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Gagliardi PA, Pertz O. The mitogen-activated protein kinase network, wired to dynamically function at multiple scales. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2024; 88:102368. [PMID: 38754355 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2024.102368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling network is a key transducer of signals from various receptors, including receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). It controls cell-cycle entry, survival, motility, differentiation, as well as other fates. After four decades of studying this pathway with biochemical methods, the use of fluorescent biosensors has revealed dynamic behaviors such as ERK pulsing, oscillations, and amplitude-modulated activity. Different RTKs equip the MAPK network with specific feedback mechanisms to encode these different ERK dynamics, which are then subsequently decoded into cytoskeletal events and transcriptional programs, actuating cellular fates. Recently, collective ERK wave behaviors have been observed in multiple systems to coordinate cytoskeletal dynamics with fate decisions within cell collectives. This emphasizes that a correct understanding of this pathway requires studying it at multiple scales.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Olivier Pertz
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 4, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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2
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Simpson CL, Tiwaa A, Zaver SA, Johnson CJ, Chu EY, Harms PW, Gudjonsson JE. ERK hyperactivation in epidermal keratinocytes impairs intercellular adhesion and drives Grover disease pathology. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.30.591953. [PMID: 38746263 PMCID: PMC11092613 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.30.591953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Grover disease is an acquired dermatologic disorder characterized by pruritic vesicular and eroded skin lesions. While its pathologic features are well-defined, including impaired cohesion of epidermal keratinocytes, the etiology of Grover disease remains unclear and it lacks any FDA-approved therapy. Interestingly, drug-induced Grover disease occurs in patients treated with B-RAF inhibitors that can paradoxically activate C-RAF and the downstream kinase MEK. We recently identified hyperactivation of MEK and ERK as key drivers of Darier disease, which is histologically identical to Grover disease, supporting our hypothesis that they share a pathogenic mechanism. To model drug-induced Grover disease, we treated human keratinocytes with clinically utilized B-RAF inhibitors dabrafenib or vemurafenib and leveraged a fluorescent biosensor to confirm they activated ERK, which disrupted intercellular junctions and compromised keratinocyte sheet integrity. Consistent with clinical data showing concomitant MEK blockade prevents Grover disease in patients receiving B-RAF inhibitors, we found that MEK inhibition suppressed excess ERK activity to rescue cohesion of B-RAF-inhibited keratinocytes. Validating these results, we demonstrated ERK hyperactivation in skin biopsies of vemurafenib-induced Grover disease, but also in spontaneous Grover disease. In sum, our data define a pathogenic role for ERK hyperactivation in Grover disease and support MEK inhibition as a therapeutic strategy. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
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3
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Wither MJ, White WL, Pendyala S, Leanza PJ, Fowler DM, Kueh HY. Antigen perception in T cells by long-term Erk and NFAT signaling dynamics. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2308366120. [PMID: 38113261 PMCID: PMC10756264 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308366120] [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: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune system threat detection hinges on T cells' ability to perceive varying peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) antigens. As the Erk and NFAT pathways link T cell receptor engagement to gene regulation, their signaling dynamics may convey information about pMHC inputs. To test this idea, we developed a dual reporter mouse strain and a quantitative imaging assay that, together, enable simultaneous monitoring of Erk and NFAT dynamics in live T cells over day-long timescales as they respond to varying pMHC inputs. Both pathways initially activate uniformly across various pMHC inputs but diverge only over longer (9+ h) timescales, enabling independent encoding of pMHC affinity and dose. These late signaling dynamics are decoded via multiple temporal and combinatorial mechanisms to generate pMHC-specific transcriptional responses. Our findings underscore the importance of long timescale signaling dynamics in antigen perception and establish a framework for understanding T cell responses under diverse contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Wither
- University of Washington, Department of Bioengineering, Seattle, WA98195
| | - William L. White
- University of Washington, Department of Bioengineering, Seattle, WA98195
| | - Sriram Pendyala
- University of Washington, Department of Genome Sciences, Seattle, WA98195
| | - Paul J. Leanza
- University of Washington, Department of Bioengineering, Seattle, WA98195
| | - Douglas M. Fowler
- University of Washington, Department of Genome Sciences, Seattle, WA98195
| | - Hao Yuan Kueh
- University of Washington, Department of Bioengineering, Seattle, WA98195
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98109
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4
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Ram A, Murphy D, DeCuzzi N, Patankar M, Hu J, Pargett M, Albeck JG. A guide to ERK dynamics, part 2: downstream decoding. Biochem J 2023; 480:1909-1928. [PMID: 38038975 PMCID: PMC10754290 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230277] [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: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Signaling by the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway controls many cellular processes, including cell division, death, and differentiation. In this second installment of a two-part review, we address the question of how the ERK pathway exerts distinct and context-specific effects on multiple processes. We discuss how the dynamics of ERK activity induce selective changes in gene expression programs, with insights from both experiments and computational models. With a focus on single-cell biosensor-based studies, we summarize four major functional modes for ERK signaling in tissues: adjusting the size of cell populations, gradient-based patterning, wave propagation of morphological changes, and diversification of cellular gene expression states. These modes of operation are disrupted in cancer and other related diseases and represent potential targets for therapeutic intervention. By understanding the dynamic mechanisms involved in ERK signaling, there is potential for pharmacological strategies that not only simply inhibit ERK, but also restore functional activity patterns and improve disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhineet Ram
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Devan Murphy
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Nicholaus DeCuzzi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Madhura Patankar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Jason Hu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Michael Pargett
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - John G. Albeck
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
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5
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Jahin I, Phillips T, Marcotti S, Gorey MA, Cox S, Parsons M. Extracellular matrix stiffness activates mechanosensitive signals but limits breast cancer cell spheroid proliferation and invasion. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1292775. [PMID: 38125873 PMCID: PMC10731024 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1292775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is characterized by physical changes that occur in the tumor microenvironment throughout growth and metastasis of tumors. Extracellular matrix stiffness increases as tumors develop and spread, with stiffer environments thought to correlate with poorer disease prognosis. Changes in extracellular stiffness and other physical characteristics are sensed by integrins which integrate these extracellular cues to intracellular signaling, resulting in modulation of proliferation and invasion. However, the co-ordination of mechano-sensitive signaling with functional changes to groups of tumor cells within 3-dimensional environments remains poorly understood. Here we provide evidence that increasing the stiffness of collagen scaffolds results in increased activation of ERK1/2 and YAP in human breast cancer cell spheroids. We also show that ERK1/2 acts upstream of YAP activation in this context. We further demonstrate that YAP, matrix metalloproteinases and actomyosin contractility are required for collagen remodeling, proliferation and invasion in lower stiffness scaffolds. However, the increased activation of these proteins in higher stiffness 3-dimensional collagen gels is correlated with reduced proliferation and reduced invasion of cancer cell spheroids. Our data collectively provide evidence that higher stiffness 3-dimensional environments induce mechano-signaling but contrary to evidence from 2-dimensional studies, this is not sufficient to promote pro-tumorigenic effects in breast cancer cell spheroids.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Maddy Parsons
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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6
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Liu J, Murray JI. Mechanisms of lineage specification in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2023; 225:iyad174. [PMID: 37847877 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad174] [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: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The studies of cell fate and lineage specification are fundamental to our understanding of the development of multicellular organisms. Caenorhabditis elegans has been one of the premiere systems for studying cell fate specification mechanisms at single cell resolution, due to its transparent nature, the invariant cell lineage, and fixed number of somatic cells. We discuss the general themes and regulatory mechanisms that have emerged from these studies, with a focus on somatic lineages and cell fates. We next review the key factors and pathways that regulate the specification of discrete cells and lineages during embryogenesis and postembryonic development; we focus on transcription factors and include numerous lineage diagrams that depict the expression of key factors that specify embryonic founder cells and postembryonic blast cells, and the diverse somatic cell fates they generate. We end by discussing some future perspectives in cell and lineage specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - John Isaac Murray
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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7
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Wilcockson SG, Guglielmi L, Araguas Rodriguez P, Amoyel M, Hill CS. An improved Erk biosensor detects oscillatory Erk dynamics driven by mitotic erasure during early development. Dev Cell 2023; 58:2802-2818.e5. [PMID: 37714159 PMCID: PMC7615346 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.08.021] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) signaling dynamics elicit distinct cellular responses in a variety of contexts. The early zebrafish embryo is an ideal model to explore the role of Erk signaling dynamics in vivo, as a gradient of activated diphosphorylated Erk (P-Erk) is induced by fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) signaling at the blastula margin. Here, we describe an improved Erk-specific biosensor, which we term modified Erk kinase translocation reporter (modErk-KTR). We demonstrate the utility of this biosensor in vitro and in developing zebrafish and Drosophila embryos. Moreover, we show that Fgf/Erk signaling is dynamic and coupled to tissue growth during both early zebrafish and Drosophila development. Erk activity is rapidly extinguished just prior to mitosis, which we refer to as mitotic erasure, inducing periods of inactivity, thus providing a source of heterogeneity in an asynchronously dividing tissue. Our modified reporter and transgenic lines represent an important resource for interrogating the role of Erk signaling dynamics in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott G Wilcockson
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Luca Guglielmi
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Pablo Araguas Rodriguez
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Marc Amoyel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Caroline S Hill
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK.
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8
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Crozet F, Levayer R. Emerging roles and mechanisms of ERK pathway mechanosensing. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:355. [PMID: 37947896 PMCID: PMC10638131 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-05007-z] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The coupling between mechanical forces and modulation of cell signalling pathways is essential for tissue plasticity and their adaptation to changing environments. Whilst the number of physiological and pathological relevant roles of mechanotransduction has been rapidly expanding over the last decade, studies have been mostly focussing on a limited number of mechanosensitive pathways, which include for instance Hippo/YAP/TAZ pathway, Wnt/β-catenin or the stretch-activated channel Piezo. However, the recent development and spreading of new live sensors has provided new insights into the contribution of ERK pathway in mechanosensing in various systems, which emerges now as a fast and modular mechanosensitive pathway. In this review, we will document key in vivo and in vitro examples that have established a clear link between cell deformation, mechanical stress and modulation of ERK signalling, comparing the relevant timescale and mechanical stress. We will then discuss different molecular mechanisms that have been proposed so far, focussing on the epistatic link between mechanics and ERK and discussing the relevant cellular parameters affecting ERK signalling. We will finish by discussing the physiological and the pathological consequences of the link between ERK and mechanics, outlining how this interplay is instrumental for self-organisation and long-range cell-cell coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora Crozet
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3738, 25 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Romain Levayer
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3738, 25 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015, Paris, France.
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9
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Bailey SJ, Hopkins E, Baxter NJ, Whitehead I, de Alaniz JR, Wilson MZ. Diels-Alder Photoclick Patterning of Extracellular Matrix for Spatially Controlled Cell Behaviors. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2303453. [PMID: 37611189 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202303453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Strategies that mimic the spatial complexity of natural tissues can provide cellular scaffolds to probe fundamental questions in cell biology and offer new materials for regenerative medicine. Here, the authors demonstrate a light-guided patterning platform that uses natural engineered extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins as a substrate to program cellular behaviors. A photocaged diene which undergoes Diels-Alder-based click chemistry upon uncaging with 365 nm light is utilized. By interfacing with commercially available maleimide dienophiles, patterning of common ECM proteins (collagen, fibronectin Matrigel, laminin) with readily purchased functional small molecules and growth factors is achieved. Finally, the use of this platform to spatially control ERK activity and migration in mammalian cells is highlighted, demonstrating programmable cell behavior through patterned chemical modification of natural ECM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia J Bailey
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Erik Hopkins
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Naomi J Baxter
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Isobel Whitehead
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Javier Read de Alaniz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Maxwell Z Wilson
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
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10
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Dinsmore CJ, Soriano P. Conditional fluorescent mouse translocation reporters for ERK1/2 and AKT signaling. Dev Biol 2023; 503:113-119. [PMID: 37660778 PMCID: PMC10529872 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2023.08.007] [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: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how cells activate intracellular signaling pathways in response to external signals, such as growth factors, is a longstanding goal of cell and developmental biology. Recently, live-cell signaling reporters have greatly expanded our understanding of signaling dynamics in response to wide-ranging stimuli and chemical or genetic perturbation, both ex vivo (cell lines) and in vivo (whole embryos or animals). Among the many varieties of reporter systems, translocation reporters that change sub-cellular localization in response to pathway activation have received considerable attention for their ease of use compared to FRET systems and favorable response times compared to transcriptional reporters. We reasoned that mouse reporter lines expressed in a conditional fashion would be a useful addition to the arsenal of mouse genetic tools, as such lines remain undeveloped despite widespread use of these sensors. We therefore created and validated two novel mouse reporter lines at the ROSA26 locus. One expresses an ERK1/2 pathway reporter and a nuclear marker from a single transcript, while the second additionally expresses an AKT reporter in order to simultaneously interrogate both pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin J Dinsmore
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Philippe Soriano
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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11
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Smith MJ. Defining bone fide effectors of RAS GTPases. Bioessays 2023; 45:e2300088. [PMID: 37401638 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
RAS GTPases play essential roles in normal development and are direct drivers of human cancers. Three decades of study have failed to wholly characterize pathways stimulated by activated RAS, driven by engagement with 'effector' proteins that have RAS binding domains (RBDs). Bone fide effectors must bind directly to RAS GTPases in a nucleotide-dependent manner, and this interaction must impart a clear change in effector activity. Despite this, for most proteins currently deemed effectors there is little mechanistic understanding of how binding to the GTPase alters protein function. There has also been limited effort to comprehensively resolve the specificity of effector binding to the full array of RAS superfamily GTPase proteins. This review will summarize what is known about RAS-driven activation for an array of potential effector proteins, focusing on structural and mechanistic effects and highlighting how little is still known regarding this key paradigm of cellular signal transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Smith
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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12
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Townley R, Deniaud A, Stacy KS, Torres CSR, Cheraghi F, Wicker NB, de la Cova CC. The E3/E4 ubiquitin ligase UFD-2 suppresses normal and oncogenic signaling mediated by a Raf ortholog in Caenorhabditis elegans. Sci Signal 2023; 16:eabq4355. [PMID: 37643243 PMCID: PMC10656100 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abq4355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Signaling by the kinase cascade composed of Raf, MEK, and ERK is critical for animal development and is often inappropriately activated in human malignancies. We sought to identify factors that control signaling mediated by the Caenorhabditis elegans Raf ortholog LIN-45. A genetic screen showed that the degradation of LIN-45 required the E3/E4 ubiquitin ligase UFD-2. Both UFD-2 and its partner, the ATP-dependent segregase CDC-48, were required for the developmental regulation of LIN-45 protein abundance. We showed that UFD-2 acted in the same pathway as the E3 ubiquitin ligase SCFSEL-10 to decrease LIN-45 abundance in cells in which Raf-MEK-ERK signaling was most highly active. UFD-2 also reduced the protein abundance of activated LIN-45 carrying a mutation equivalent to the cancer-associated BRAF(V600E) variant. Our structure-function studies showed that the disruption of LIN-45 domains that mediate protein-protein interactions, including the conserved cysteine-rich domain and 14-3-3 binding motifs, were required for UFD-2-independent degradation of LIN-45. We propose a model in which UFD-2 and CDC-48 act downstream of SCFSEL-10 to remove LIN-45 from its protein interaction partners and facilitate proteasomal targeting and degradation. These findings imply that UFD-2 and CDC-48 may be important for Raf degradation during normal and oncogenic Ras and MAPK signaling in mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Townley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201 USA
| | - Augustin Deniaud
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201 USA
| | - Kennedy S. Stacy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201 USA
| | | | - Fatemeh Cheraghi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201 USA
| | - Nicole B. Wicker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201 USA
| | - Claire C. de la Cova
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201 USA
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13
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de la Cova CC. The Highs and Lows of FBXW7: New Insights into Substrate Affinity in Disease and Development. Cells 2023; 12:2141. [PMID: 37681873 PMCID: PMC10486803 DOI: 10.3390/cells12172141] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
FBXW7 is a critical regulator of cell cycle, cell signaling, and development. A highly conserved F-box protein and component of the SKP1-Cullin-F-box (SCF) complex, FBXW7 functions as a recognition subunit within a Cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase responsible for ubiquitinating substrate proteins and targeting them for proteasome-mediated degradation. In human cells, FBXW7 promotes degradation of a large number of substrate proteins, including many that impact disease, such as NOTCH1, Cyclin E, MYC, and BRAF. A central focus for investigation has been to understand the molecular mechanisms that allow the exquisite substrate specificity exhibited by FBXW7. Recent work has produced a clearer understanding of how FBXW7 physically interacts with both high-affinity and low-affinity substrates. We review new findings that provide insights into the consequences of "hotspot" missense mutations of FBXW7 that are found in human cancers. Finally, we discuss how the FBXW7-substrate interaction, and the kinases responsible for substrate phosphorylation, contribute to patterned protein degradation in C. elegans development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire C de la Cova
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
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14
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Boezio GLM, Zhao S, Gollin J, Priya R, Mansingh S, Guenther S, Fukuda N, Gunawan F, Stainier DYR. The developing epicardium regulates cardiac chamber morphogenesis by promoting cardiomyocyte growth. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm049571. [PMID: 36172839 PMCID: PMC9612869 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The epicardium, the outermost layer of the heart, is an important regulator of cardiac regeneration. However, a detailed understanding of the crosstalk between the epicardium and myocardium during development requires further investigation. Here, we generated three models of epicardial impairment in zebrafish by mutating the transcription factor genes tcf21 and wt1a, and ablating tcf21+ epicardial cells. Notably, all three epicardial impairment models exhibited smaller ventricles. We identified the initial cause of this phenotype as defective cardiomyocyte growth, resulting in reduced cell surface and volume. This failure of cardiomyocyte growth was followed by decreased proliferation and increased abluminal extrusion. By temporally manipulating its ablation, we show that the epicardium is required to support cardiomyocyte growth mainly during early cardiac morphogenesis. By transcriptomic profiling of sorted epicardial cells, we identified reduced expression of FGF and VEGF ligand genes in tcf21-/- hearts, and pharmacological inhibition of these signaling pathways in wild type partially recapitulated the ventricular growth defects. Taken together, these data reveal distinct roles of the epicardium during cardiac morphogenesis and signaling pathways underlying epicardial-myocardial crosstalk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia L. M. Boezio
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- DZHK German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Rhine-Main, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, Aulweg 130, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Shengnan Zhao
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Josephine Gollin
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Rashmi Priya
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, Aulweg 130, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Shivani Mansingh
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Guenther
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, Aulweg 130, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Nana Fukuda
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Felix Gunawan
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- DZHK German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Rhine-Main, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, Aulweg 130, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Didier Y. R. Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- DZHK German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Rhine-Main, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, Aulweg 130, 35392 Giessen, Germany
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15
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Oda S, Sato-Ebine E, Nakamura A, Kimura KD, Aoki K. Optical Control of Cell Signaling with Red/Far-Red Light-Responsive Optogenetic Tools in Caenorhabditis elegans. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:700-708. [PMID: 36802521 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00461] [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: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Optogenetic techniques have been intensively applied to the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate its neural functions. However, as most of these optogenetics are responsive to blue light and the animal exhibits avoidance behavior to blue light, the application of optogenetic tools responsive to longer wavelength light has been eagerly anticipated. In this study, we report the implementation in C. elegans of a phytochrome-based optogenetic tool that responds to red/near-infrared light and manipulates cell signaling. We first introduced the SynPCB system, which enabled us to synthesize phycocyanobilin (PCB), a chromophore for phytochrome, and confirmed the biosynthesis of PCB in neurons, muscles, and intestinal cells. We further confirmed that the amount of PCBs synthesized by the SynPCB system was sufficient for photoswitching of phytochrome B (PhyB)-phytochrome interacting factor 3 (PIF3). In addition, optogenetic elevation of intracellular Ca2+ levels in intestinal cells induced a defecation motor program. These SynPCB system and phytochrome-based optogenetic techniques would be of great value in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying C. elegans behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigekazu Oda
- Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
| | - Emi Sato-Ebine
- Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
| | - Akinobu Nakamura
- Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
| | - Koutarou D Kimura
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8501, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Aoki
- Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan.,Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, Faculty of Life Science, SOKENDAI (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
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16
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Weems AD, Welf ES, Driscoll MK, Zhou FY, Mazloom-Farsibaf H, Chang BJ, Murali VS, Gihana GM, Weiss BG, Chi J, Rajendran D, Dean KM, Fiolka R, Danuser G. Blebs promote cell survival by assembling oncogenic signalling hubs. Nature 2023; 615:517-525. [PMID: 36859545 PMCID: PMC10881276 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05758-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Most human cells require anchorage for survival. Cell-substrate adhesion activates diverse signalling pathways, without which cells undergo anoikis-a form of programmed cell death1. Acquisition of anoikis resistance is a pivotal step in cancer disease progression, as metastasizing cells often lose firm attachment to surrounding tissue2,3. In these poorly attached states, cells adopt rounded morphologies and form small hemispherical plasma membrane protrusions called blebs4-11. Bleb function has been thoroughly investigated in the context of amoeboid migration, but it has been examined far less in other scenarios12. Here we show by three-dimensional imaging and manipulation of cell morphological states that blebbing triggers the formation of plasma membrane-proximal signalling hubs that confer anoikis resistance. Specifically, in melanoma cells, blebbing generates plasma membrane contours that recruit curvature-sensing septin proteins as scaffolds for constitutively active mutant NRAS and effectors. These signalling hubs activate ERK and PI3K-well-established promoters of pro-survival pathways. Inhibition of blebs or septins has little effect on the survival of well-adhered cells, but in detached cells it causes NRAS mislocalization, reduced MAPK and PI3K activity, and ultimately, death. This unveils a morphological requirement for mutant NRAS to operate as an effective oncoprotein. Furthermore, whereas some BRAF-mutated melanoma cells do not rely on this survival pathway in a basal state, inhibition of BRAF and MEK strongly sensitizes them to both bleb and septin inhibition. Moreover, fibroblasts engineered to sustain blebbing acquire the same anoikis resistance as cancer cells even without harbouring oncogenic mutations. Thus, blebs are potent signalling organelles capable of integrating myriad cellular information flows into concerted cellular responses, in this case granting robust anoikis resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Weems
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Erik S Welf
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY, USA
| | - Meghan K Driscoll
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Felix Y Zhou
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | - Bo-Jui Chang
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Vasanth S Murali
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Gabriel M Gihana
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Byron G Weiss
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Joseph Chi
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Divya Rajendran
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kevin M Dean
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Reto Fiolka
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Gaudenz Danuser
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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17
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Day-Cooney J, Dalangin R, Zhong H, Mao T. Genetically encoded fluorescent sensors for imaging neuronal dynamics in vivo. J Neurochem 2023; 164:284-308. [PMID: 35285522 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The brain relies on many forms of dynamic activities in individual neurons, from synaptic transmission to electrical activity and intracellular signaling events. Monitoring these neuronal activities with high spatiotemporal resolution in the context of animal behavior is a necessary step to achieve a mechanistic understanding of brain function. With the rapid development and dissemination of highly optimized genetically encoded fluorescent sensors, a growing number of brain activities can now be visualized in vivo. To date, cellular calcium imaging, which has been largely used as a proxy for electrical activity, has become a mainstay in systems neuroscience. While challenges remain, voltage imaging of neural populations is now possible. In addition, it is becoming increasingly practical to image over half a dozen neurotransmitters, as well as certain intracellular signaling and metabolic activities. These new capabilities enable neuroscientists to test previously unattainable hypotheses and questions. This review summarizes recent progress in the development and delivery of genetically encoded fluorescent sensors, and highlights example applications in the context of in vivo imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Day-Cooney
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Rochelin Dalangin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Haining Zhong
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Tianyi Mao
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
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18
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Thapliyal S, Glauser DA. Neurogenetic Analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neurogenetics 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-07793-7_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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19
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Pargett M, Ram AR, Murthy V, Davies AE. Live-Cell Sender-Receiver Co-cultures for Quantitative Measurement of Paracrine Signaling Dynamics, Gene Expression, and Drug Response. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2634:285-314. [PMID: 37074584 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3008-2_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Paracrine signaling is a fundamental process regulating tissue development, repair, and pathogenesis of diseases such as cancer. Herein we describe a method for quantitatively measuring paracrine signaling dynamics, and resultant gene expression changes, in living cells using genetically encoded signaling reporters and fluorescently tagged gene loci. We discuss considerations for selecting paracrine "sender-receiver" cell pairs, appropriate reporters, the use of this system to ask diverse experimental questions and screen drugs blocking intracellular communication, data collection, and the use of computational approaches to model and interpret these experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Pargett
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Abhineet R Ram
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Vaibhav Murthy
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Alexander E Davies
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Knight Cancer Institute, Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
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20
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Periodic inhibition of Erk activity drives sequential somite segmentation. Nature 2023; 613:153-159. [PMID: 36517597 PMCID: PMC9846577 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05527-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Sequential segmentation creates modular body plans of diverse metazoan embryos1-4. Somitogenesis establishes the segmental pattern of the vertebrate body axis. A molecular segmentation clock in the presomitic mesoderm sets the pace of somite formation4. However, how cells are primed to form a segment boundary at a specific location remains unclear. Here we developed precise reporters for the clock and double-phosphorylated Erk (ppErk) gradient in zebrafish. We show that the Her1-Her7 oscillator drives segmental commitment by periodically lowering ppErk, therefore projecting its oscillation onto the ppErk gradient. Pulsatile inhibition of the ppErk gradient can fully substitute for the role of the clock, and kinematic clock waves are dispensable for sequential segmentation. The clock functions upstream of ppErk, which in turn enables neighbouring cells to discretely establish somite boundaries in zebrafish5. Molecularly divergent clocks and morphogen gradients were identified in sequentially segmenting species3,4,6-8. Our findings imply that versatile clocks may establish sequential segmentation in diverse species provided that they inhibit gradients.
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21
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Mukherjee M, Wang ZQ. A well-characterized polycistronic-like gene expression system in yeast. Biotechnol Bioeng 2023; 120:260-271. [PMID: 36168285 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Efficient expression of multiple genes is critical to yeast metabolic engineering for the bioproduction of bulk and fine chemicals. A yeast polycistronic expression system is of particular interest because one promoter can drive the expression of multiple genes. 2A viral peptides enable the cotranslation of multiple proteins from a single mRNA by ribosomal skipping. However, the wide adaptation of 2A viral peptides for polycistronic-like gene expression in yeast awaits in-depth characterizations. Additionally, a one-step assembly of such a polycistronic-like system is highly desirable. To this end, we have developed a modular cloning (MoClo) compatible 2A peptide-based polycistronic-like system capable of expressing multiple genes from a single promoter in yeast. Characterizing the bi-, tri-, and quad-cistronic expression of fluorescent proteins showed high cleavage efficiencies of three 2A peptides: E2A from equine rhinitis B virus, P2A from porcine teschovirus-1, and O2A from Operophtera brumata cypovirus-18. Applying the polycistronic-like system to produce geraniol, a valuable industrial compound, resulted in comparable or higher titers than using conventional monocistronic constructs. In summary, this highly-characterized polycistronic-like gene expression system is another tool to facilitate multigene expression for metabolic engineering in yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minakshi Mukherjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Zhen Q Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
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22
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Liu Y, Yuan G, Hassan MM, Abraham PE, Mitchell JC, Jacobson D, Tuskan GA, Khakhar A, Medford J, Zhao C, Liu CJ, Eckert CA, Doktycz MJ, Tschaplinski TJ, Yang X. Biological and Molecular Components for Genetically Engineering Biosensors in Plants. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2022; 2022:9863496. [PMID: 37850147 PMCID: PMC10521658 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9863496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants adapt to their changing environments by sensing and responding to physical, biological, and chemical stimuli. Due to their sessile lifestyles, plants experience a vast array of external stimuli and selectively perceive and respond to specific signals. By repurposing the logic circuitry and biological and molecular components used by plants in nature, genetically encoded plant-based biosensors (GEPBs) have been developed by directing signal recognition mechanisms into carefully assembled outcomes that are easily detected. GEPBs allow for in vivo monitoring of biological processes in plants to facilitate basic studies of plant growth and development. GEPBs are also useful for environmental monitoring, plant abiotic and biotic stress management, and accelerating design-build-test-learn cycles of plant bioengineering. With the advent of synthetic biology, biological and molecular components derived from alternate natural organisms (e.g., microbes) and/or de novo parts have been used to build GEPBs. In this review, we summarize the framework for engineering different types of GEPBs. We then highlight representative validated biological components for building plant-based biosensors, along with various applications of plant-based biosensors in basic and applied plant science research. Finally, we discuss challenges and strategies for the identification and design of biological components for plant-based biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Guoliang Yuan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Md Mahmudul Hassan
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali, 8602, Bangladesh
| | - Paul E. Abraham
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Julie C. Mitchell
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Daniel Jacobson
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Gerald A. Tuskan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Arjun Khakhar
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - June Medford
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - Cheng Zhao
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Chang-Jun Liu
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA
| | - Carrie A. Eckert
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Mitchel J. Doktycz
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Timothy J. Tschaplinski
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Xiaohan Yang
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
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23
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O'Keeffe C, Greenwald I. EGFR signal transduction is downregulated in C. elegans vulval precursor cells during dauer diapause. Development 2022; 149:dev201094. [PMID: 36227589 PMCID: PMC9793418 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans larvae display developmental plasticity in response to environmental conditions: in adverse conditions, second-stage larvae enter a reversible, long-lived dauer stage instead of proceeding to reproductive adulthood. Dauer entry interrupts vulval induction and is associated with a reprogramming-like event that preserves the multipotency of vulval precursor cells (VPCs), allowing vulval development to reinitiate if conditions improve. Vulval induction requires the LIN-3/EGF-like signal from the gonad, which activates EGFR-Ras-ERK signal transduction in the nearest VPC, P6.p. Here, using a biosensor and live imaging we show that EGFR-Ras-ERK activity is downregulated in P6.p in dauers. We investigated this process using gene mutations or transgenes to manipulate different steps of the pathway, and by analyzing LET-23/EGFR subcellular localization during dauer life history. We found that the response to EGF is attenuated at or upstream of Ras activation, and discuss potential membrane-associated mechanisms that could achieve this. We also describe other findings pertaining to the maintenance of VPC competence and quiescence in dauer larvae. Our analysis indicates that VPCs have L2-like and unique dauer stage features rather than features of L3 VPCs in continuous development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine O'Keeffe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Iva Greenwald
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
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24
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Banerjee T, Biswas D, Pal DS, Miao Y, Iglesias PA, Devreotes PN. Spatiotemporal dynamics of membrane surface charge regulates cell polarity and migration. Nat Cell Biol 2022; 24:1499-1515. [PMID: 36202973 PMCID: PMC10029748 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-00997-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
During cell migration and polarization, numerous signal transduction and cytoskeletal components self-organize to generate localized protrusions. Although biochemical and genetic analyses have delineated many specific interactions, how the activation and localization of so many different molecules are spatiotemporally orchestrated at the subcellular level has remained unclear. Here we show that the regulation of negative surface charge on the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane plays an integrative role in the molecular interactions. Surface charge, or zeta potential, is transiently lowered at new protrusions and within cortical waves of Ras/PI3K/TORC2/F-actin network activation. Rapid alterations of inner leaflet anionic phospholipids-such as PI(4,5)P2, PI(3,4)P2, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid-collectively contribute to the surface charge changes. Abruptly reducing the surface charge by recruiting positively charged optogenetic actuators was sufficient to trigger the entire biochemical network, initiate de novo protrusions and abrogate pre-existing polarity. These effects were blocked by genetic or pharmacological inhibition of key signalling components such as AKT and PI3K/TORC2. Conversely, increasing the negative surface charge deactivated the network and locally suppressed chemoattractant-induced protrusions or subverted EGF-induced ERK activation. Computational simulations involving excitable biochemical networks demonstrated that slight changes in feedback loops, induced by recruitment of the charged actuators, could lead to outsized effects on system activation. We propose that key signalling network components act on, and are in turn acted upon, by surface charge, closing feedback loops, which bring about the global-scale molecular self-organization required for spontaneous protrusion formation, cell migration and polarity establishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsat Banerjee
- Department of Cell Biology and Center for Cell Dynamics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Debojyoti Biswas
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dhiman Sankar Pal
- Department of Cell Biology and Center for Cell Dynamics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yuchuan Miao
- Department of Cell Biology and Center for Cell Dynamics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Pablo A Iglesias
- Department of Cell Biology and Center for Cell Dynamics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter N Devreotes
- Department of Cell Biology and Center for Cell Dynamics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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25
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Shah P, Bao Z, Zaidel-Bar R. Visualizing and quantifying molecular and cellular processes in C. elegans using light microscopy. Genetics 2022; 221:6619563. [PMID: 35766819 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Light microscopes are the cell and developmental biologists' "best friend", providing a means to see structures and follow dynamics from the protein to the organism level. A huge advantage of C. elegans as a model organism is its transparency, which coupled with its small size means that nearly every biological process can be observed and measured with the appropriate probe and light microscope. Continuous improvement in microscope technologies along with novel genome editing techniques to create transgenic probes have facilitated the development and implementation of a dizzying array of methods for imaging worm embryos, larvae and adults. In this review we provide an overview of the molecular and cellular processes that can be visualized in living worms using light microscopy. A partial inventory of fluorescent probes and techniques successfully used in worms to image the dynamics of cells, organelles, DNA, and protein localization and activity is followed by a practical guide to choosing between various imaging modalities, including widefield, confocal, lightsheet, and structured illumination microscopy. Finally, we discuss the available tools and approaches, including machine learning, for quantitative image analysis tasks, such as colocalization, segmentation, object tracking, and lineage tracing. Hopefully, this review will inspire worm researchers who have not yet imaged their worms to begin, and push those who are imaging to go faster, finer, and longer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavak Shah
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles 90095, USA
| | - Zhirong Bao
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Ronen Zaidel-Bar
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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26
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Zhang Q, Hrach H, Mangone M, Reiner DJ. Identifying the Caenorhabditis elegans vulval transcriptome. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:jkac091. [PMID: 35551383 PMCID: PMC9157107 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Development of the Caenorhabditis elegans vulva is a classic model of organogenesis. This system, which starts with 6 equipotent cells, encompasses diverse types of developmental event, including developmental competence, multiple signaling events to control precise and faithful patterning of three cell fates, execution and proliferation of specific cell lineages, and a series of sophisticated morphogenetic events. Early events have been subjected to extensive mutational and genetic investigations and later events to cell biological analyses. We infer the existence of dramatically changing profiles of gene expression that accompanies the observed changes in development. Yet, except from serendipitous discovery of several transcription factors expressed in dynamic patterns in vulval lineages, our knowledge of the transcriptomic landscape during vulval development is minimal. This study describes the composition of a vulva-specific transcriptome. We used tissue-specific harvesting of mRNAs via immunoprecipitation of epitope-tagged poly(A) binding protein, PAB-1, heterologously expressed by a promoter known to express GFP in vulval cells throughout their development. The identified transcriptome was small but tightly interconnected. From this data set, we identified several genes with identified functions in development of the vulva and validated more with promoter-GFP reporters of expression. For one target, lag-1, promoter-GFP expression was limited but a fluorescent tag of the endogenous protein revealed extensive expression. Thus, we have identified a transcriptome of C. elegans vulval lineages as a launching pad for exploration of functions of these genes in organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- Department of Translational Medical Science, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Heather Hrach
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
- Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Marco Mangone
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
- Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - David J Reiner
- Department of Translational Medical Science, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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27
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McFann SE, Shvartsman SY, Toettcher JE. Putting in the Erk: Growth factor signaling and mesoderm morphogenesis. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 149:263-310. [PMID: 35606058 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
It has long been known that FGF signaling contributes to mesoderm formation, a germ layer found in triploblasts that is composed of highly migratory cells that give rise to muscles and to the skeletal structures of vertebrates. FGF signaling activates several pathways in the developing mesoderm, including transient activation of the Erk pathway, which triggers mesodermal fate specification through the induction of the gene brachyury and activates morphogenetic programs that allow mesodermal cells to position themselves in the embryo. In this review, we discuss what is known about the generation and interpretation of transient Erk signaling in mesodermal tissues across species. We focus specifically on mechanisms that translate the level and duration of Erk signaling into cell fate and cell movement instructions and discuss strategies for further interrogating the role that Erk signaling dynamics play in mesodermal gastrulation and morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E McFann
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States; Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States; Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States; Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jared E Toettcher
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States.
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28
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Signaling oscillations in embryonic development. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 149:341-372. [PMID: 35606060 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Tight spatiotemporal control of cellular behavior and cell fate decisions is paramount to the formation of multicellular organisms during embryonic development. Intercellular communication via signaling pathways mediates this control. Interestingly, these signaling pathways are not static, but dynamic and change in activity over time. Signaling oscillations as a specific type of dynamics are found in various signaling pathways and model systems. Functions of oscillations include the regulation of periodic events or the transmission of information by encoding signals in the dynamic properties of a signaling pathway. For instance, signaling oscillations in neural or pancreatic progenitor cells modulate their proliferation and differentiation. Oscillations between neighboring cells can also be synchronized, leading to the emergence of waves traveling through the tissue. Such population-wide signaling oscillations regulate for example the consecutive segmentation of vertebrate embryos, a process called somitogenesis. Here, we outline our current understanding of signaling oscillations in embryonic development, how signaling oscillations are generated, how they are studied and how they contribute to the regulation of embryonic development.
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Yuen AC, Prasad AR, Fernandes VM, Amoyel M. A kinase translocation reporter reveals real-time dynamics of ERK activity in Drosophila. Biol Open 2022; 11:bio059364. [PMID: 35608229 PMCID: PMC9167624 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) lies downstream of a core signalling cascade that controls all aspects of development and adult homeostasis. Recent developments have led to new tools to image and manipulate the pathway. However, visualising ERK activity in vivo with high temporal resolution remains a challenge in Drosophila. We adapted a kinase translocation reporter (KTR) for use in Drosophila, which shuttles out of the nucleus when phosphorylated by ERK. We show that ERK-KTR faithfully reports endogenous ERK signalling activity in developing and adult tissues, and that it responds to genetic perturbations upstream of ERK. Using ERK-KTR in time-lapse imaging, we made two novel observations: firstly, sustained hyperactivation of ERK by expression of dominant-active epidermal growth factor receptor raised the overall level but did not alter the kinetics of ERK activity; secondly, the direction of migration of retinal basal glia correlated with their ERK activity levels, suggesting an explanation for the heterogeneity in ERK activity observed in fixed tissue. Our results show that KTR technology can be applied in Drosophila to monitor ERK activity in real-time and suggest that this modular tool can be further adapted to study other kinases. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Marc Amoyel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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30
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Molecular sensors for detection of tumor-stroma crosstalk. Adv Cancer Res 2022; 154:47-91. [PMID: 35459472 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In most solid tumors, malignant cells coexist with non-cancerous host tissue comprised of a variety of extracellular matrix components and cell types, notably fibroblasts, immune cells, and endothelial cells. It is becoming increasingly evident that the non-cancerous host tissue, often referred to as the tumor stroma or the tumor microenvironment, wields tremendous influence in the proliferation, survival, and metastatic ability of cancer cells. The tumor stroma has an active biological role in the transmission of signals, such as growth factors and chemokines that activate oncogenic signaling pathways by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms. Moreover, the constituents of the stroma define the mechanical properties and the physical features of solid tumors, which influence cancer progression and response to therapy. Inspired by the emerging importance of tumor-stroma crosstalk and oncogenic physical forces, numerous biosensors, or advanced imaging and analysis techniques have been developed and applied to investigate complex and challenging questions in cancer research. These techniques facilitate measurements and biological readouts at scales ranging from subcellular to tissue-level with unprecedented level of spatial and temporal precision. Here we examine the application of biosensor technology for studying the complex and dynamic multiscale interactions of the tumor-host system.
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31
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Shaffer JM, Greenwald I. SALSA, a genetically encoded biosensor for spatiotemporal quantification of Notch signal transduction in vivo. Dev Cell 2022; 57:930-944.e6. [PMID: 35413239 PMCID: PMC9473748 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Notch-mediated lateral specification is a fundamental mechanism to resolve stochastic cell fate choices by amplifying initial differences between equivalent cells. To study how stochastic events impact Notch activity, we developed a biosensor, SALSA (sensor able to detect lateral signaling activity), consisting of an amplifying "switch"-Notch tagged with TEV protease-and a "reporter"-GFP fused to a nuclearly localized red fluorescent protein, separated by a TEVp cut site. When ligand activates Notch, TEVp enters the nucleus and releases GFP from its nuclear tether, allowing Notch activation to be quantified based on the changes in GFP subcellular localization. We show that SALSA accurately reports Notch activity in different signaling paradigms in Caenorhabditis elegans and use time-lapse imaging to test hypotheses about how stochastic elements ensure a reproducible and robust outcome in a canonical lin-12/Notch-mediated lateral signaling paradigm. SALSA should be generalizable to other experimental systems and be adaptable to increase options for bespoke "SynNotch" applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Shaffer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Iva Greenwald
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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32
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Benavidez JM, Kim JH, Greenwald I. Influences of HLH-2 stability on anchor cell fate specification during Caenorhabditis elegans gonadogenesis. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6520806. [PMID: 35134193 PMCID: PMC8982380 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans E protein ortholog HLH-2 is required for the specification and function of the anchor cell, a unique, terminally differentiated somatic gonad cell that organizes uterine and vulval development. Initially, 4 cells—2 α cells and their sisters, the β cells—have the potential to be the sole anchor cell. The β cells rapidly lose anchor cell potential and invariably become ventral uterine precursor cells, while the 2 α cells interact via LIN-12/Notch to resolve which will be the anchor cell and which will become another ventral uterine precursor cell. HLH-2 protein stability is dynamically regulated in cells with anchor cell potential; initially present in all 4 cells, HLH-2 is degraded in presumptive ventral uterine precursor cells while remaining stable in the anchor cell. Here, we demonstrate that stability of HLH-2 protein is regulated by the activity of lin-12/Notch in both α and β cells. Our analysis provides evidence that activation of LIN-12 promotes degradation of HLH-2 as part of a negative feedback loop during the anchor cell/ventral uterine precursor cell decision by the α cells, and that absence of lin-12 activity in β cells increases HLH-2 stability and may account for their propensity to adopt the anchor cell fate in a lin-12 null background. We also performed an RNA interference screen of 232 ubiquitin-related genes and identified 7 genes that contribute to HLH-2 degradation in ventral uterine precursor cells; however, stabilizing HLH-2 by depleting ubiquitin ligases in a lin-12(+) background does not result in supernumerary anchor cells, suggesting that LIN-12 activation does not oppose hlh-2 activity solely by causing HLH-2 protein degradation. Finally, we provide evidence for lin-12-independent transcriptional regulation of hlh-2 in β cells that correlates with known differences in POP-1/TCF levels and anchor cell potential between α and β cells. Together, our results indicate that hlh-2 activity is regulated at multiple levels to restrict the anchor cell fate to a single cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Benavidez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Jee Hun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Iva Greenwald
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
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33
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Qi J, Rittershaus A, Priya R, Mansingh S, Stainier DYR, Helker CSM. Apelin signaling dependent endocardial protrusions promote cardiac trabeculation in zebrafish. eLife 2022; 11:e73231. [PMID: 35225788 PMCID: PMC8916774 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During cardiac development, endocardial cells (EdCs) produce growth factors to promote myocardial morphogenesis and growth. In particular, EdCs produce neuregulin which is required for ventricular cardiomyocytes (CMs) to seed the multicellular ridges known as trabeculae. Defects in neuregulin signaling, or in endocardial sprouting toward CMs, cause hypotrabeculation. However, the mechanisms underlying endocardial sprouting remain largely unknown. Here, we first show by live imaging in zebrafish embryos that EdCs interact with CMs via dynamic membrane protrusions. After touching CMs, these protrusions remain in close contact with their target despite the vigorous cardiac contractions. Loss of the CM-derived peptide Apelin, or of the Apelin receptor, which is expressed in EdCs, leads to reduced endocardial sprouting and hypotrabeculation. Mechanistically, neuregulin signaling requires endocardial protrusions to induce extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) activity in CMs and trigger their delamination. Altogether, these data show that Apelin signaling-dependent endocardial protrusions modulate CM behavior during trabeculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialing Qi
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Annegret Rittershaus
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Rashmi Priya
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Shivani Mansingh
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Didier YR Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Christian SM Helker
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
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34
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Raina D, Fabris F, Morelli LG, Schröter C. Intermittent ERK oscillations downstream of FGF in mouse embryonic stem cells. Development 2022; 149:274396. [PMID: 35175328 PMCID: PMC8918804 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Signal transduction networks generate characteristic dynamic activities to process extracellular signals and guide cell fate decisions such as to divide or differentiate. The differentiation of pluripotent cells is controlled by FGF/ERK signaling. However, only a few studies have addressed the dynamic activity of the FGF/ERK signaling network in pluripotent cells at high time resolution. Here, we use live cell sensors in wild-type and Fgf4-mutant mouse embryonic stem cells to measure dynamic ERK activity in single cells, for defined ligand concentrations and differentiation states. These sensors reveal pulses of ERK activity. Pulsing patterns are heterogeneous between individual cells. Consecutive pulse sequences occur more frequently than expected from simple stochastic models. Sequences become more prevalent with higher ligand concentration, but are rarer in more differentiated cells. Our results suggest that FGF/ERK signaling operates in the vicinity of a transition point between oscillatory and non-oscillatory dynamics in embryonic stem cells. The resulting heterogeneous dynamic signaling activities add a new dimension to cellular heterogeneity that may be linked to divergent fate decisions in stem cell cultures. Summary: High time-resolution measurements reveal previously unseen signaling dynamics in single pluripotent cells, which alternate between oscillatory and non-oscillatory ERK activity. ERK dynamics change with ligand concentration, cell cycle and differentiation state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhruv Raina
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Fiorella Fabris
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Polo Científico Tecnológico, Godoy Cruz 2390, C1425FQD Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luis G Morelli
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany.,Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Polo Científico Tecnológico, Godoy Cruz 2390, C1425FQD Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Física, FCEyN UBA, Ciudad Universitaria, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Christian Schröter
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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35
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Pulsatile signaling of bistable switches reveal the distinct nature of pulse processing by mutual activation and mutual inhibition loop. J Theor Biol 2022; 540:111075. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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36
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Live imaging approach of dynamic multicellular responses in ERK signaling during vertebrate tissue development. Biochem J 2022; 479:129-143. [PMID: 35050327 PMCID: PMC8883488 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The chemical and mechanical responses of cells via the exchange of information during growth and development result in the formation of biological tissues. Information processing within the cells through the signaling pathways and networks inherent to the constituent cells has been well-studied. However, the cell signaling mechanisms responsible for generating dynamic multicellular responses in developing tissues remain unclear. Here, I review the dynamic multicellular response systems during the development and growth of vertebrate tissues based on the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. First, an overview of the function of the ERK signaling network in cells is provided, followed by descriptions of biosensors essential for live imaging of the quantification of ERK activity in tissues. Then adducing four examples, I highlight the contribution of live imaging techniques for studying the involvement of spatio-temporal patterns of ERK activity change in tissue development and growth. In addition, theoretical implications of ERK signaling are also discussed from the viewpoint of dynamic systems. This review might help in understanding ERK-mediated dynamic multicellular responses and tissue morphogenesis.
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37
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Signalling dynamics in embryonic development. Biochem J 2021; 478:4045-4070. [PMID: 34871368 PMCID: PMC8718268 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210043] [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: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In multicellular organisms, cellular behaviour is tightly regulated to allow proper embryonic development and maintenance of adult tissue. A critical component in this control is the communication between cells via signalling pathways, as errors in intercellular communication can induce developmental defects or diseases such as cancer. It has become clear over the last years that signalling is not static but varies in activity over time. Feedback mechanisms present in every signalling pathway lead to diverse dynamic phenotypes, such as transient activation, signal ramping or oscillations, occurring in a cell type- and stage-dependent manner. In cells, such dynamics can exert various functions that allow organisms to develop in a robust and reproducible way. Here, we focus on Erk, Wnt and Notch signalling pathways, which are dynamic in several tissue types and organisms, including the periodic segmentation of vertebrate embryos, and are often dysregulated in cancer. We will discuss how biochemical processes influence their dynamics and how these impact on cellular behaviour within multicellular systems.
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38
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Williaume G, de Buyl S, Sirour C, Haupaix N, Bettoni R, Imai KS, Satou Y, Dupont G, Hudson C, Yasuo H. Cell geometry, signal dampening, and a bimodal transcriptional response underlie the spatial precision of an ERK-mediated embryonic induction. Dev Cell 2021; 56:2966-2979.e10. [PMID: 34672970 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Precise control of lineage segregation is critical for the development of multicellular organisms, but our quantitative understanding of how variable signaling inputs are integrated to activate lineage-specific gene programs remains limited. Here, we show how precisely two out of eight ectoderm cells adopt neural fates in response to ephrin and FGF signals during ascidian neural induction. In each ectoderm cell, FGF signals activate ERK to a level that mirrors its cell contact surface with FGF-expressing mesendoderm cells. This gradual interpretation of FGF inputs is followed by a bimodal transcriptional response of the immediate early gene, Otx, resulting in its activation specifically in the neural precursors. At low levels of ERK, Otx is repressed by an ETS family transcriptional repressor, ERF2. Ephrin signals are critical for dampening ERK activation levels across ectoderm cells so that only neural precursors exhibit above-threshold levels, evade ERF repression, and "switch on" Otx transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Géraldine Williaume
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Sophie de Buyl
- Applied Physics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, ULB-VUB, La Plaine Campus, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cathy Sirour
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Nicolas Haupaix
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Rossana Bettoni
- Applied Physics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, ULB-VUB, La Plaine Campus, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Unité de Chronobiologie Théorique, Faculté des Sciences, CP231, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kaoru S Imai
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Yutaka Satou
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Geneviève Dupont
- Unité de Chronobiologie Théorique, Faculté des Sciences, CP231, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Clare Hudson
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer, France.
| | - Hitoyoshi Yasuo
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer, France.
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39
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Katsuno-Kambe H, Teo JL, Ju RJ, Hudson J, Stehbens SJ, Yap AS. Collagen polarization promotes epithelial elongation by stimulating locoregional cell proliferation. eLife 2021; 10:e67915. [PMID: 34661524 PMCID: PMC8550756 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial networks are commonly generated by processes where multicellular aggregates elongate and branch. Here, we focus on understanding cellular mechanisms for elongation using an organotypic culture system as a model of mammary epithelial anlage. Isotropic cell aggregates broke symmetry and slowly elongated when transplanted into collagen 1 gels. The elongating regions of aggregates displayed enhanced cell proliferation that was necessary for elongation to occur. Strikingly, this locoregional increase in cell proliferation occurred where collagen 1 fibrils reorganized into bundles that were polarized with the elongating aggregates. Applying external stretch as a cell-independent way to reorganize the extracellular matrix, we found that collagen polarization stimulated regional cell proliferation to precipitate symmetry breaking and elongation. This required β1-integrin and ERK signaling. We propose that collagen polarization supports epithelial anlagen elongation by stimulating locoregional cell proliferation. This could provide a long-lasting structural memory of the initial axis that is generated when anlage break symmetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroko Katsuno-Kambe
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Jessica L Teo
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Robert J Ju
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - James Hudson
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Samantha J Stehbens
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Alpha S Yap
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
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40
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Zhang L, Takahashi Y, Schroeder JI. Protein kinase sensors: an overview of new designs for visualizing kinase dynamics in single plant cells. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 187:527-536. [PMID: 35142856 PMCID: PMC8491035 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Protein kinase dynamics play key roles in regulation of cell differentiation, growth, development and in diverse cell signaling networks. Protein kinase sensors enable visualization of protein kinase activity in living cells and tissues in time and space. These sensors have therefore become important and powerful molecular tools for investigation of diverse kinase activities and can resolve long-standing and challenging biological questions. In the present Update, we review new advanced approaches for genetically encoded protein kinase biosensor designs developed in animal systems together with the basis of each biosensor's working principle and components. In addition, we review recent first examples of real time plant protein kinase activity biosensor development and application. We discuss how these sensors have helped to resolve how stomatal signal transduction in response to elevated CO2 merges with abscisic acid signaling downstream of a resolved basal SnRK2 kinase activity in guard cells. Furthermore, recent advances, combined with the new strategies described in this Update, can help deepen the understanding of how signaling networks regulate unique functions and responses in distinct plant cell types and tissues and how different stimuli and signaling pathways can interact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Cell and Developmental Biology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, USA
- Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang, Sichuan 611130, China
| | - Yohei Takahashi
- Cell and Developmental Biology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, USA
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41
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DNA origami patterning of synthetic T cell receptors reveals spatial control of the sensitivity and kinetics of signal activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2109057118. [PMID: 34588308 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2109057118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Receptor clustering plays a key role in triggering cellular activation, but the relationship between the spatial configuration of clusters and the elicitation of downstream intracellular signals remains poorly understood. We developed a DNA-origami-based system that is easily adaptable to other cellular systems and enables rich interrogation of responses to a variety of spatially defined inputs. Using a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell model system with relevance to cancer therapy, we studied signaling dynamics at single-cell resolution. We found that the spatial arrangement of receptors determines the ligand density threshold for triggering and encodes the temporal kinetics of signaling activities. We also showed that signaling sensitivity of a small cluster of high-affinity ligands is enhanced when surrounded by nonstimulating low-affinity ligands. Our results suggest that cells measure spatial arrangements of ligands, translate that information into distinct signaling dynamics, and provide insights into engineering immunotherapies.
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42
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Rasmussen NR, Reiner DJ. Nuclear translocation of the tagged endogenous MAPK MPK-1 denotes a subset of activation events in C. elegans development. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:272044. [PMID: 34341823 PMCID: PMC8445601 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.258456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) are mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) that are utilized downstream of Ras to Raf to MEK signaling to control activation of a wide array of targets. Activation of ERKs is elevated in Ras-driven tumors and RASopathies, and thus is a target for pharmacological inhibition. Regulatory mechanisms of ERK activation have been studied extensively in vitro and in cultured cells, but little in living animals. In this study, we tagged the Caenorhabditis elegans ERK-encoding gene, mpk-1. MPK-1 is ubiquitously expressed with elevated expression in certain contexts. We detected cytosol-to-nuclear translocation of MPK-1 in maturing oocytes and hence validated nuclear translocation as a reporter of some activation events. During patterning of vulval precursor cells (VPCs), MPK-1 is necessary and sufficient for the central cell, P6.p, to assume the primary fate. Yet MPK-1 translocates to the nuclei of all six VPCs in a temporal and concentration gradient centered on P6.p. This observation contrasts with previous results using the ERK nuclear kinase translocation reporter of substrate activation, raising questions about mechanisms and indicators of MPK-1 activation. This system and reagent promise to provide critical insights into the regulation of MPK-1 activation within a complex intercellular signaling network. Summary: Tagged endogenous C. elegans MPK-1 shows activation-dependent cytosol-to-nuclear translocation. This tool provides novel insights into MPK-1 localization compared with other markers of in vivo ERK activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal R Rasmussen
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Texas A&M University, Houston, 77030, USA
| | - David J Reiner
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Texas A&M University, Houston, 77030, USA
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43
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Nakamura A, Goto Y, Kondo Y, Aoki K. Shedding light on developmental ERK signaling with genetically encoded biosensors. Development 2021; 148:271153. [PMID: 34338283 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway governs cell proliferation, differentiation and migration, and therefore plays key roles in various developmental and regenerative processes. Recent advances in genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors have unveiled hitherto unrecognized ERK activation dynamics in space and time and their functional importance mainly in cultured cells. However, ERK dynamics during embryonic development have still only been visualized in limited numbers of model organisms, and we are far from a sufficient understanding of the roles played by developmental ERK dynamics. In this Review, we first provide an overview of the biosensors used for visualization of ERK activity in live cells. Second, we highlight the applications of the biosensors to developmental studies of model organisms and discuss the current understanding of how ERK dynamics are encoded and decoded for cell fate decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinobu Nakamura
- Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Yuhei Goto
- Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Yohei Kondo
- Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Aoki
- Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,IRCC International Research Collaboration Center, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 4-3-13 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001, Japan
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44
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Lauri A, Fasano G, Venditti M, Dallapiccola B, Tartaglia M. In vivo Functional Genomics for Undiagnosed Patients: The Impact of Small GTPases Signaling Dysregulation at Pan-Embryo Developmental Scale. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:642235. [PMID: 34124035 PMCID: PMC8194860 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.642235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
While individually rare, disorders affecting development collectively represent a substantial clinical, psychological, and socioeconomic burden to patients, families, and society. Insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying these disorders are required to speed up diagnosis, improve counseling, and optimize management toward targeted therapies. Genome sequencing is now unveiling previously unexplored genetic variations in undiagnosed patients, which require functional validation and mechanistic understanding, particularly when dealing with novel nosologic entities. Functional perturbations of key regulators acting on signals' intersections of evolutionarily conserved pathways in these pathological conditions hinder the fine balance between various developmental inputs governing morphogenesis and homeostasis. However, the distinct mechanisms by which these hubs orchestrate pathways to ensure the developmental coordinates are poorly understood. Integrative functional genomics implementing quantitative in vivo models of embryogenesis with subcellular precision in whole organisms contribute to answering these questions. Here, we review the current knowledge on genes and mechanisms critically involved in developmental syndromes and pediatric cancers, revealed by genomic sequencing and in vivo models such as insects, worms and fish. We focus on the monomeric GTPases of the RAS superfamily and their influence on crucial developmental signals and processes. We next discuss the effectiveness of exponentially growing functional assays employing tractable models to identify regulatory crossroads. Unprecedented sophistications are now possible in zebrafish, i.e., genome editing with single-nucleotide precision, nanoimaging, highly resolved recording of multiple small molecules activity, and simultaneous monitoring of brain circuits and complex behavioral response. These assets permit accurate real-time reporting of dynamic small GTPases-controlled processes in entire organisms, owning the potential to tackle rare disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Lauri
- Genetics and Rare Diseases Research Division, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Marco Tartaglia
- Genetics and Rare Diseases Research Division, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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45
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Okuda KS, Keyser MS, Gurevich DB, Sturtzel C, Mason EA, Paterson S, Chen H, Scott M, Condon ND, Martin P, Distel M, Hogan BM. Live-imaging of endothelial Erk activity reveals dynamic and sequential signalling events during regenerative angiogenesis. eLife 2021; 10:62196. [PMID: 34003110 PMCID: PMC8175085 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation of new blood vessel networks occurs via angiogenesis during development, tissue repair, and disease. Angiogenesis is regulated by intracellular endothelial signalling pathways, induced downstream of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their receptors (VEGFRs). A major challenge in understanding angiogenesis is interpreting how signalling events occur dynamically within endothelial cell populations during sprouting, proliferation, and migration. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) is a central downstream effector of Vegf-signalling and reports the signalling that drives angiogenesis. We generated a vascular Erk biosensor transgenic line in zebrafish using a kinase translocation reporter that allows live-imaging of Erk-signalling dynamics. We demonstrate the utility of this line to live-image Erk activity during physiologically relevant angiogenic events. Further, we reveal dynamic and sequential endothelial cell Erk-signalling events following blood vessel wounding. Initial signalling is dependent upon Ca2+ in the earliest responding endothelial cells, but is independent of Vegfr-signalling and local inflammation. The sustained regenerative response, however, involves a Vegfr-dependent mechanism that initiates concomitantly with the wound inflammatory response. This work reveals a highly dynamic sequence of signalling events in regenerative angiogenesis and validates a new resource for the study of vascular Erk-signalling in real-time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhide S Okuda
- Organogenesis and Cancer Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Mikaela S Keyser
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, St Lucia, Australia
| | - David B Gurevich
- School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Caterina Sturtzel
- Innovative Cancer Models, St Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria.,Zebrafish Platform Austria for preclinical drug screening (ZANDR), Vienna, Austria
| | - Elizabeth A Mason
- Organogenesis and Cancer Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Scott Paterson
- Organogenesis and Cancer Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Huijun Chen
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Mark Scott
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Nicholas D Condon
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Paul Martin
- School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Distel
- Innovative Cancer Models, St Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria.,Zebrafish Platform Austria for preclinical drug screening (ZANDR), Vienna, Austria
| | - Benjamin M Hogan
- Organogenesis and Cancer Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, St Lucia, Australia
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46
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The loss of contractile function after heart injury remains one of the major healthcare issues of our time. One strategy to deal with this problem would be to increase the number of cardiomyocytes to enhance cardiac function. In the last couple of years, reactivation of cardiomyocyte proliferation has repeatedly demonstrated to aid in functional recovery after cardiac injury. RECENT FINDINGS The Tgf-β superfamily plays key roles during development of the heart and populating the embryonic heart with cardiomyocytes. In this review, we discuss the role of Tgf-β signaling in regulating cardiomyocyte proliferation during development and in the setting of cardiac regeneration. Although various pathways to induce cardiomyocyte proliferation have been established, the extent to which cardiomyocyte proliferation requires or involves activation of the Tgf-β superfamily is not entirely clear. More research is needed to better understand cross-talk between pathways that regulate cardiomyocyte proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Sorensen
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jop H van Berlo
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. .,Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. .,Integrative Biology and Physiology graduate program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. .,Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Building, University of Minnesota, 2231 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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47
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Robinson-Thiewes S, Dufour B, Martel PO, Lechasseur X, Brou AAD, Roy V, Chen Y, Kimble J, Narbonne P. Non-autonomous regulation of germline stem cell proliferation by somatic MPK-1/MAPK activity in C. elegans. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109162. [PMID: 34038716 PMCID: PMC8182673 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is a major positive regulator of cell proliferation, which is often upregulated in cancer. However, few studies have addressed ERK/MAPK regulation of proliferation within a complete organism. The Caenorhabditis elegans ERK/MAPK ortholog MPK-1 is best known for its control of somatic organogenesis and germline differentiation, but it also stimulates germline stem cell proliferation. Here, we show that the germline-specific MPK-1B isoform promotes germline differentiation but has no apparent role in germline stem cell proliferation. By contrast, the soma-specific MPK-1A isoform promotes germline stem cell proliferation non-autonomously. Indeed, MPK-1A functions in the intestine or somatic gonad to promote germline proliferation independent of its other known roles. We propose that a non-autonomous role of ERK/MAPK in stem cell proliferation may be conserved across species and various tissue types, with major clinical implications for cancer and other diseases. The prevailing paradigm is that ERK/MAPK functions autonomously to promote cell proliferation upon mitogen stimulation. Robinson-Thiewes et al. now demonstrate that C. elegans ERK/MAPK acts within somatic tissues to non-autonomously promote the proliferation of germline stem cells. Germline ERK/MAPK is thus dispensable for germline stem cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benjamin Dufour
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Pier-Olivier Martel
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Xavier Lechasseur
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Amani Ange Danielle Brou
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Vincent Roy
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; Département de Biologie Moléculaire, de Biochimie Médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Yunqing Chen
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Judith Kimble
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706-1580, USA
| | - Patrick Narbonne
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; Département de Biologie Moléculaire, de Biochimie Médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, QC G1R 3S3, Canada.
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48
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Chen MJ, Ramesha S, Weinstock LD, Gao T, Ping L, Xiao H, Dammer EB, Duong DD, Levey AI, Lah JJ, Seyfried NT, Wood LB, Rangaraju S. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase regulates microglial immune responses in Alzheimer's disease. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:1704-1721. [PMID: 33729626 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The importance of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway signaling in regulating microglia-mediated neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unclear. We examined the role of MAPK signaling in microglia using a preclinical model of AD pathology and quantitative proteomics studies of postmortem human brains. In multiplex immunoassay analyses of MAPK phosphoproteins in acutely isolated microglia and brain tissue from 5xFAD mice, we found phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was the most strongly upregulated phosphoprotein within the MAPK pathway in acutely isolated microglia, but not whole-brain tissue from 5xFAD mice. The importance of ERK signaling in primary microglia cultures was next investigated using transcriptomic profiling and functional assays of amyloid-β and neuronal phagocytosis, which confirmed that ERK is a critical regulator of IFNγ-mediated pro-inflammatory activation of microglia, although it was also partly important for constitutive microglial functions. Phospho-ERK was an upstream regulator of disease-associated microglial gene expression (Trem2, Tyrobp), as well as several human AD risk genes (Bin1, Cd33, Trem2, Cnn2), indicative of the importance of microglial ERK signaling in AD pathology. Quantitative proteomic analyses of postmortem human brain showed that ERK1 and ERK2 were the only MAPK proteins with increased protein expression and positive associations with neuropathological grade. In a human brain phosphoproteomic study, we found evidence for increased flux through the ERK signaling pathway in AD. Overall, our analyses strongly suggest that ERK phosphorylation, particularly in microglia in mouse models, is a regulator of pro-inflammatory immune responses in AD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Chen
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Laura D Weinstock
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tianwen Gao
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lingyan Ping
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hailian Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Eric B Dammer
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Duc D Duong
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Allan I Levey
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - James J Lah
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Levi B Wood
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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49
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Gauthier KD, Rocheleau CE. Golgi localization of the LIN-2/7/10 complex points to a role in basolateral secretion of LET-23 EGFR in the Caenorhabditiselegans vulval precursor cells. Development 2021; 148:dev194167. [PMID: 33526581 PMCID: PMC10692275 DOI: 10.1242/dev.194167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionarily conserved LIN-2 (CASK)/LIN-7 (Lin7A-C)/LIN-10 (APBA1) complex plays an important role in regulating spatial organization of membrane proteins and signaling components. In Caenorhabditiselegans, the complex is essential for the development of the vulva by promoting the localization of the sole Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ortholog LET-23 to the basolateral membrane of the vulva precursor cells where it can specify the vulval cell fate. To understand how the LIN-2/7/10 complex regulates receptor localization, we determined its expression and localization during vulva development. We found that LIN-7 colocalizes with LET-23 EGFR at the basolateral membrane, whereas the LIN-2/7/10 complex colocalizes with LET-23 EGFR at cytoplasmic punctae that mostly overlap with the Golgi. Furthermore, LIN-10 recruits LIN-2, which in turn recruits LIN-7. We demonstrate that the complex forms in vivo with a particularly strong interaction and colocalization between LIN-2 and LIN-7, consistent with them forming a subcomplex. Thus, the LIN-2/7/10 complex forms on the Golgi on which it likely targets LET-23 EGFR trafficking to the basolateral membrane rather than functioning as a tether.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley D Gauthier
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, and Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University; and the Metabolic Disorders and Complications Program, Centre for Translational Biology, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Christian E Rocheleau
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, and Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University; and the Metabolic Disorders and Complications Program, Centre for Translational Biology, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
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50
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The ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling network: the final frontier in RAS signal transduction. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:253-267. [PMID: 33544118 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The RAF-MEK-ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is aberrantly activated in a diverse set of human cancers and the RASopathy group of genetic developmental disorders. This protein kinase cascade is one of the most intensely studied cellular signaling networks and has been frequently targeted by the pharmaceutical industry, with more than 30 inhibitors either approved or under clinical evaluation. The ERK-MAPK cascade was originally depicted as a serial and linear, unidirectional pathway that relays extracellular signals, such as mitogenic stimuli, through the cytoplasm to the nucleus. However, we now appreciate that this three-tiered protein kinase cascade is a central core of a complex network with dynamic signaling inputs and outputs and autoregulatory loops. Despite our considerable advances in understanding the ERK-MAPK network, the ability of cancer cells to adapt to the inhibition of key nodes reveals a level of complexity that remains to be fully understood. In this review, we summarize important developments in our understanding of the ERK-MAPK network and identify unresolved issues for ongoing and future study.
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