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Bonilla-Quintana M, Ghisleni A, Gauthier N, Rangamani P. Dynamic mechanisms for membrane skeleton transitions. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.29.591779. [PMID: 38746295 PMCID: PMC11092671 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.29.591779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The plasma membrane and the underlying skeleton form a protective barrier for eukaryotic cells. The molecules forming this complex composite material constantly rearrange under mechanical stress to confer this protective capacity. One of those molecules, spectrin, is ubiquitous in the membrane skeleton and primarily located proximal to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane and engages in protein-lipid interactions via a set of membrane-anchoring domains. Spectrin is linked by short actin filaments and its conformation varies in different types of cells. In this work, we developed a generalized network model for the membrane skeleton integrated with myosin contractility and membrane mechanics to investigate the response of the spectrin meshwork to mechanical loading. We observed that the force generated by membrane bending is important to maintain a smooth skeletal structure. This suggests that the membrane is not just supported by the skeleton, but has an active contribution to the stability of the cell structure. We found that spectrin and myosin turnover are necessary for the transition between stress and rest states in the skeleton. Our model reveals that the actin-spectrin meshwork dynamics are balanced by the membrane forces with area constraint and volume restriction promoting the stability of the membrane skeleton. Furthermore, we showed that cell attachment to the substrate promotes shape stabilization. Thus, our proposed model gives insight into the shared mechanisms of the membrane skeleton associated with myosin and membrane that can be tested in different types of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Bonilla-Quintana
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA 92093, USA
| | - A. Ghisleni
- Institute FIRC of Molecular Oncology (IFOM), Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
| | - N. Gauthier
- Institute FIRC of Molecular Oncology (IFOM), Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
| | - P. Rangamani
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA 92093, USA
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Waeterschoot J, Gosselé W, Lemež Š, Casadevall I Solvas X. Artificial cells for in vivo biomedical applications through red blood cell biomimicry. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2504. [PMID: 38509073 PMCID: PMC10954685 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46732-8] [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: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent research in artificial cell production holds promise for the development of delivery agents with therapeutic effects akin to real cells. To succeed in these applications, these systems need to survive the circulatory conditions. In this review we present strategies that, inspired by the endurance of red blood cells, have enhanced the viability of large, cell-like vehicles for in vivo therapeutic use, particularly focusing on giant unilamellar vesicles. Insights from red blood cells can guide modifications that could transform these platforms into advanced drug delivery vehicles, showcasing biomimicry's potential in shaping the future of therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorik Waeterschoot
- Department of Biosystems - MeBioS, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Willemien Gosselé
- Department of Biosystems - MeBioS, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Špela Lemež
- Department of Biosystems - MeBioS, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
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Barker TJ, Chan FY, Carvalho AX, Sundaram MV. Apical-basal polarity of the spectrin cytoskeleton in the C. elegans vulva. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000863. [PMID: 37396793 PMCID: PMC10308243 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The C. elegans vulva is a polarized epithelial tube that has been studied extensively as a model for cell-cell signaling, cell fate specification, and tubulogenesis. Here we used endogenous fusions to show that the spectrin cytoskeleton is polarized in this organ, with conventional beta-spectrin ( UNC-70 ) found only at basolateral membranes and beta heavy spectrin ( SMA-1 ) found only at apical membranes. The sole alpha-spectrin ( SPC-1 ) is present at both locations but requires SMA-1 for its apical localization. Thus, beta spectrins are excellent markers for vulva cell membranes and polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor J. Barker
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Fung-Yi Chan
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana X. Carvalho
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Meera V. Sundaram
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
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Maor G, Dubreuil RR, Feany MB. α-synuclein promotes neuronal dysfunction and death by disrupting the binding of ankyrin to ß-spectrin. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.02.543481. [PMID: 37333277 PMCID: PMC10274672 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.02.543481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
α-synuclein plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related disorders, but critical interacting partners and molecular mechanisms mediating neurotoxicity are incompletely understood. We show that α-synuclein binds directly to ß-spectrin. Using males and females in a Drosophila model of α-synuclein-related disorders we demonstrate that ß-spectrin is critical for α-synuclein neurotoxicity. Further, the ankyrin binding domain of ß-spectrin is required for α-synuclein binding and neurotoxicity. A key plasma membrane target of ankyrin, Na+/K+ ATPase, is mislocalized when human α-synuclein is expressed in Drosophila. Accordingly, membrane potential is depolarized in α-synuclein transgenic fly brains. We examine the same pathway in human neurons and find that Parkinson's disease patient-derived neurons with a triplication of the α-synuclein locus show disruption of the spectrin cytoskeleton, mislocalization of ankyrin and Na+/K+ ATPase, and membrane potential depolarization. Our findings define a specific molecular mechanism by which elevated levels of α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease and related α-synucleinopathies leads to neuronal dysfunction and death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gali Maor
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Ronald R. Dubreuil
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607
| | - Mel B. Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815
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Maor G, Dubreuil RR, Feany MB. α-Synuclein Promotes Neuronal Dysfunction and Death by Disrupting the Binding of Ankyrin to β-Spectrin. J Neurosci 2023; 43:1614-1626. [PMID: 36653193 PMCID: PMC10008058 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1922-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related disorders, but critical interacting partners and molecular mechanisms mediating neurotoxicity are incompletely understood. We show that α-synuclein binds directly to β-spectrin. Using males and females in a Drosophila model of α-synuclein-related disorders, we demonstrate that β-spectrin is critical for α-synuclein neurotoxicity. Further, the ankyrin binding domain of β-spectrin is required for α-synuclein binding and neurotoxicity. A key plasma membrane target of ankyrin, Na+/K+ ATPase, is mislocalized when human α-synuclein is expressed in Drosophila Accordingly, membrane potential is depolarized in α-synuclein transgenic fly brains. We examine the same pathway in human neurons and find that Parkinson's disease patient-derived neurons with a triplication of the α-synuclein locus show disruption of the spectrin cytoskeleton, mislocalization of ankyrin and Na+/K+ ATPase, and membrane potential depolarization. Our findings define a specific molecular mechanism by which elevated levels of α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease and related α-synucleinopathies lead to neuronal dysfunction and death.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The small synaptic vesicle associate protein α-synuclein plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related disorders, but the disease-relevant binding partners of α-synuclein and proximate pathways critical for neurotoxicity require further definition. We show that α-synuclein binds directly to β-spectrin, a key cytoskeletal protein required for localization of plasma membrane proteins and maintenance of neuronal viability. Binding of α-synuclein to β-spectrin alters the organization of the spectrin-ankyrin complex, which is critical for localization and function of integral membrane proteins, including Na+/K+ ATPase. These finding outline a previously undescribed mechanism of α-synuclein neurotoxicity and thus suggest potential new therapeutic approaches in Parkinson's disease and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gali Maor
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Ronald R Dubreuil
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607
| | - Mel B Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
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Pal S, Bose D, Chakrabarti A, Chattopadhyay A. Comparative Analysis of Tryptophan Dynamics in Spectrin and Its Constituent Domains: Insights from Fluorescence. J Phys Chem B 2021; 126:1045-1053. [PMID: 34845910 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c08600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Spectrin is a cytoskeletal protein ubiquitous in metazoan cells that acts as a liaison between the plasma membrane and the cellular interior and imparts mechanical stability to the plasma membrane. Spectrin is known to be highly dynamic, with an appreciable degree of torsional and segmental mobility. In this context, we have earlier utilized the red edge excitation shift (REES) approach to report the retention of restricted solvation dynamics and local structure in the vicinity of spectrin tryptophans on urea denaturation and loss of spectrin secondary structure. As a natural progression of our earlier work, in this work, we carried out a biophysical dissection of tryptophan solvation and rotational dynamics in spectrin and its constituent domains, in order to trace the origin of local structure retention observed in denatured spectrin. Our results show that the ankyrin binding domain (and, to a lesser extent, the β-tetramerization domain) is capable of retention of local structure, similar to that observed for intact spectrin. However, all α-chain domains studied exhibit negligible retention of local structure on urea denaturation. Such a stark chain-specific retention of local structure could originate from the fact that the β-chain domains possess specialized functions, where conservation of local (structural) integrity may be a prerequisite for optimum cellular function. To the best of our knowledge, these observations represent one of the first systematic biophysical dissections of spectrin dynamics in terms of its constituent domains and add to emerging literature on comprehensive domain-based analysis of spectrin organization, dynamics, and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreetama Pal
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500 007, India
| | - Dipayan Bose
- Crystallography and Molecular Biology Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700 064, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400 094, India
| | - Abhijit Chakrabarti
- Crystallography and Molecular Biology Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700 064, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400 094, India
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Abstract
Robert Insall introduces the cytoskeleton special issue and summarises some recent changes in our view of actin function and regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Insall
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK.
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