown previously) and inhibits local growth/accumulation of CHIN-1 clusters. Conversely, PAR-1 inhibits local accumulation of PAR-3 oligomers, while CHIN-1 inhibits CDC-42 (shown previously), such that either PAR-1 or CHIN-1 can prevent recruitment of PAR-6/PKC-3, but loss of both causes complete loss of polarity. Ultrasensitive dependence of CHIN-1 cluster growth on PAR-6/PKC-3 endows this core circuit with bistable dynamics, while transport of CHIN-1 clusters by cortical flow can stabilize the AP boundary against diffusive spread of PAR-6/PKC-3.
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42
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Koorman T, Klompstra D, van der Voet M, Lemmens I, Ramalho JJ, Nieuwenhuize S, van den Heuvel S, Tavernier J, Nance J, Boxem M. A combined binary interaction and phenotypic map of C. elegans cell polarity proteins. Nat Cell Biol 2016; 18:337-46. [PMID: 26780296 PMCID: PMC4767559 DOI: 10.1038/ncb3300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The establishment of cell polarity is an essential process for the development of multicellular organisms and the functioning of cells and tissues. Here, we combine large-scale protein interaction mapping with systematic phenotypic profiling to study the network of physical interactions that underlies polarity establishment and maintenance in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Using a fragment-based yeast two-hybrid strategy, we identified 439 interactions between 296 proteins, as well as the protein regions that mediate these interactions. Phenotypic profiling of the network resulted in the identification of 100 physically interacting protein pairs for which RNAi-mediated depletion caused a defect in the same polarity-related process. We demonstrate the predictive capabilities of the network by showing that the physical interaction between the RhoGAP PAC-1 and PAR-6 is required for radial polarization of the C. elegans embryo. Our network represents a valuable resource of candidate interactions that can be used to further our insight into cell polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thijs Koorman
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Diana Klompstra
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Monique van der Voet
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Irma Lemmens
- Department of Medical Protein Research, VIB, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - João J Ramalho
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Susan Nieuwenhuize
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sander van den Heuvel
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Tavernier
- Department of Medical Protein Research, VIB, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jeremy Nance
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Mike Boxem
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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43
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Barr J, Yakovlev KV, Shidlovskii Y, Schedl P. Establishing and maintaining cell polarity with mRNA localization in Drosophila. Bioessays 2016; 38:244-53. [PMID: 26773560 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201500088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
How cell polarity is established and maintained is an important question in diverse biological contexts. Molecular mechanisms used to localize polarity proteins to distinct domains are likely context-dependent and provide a feedback loop in order to maintain polarity. One such mechanism is the localized translation of mRNAs encoding polarity proteins, which will be the focus of this review and may play a more important role in the establishment and maintenance of polarity than is currently known. Localized translation of mRNAs encoding polarity proteins can be used to establish polarity in response to an external signal, and to maintain polarity by local production of polarity determinants. The importance of this mechanism is illustrated by recent findings, including orb2-dependent localized translation of aPKC mRNA at the apical end of elongating spermatid tails in the Drosophila testis, and the apical localization of stardust A mRNA in Drosophila follicle and embryonic epithelia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justinn Barr
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Konstantin V Yakovlev
- Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation in Development, Institute of Gene Biology RAS, Moscow, Russia.,A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, FEB RAS Laboratory of Cytotechnology, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Yulii Shidlovskii
- Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation in Development, Institute of Gene Biology RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Paul Schedl
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.,Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation in Development, Institute of Gene Biology RAS, Moscow, Russia
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Abstract
The ability to dictate cell fate decisions is critical during animal development. Moreover, faithful execution of this process ensures proper tissue homeostasis throughout adulthood, whereas defects in the molecular machinery involved may contribute to disease. Evolutionarily conserved protein complexes control cell fate decisions across diverse tissues. Maintaining proper daughter cell inheritance patterns of these determinants during mitosis is therefore a fundamental step of the cell fate decision-making process. In this review, we will discuss two key aspects of this fate determinant segregation activity, cortical cell polarity and mitotic spindle orientation, and how they operate together to produce oriented cell divisions that ultimately influence daughter cell fate. Our focus will be directed at the principal underlying molecular mechanisms and the specific cell fate decisions they have been shown to control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Christopher A. Johnston
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; ; Tel.: +1-505-277-1567; Fax: +1-505-277-0304
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45
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Ajduk A, Zernicka-Goetz M. Polarity and cell division orientation in the cleavage embryo: from worm to human. Mol Hum Reprod 2015; 22:691-703. [PMID: 26660321 PMCID: PMC5062000 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gav068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cleavage is a period after fertilization, when a 1-cell embryo starts developing into a multicellular organism. Due to a series of mitotic divisions, the large volume of a fertilized egg is divided into numerous smaller, nucleated cells—blastomeres. Embryos of different phyla divide according to different patterns, but molecular mechanism of these early divisions remains surprisingly conserved. In the present paper, we describe how polarity cues, cytoskeleton and cell-to-cell communication interact with each other to regulate orientation of the early embryonic division planes in model animals such as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila and mouse. We focus particularly on the Par pathway and the actin-driven cytoplasmic flows that accompany it. We also describe a unique interplay between Par proteins and the Hippo pathway in cleavage mammalian embryos. Moreover, we discuss the potential meaning of polarity, cytoplasmic dynamics and cell-to-cell communication as quality biomarkers of human embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ajduk
- Department of Embryology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
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46
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Moorhouse KS, Gudejko HF, McDougall A, Burgess DR. Influence of cell polarity on early development of the sea urchin embryo. Dev Dyn 2015; 244:1469-84. [PMID: 26293695 PMCID: PMC4715636 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Establishment and maintenance of cell polarity is critical for normal embryonic development. Previously, it was thought that the echinoderm embryo remained relatively unpolarized until the first asymmetric division at the 16-cell stage. Here, we analyzed roles of the cell polarity regulators, the PAR complex proteins, and how their disruption in early development affects later developmental milestones. RESULTS We found that PAR6, aPKC, and CDC42 localize to the apical cortex as early as the 2-cell stage and that this localization is retained through the gastrula stage. Of interest, PAR1 also colocalizes with these apical markers through the gastrula stage. Additionally, PAR1 was found to be in complex with aPKC, but not PAR6. PAR6, aPKC, and CDC42 are anchored in the cortical actin cytoskeleton by assembled myosin. Furthermore, assembled myosin was found to be necessary to maintain proper PAR6 localization through subsequent cleavage divisions. Interference with myosin assembly prevented the embryos from reaching the blastula stage, while transient disruptions of either actin or microtubules did not have this effect. CONCLUSIONS These observations suggest that disruptions of the polarity in the early embryo can have a significant impact on the ability of the embryo to reach later critical stages in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen S. Moorhouse
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
| | - Heather F.M. Gudejko
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
| | - Alex McDougall
- UMR 7009, UPMC Sorbonne Universités, Centre National de la Recherche (CNRS), Observatoire Océanologique, 181 Chemin du Lazaret, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - David R. Burgess
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
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47
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Von Stetina SE, Mango SE. PAR-6, but not E-cadherin and β-integrin, is necessary for epithelial polarization in C. elegans. Dev Biol 2015; 403:5-14. [PMID: 25773364 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Revised: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Cell polarity is a fundamental characteristic of epithelial cells. Classical cell biological studies have suggested that establishment and orientation of polarized epithelia depend on outside-in cues that derive from interactions with either neighboring cells or the substratum (Akhtar and Streuli, 2013; Chen and Zhang, 2013; Chung and Andrew, 2008; McNeill et al., 1990; Nejsum and Nelson, 2007; Nelson et al., 2013; Ojakian and Schwimmer, 1994; Wang et al., 1990; Yu et al., 2005). This paradigm has been challenged by examples of epithelia generated in the absence of molecules that mediate cell-cell or cell-matrix interactions, notably E-cadherin and integrins (Baas et al., 2004; Choi et al., 2013; Costa et al., 1998; Harris and Peifer, 2004; Raich et al., 1999; Roote and Zusman, 1995; Vestweber et al., 1985; Williams and Waterston, 1994; Wu et al., 2009). Here we explore an alternative hypothesis, that cadherins and integrins function redundantly to substitute for one another during epithelium formation (Martinez-Rico et al., 2010; Ojakian et al., 2001; Rudkouskaya et al., 2014; Weber et al., 2011). We use C. elegans, which possesses a single E-cadherin (Costa et al., 1998; Hardin et al., 2013; Tepass, 1999) and a single β-integrin (Gettner et al., 1995; Lee et al., 2001), and analyze the arcade cells, which generate an epithelium late in embryogenesis (Portereiko and Mango, 2001; Portereiko et al., 2004), after most maternal factors are depleted. Loss of E-cadherin(HMR-1) in combination with β-integrin(PAT-3) had no impact on the onset or formation of the arcade cell epithelium, nor the epidermis or digestive tract. Moreover, ß-integrin(PAT-3) was not enriched at the basal surface of the arcades, and the candidate PAT-3 binding partner β-laminin(LAM-1) was not detected until after arcade cell polarity was established and exhibited no obvious polarity defect when mutated. Instead, the polarity protein par-6 (Chen and Zhang, 2013; Watts et al., 1996) was required to polarize the arcade cells, and par-6 mutants exhibited mislocalized or absent apical and junctional proteins. We conclude that the arcade cell epithelium polarizes by a PAR-6-mediated pathway that is independent of E-cadherin, β-integrin and β-laminin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen E Von Stetina
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02138, USA.
| | - Susan E Mango
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02138, USA.
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48
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Griffin EE. Cytoplasmic localization and asymmetric division in the early embryo of Caenorhabditis elegans. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2015; 4:267-82. [PMID: 25764455 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Revised: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
During the initial cleavages of the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo, a series of rapid and invariant asymmetric cell divisions pattern the fate, size, and position of four somatic blastomeres and a single germline blastomere. These asymmetric divisions are orchestrated by a collection of maternally deposited factors that are initially symmetrically distributed in the newly fertilized embryo. Maturation of the sperm-derived centrosome in the posterior cytoplasm breaks this symmetry by triggering a dramatic and highly stereotyped partitioning of these maternal factors. A network of conserved cell polarity regulators, the PAR proteins, form distinct anterior and posterior domains at the cell cortex. From these domains, the PAR proteins direct the segregation of somatic and germline factors into opposing regions of the cytoplasm such that, upon cell division, they are preferentially inherited by the somatic blastomere or the germline blastomere, respectively. The segregation of these factors is controlled, at least in part, by a series of reaction-diffusion mechanisms that are asymmetrically deployed along the anterior/posterior axis. The characterization of these mechanisms has important implications for our understanding of how cells are polarized and how spatial organization is generated in the cytoplasm. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik E Griffin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
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49
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Goehring NW. PAR polarity: from complexity to design principles. Exp Cell Res 2014; 328:258-66. [PMID: 25128809 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2014.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The par-titioning-defective or PAR proteins comprise the core of an essential cell polarity network that underlies polarization in a wide variety of cell types and developmental contexts. The output of this network in nearly every case is the establishment of opposing and complementary membrane domains that define a cell׳s polarity axis. Yet, behind this simple pattern is a complex system of interactions, regulation and dynamic behaviors. How these various parts combine to generate polarized patterns of protein localization in cells is only beginning to become clear. This review, part of the Special Issue on Cell Polarity, aims to highlight several emerging themes and design principles that underlie the process of cell polarization by components of the PAR network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan W Goehring
- Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, 44 Lincoln׳s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LY, UK; MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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50
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Morais-de-Sá E, Mukherjee A, Lowe N, St Johnston D. Slmb antagonises the aPKC/Par-6 complex to control oocyte and epithelial polarity. Development 2014; 141:2984-92. [PMID: 25053432 PMCID: PMC4197659 DOI: 10.1242/dev.109827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The Drosophila anterior-posterior axis is specified when the posterior follicle cells signal to polarise the oocyte, leading to the anterior/lateral localisation of the Par-6/aPKC complex and the posterior recruitment of Par-1, which induces a microtubule reorganisation that localises bicoid and oskar mRNAs. Here we show that oocyte polarity requires Slmb, the substrate specificity subunit of the SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets proteins for degradation. The Par-6/aPKC complex is ectopically localised to the posterior of slmb mutant oocytes, and Par-1 and oskar mRNA are mislocalised. Slmb appears to play a related role in epithelial follicle cells, as large slmb mutant clones disrupt epithelial organisation, whereas small clones show an expansion of the apical domain, with increased accumulation of apical polarity factors at the apical cortex. The levels of aPKC and Par-6 are significantly increased in slmb mutants, whereas Baz is slightly reduced. Thus, Slmb may induce the polarisation of the anterior-posterior axis of the oocyte by targeting the Par-6/aPKC complex for degradation at the oocyte posterior. Consistent with this, overexpression of the aPKC antagonist Lgl strongly rescues the polarity defects of slmb mutant germline clones. The role of Slmb in oocyte polarity raises an intriguing parallel with C. elegans axis formation, in which PAR-2 excludes the anterior PAR complex from the posterior cortex to induce polarity, but its function can be substituted by overexpressing Lgl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eurico Morais-de-Sá
- The Gurdon Institute, The Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Avik Mukherjee
- The Gurdon Institute, The Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Nick Lowe
- The Gurdon Institute, The Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Daniel St Johnston
- The Gurdon Institute, The Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
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