1
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Lee IW, Tazehkand AP, Sha ZY, Adhikari D, Carroll J. An aggregated mitochondrial distribution in preimplantation embryos disrupts nuclear morphology, function, and developmental potential. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317316121. [PMID: 38917013 PMCID: PMC11228517 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317316121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
A dispersed cytoplasmic distribution of mitochondria is a hallmark of normal cellular organization. Here, we have utilized the expression of exogenous Trak2 in mouse oocytes and embryos to disrupt the dispersed distribution of mitochondria by driving them into a large cytoplasmic aggregate. Our findings reveal that aggregated mitochondria have minimal impact on asymmetric meiotic cell divisions of the oocyte. In contrast, aggregated mitochondria during the first mitotic division result in daughter cells with unequal sizes and increased micronuclei. Further, in two-cell embryos, microtubule-mediated centering properties of the mitochondrial aggregate prevent nuclear centration, distort nuclear shape, and inhibit DNA synthesis and the onset of embryonic transcription. These findings demonstrate the motor protein-mediated distribution of mitochondria throughout the cytoplasm is highly regulated and is an essential feature of cytoplasmic organization to ensure optimal cell function.
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Affiliation(s)
- In-Won Lee
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Abbas Pirpour Tazehkand
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Zi-Yi Sha
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Deepak Adhikari
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - John Carroll
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
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2
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Yang G, Wang Y, Hu S, Chen J, Chen L, Miao H, Li N, Luo H, He Y, Qian Y, Miao C, Feng R. Inhibition of neddylation disturbs zygotic genome activation through histone modification change and leads to early development arrest in mouse embryos. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167292. [PMID: 38871031 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167292] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Post-translational modification and fine-tuned protein turnover are of great importance in mammalian early embryo development. Apart from the classic protein degradation promoting ubiquitination, new forms of ubiquitination-like modification are yet to be fully understood. Here, we demonstrate the function and potential mechanisms of one ubiquitination-like modification, neddylation, in mouse preimplantation embryo development. Treated with specific inhibitors, zygotes showed a dramatically decreased cleavage rate and almost all failed to enter the 4-cell stage. Transcriptional profiling showed genes were differentially expressed in pathways involving cell fate determination and cell differentiation, including several down-regulated zygotic genome activation (ZGA) marker genes. A decreased level of phosphorylated RNA polymerase II was detected, indicating impaired gene transcription inside the embryo cell nucleus. Proteomic data showed that differentially expressed proteins were enriched in histone modifications. We confirmed the lowered in methyltransferase (KMT2D) expression and a decrease in histone H3K4me3. At the same time, acetyltransferase (CBP/p300) reduced, while deacetylase (HDAC6) increased, resulting in an attenuation in histone H3K27ac. Additionally, we observed the up-regulation in YAP1 and RPL13 activities, indicating potential abnormalities in the downstream response of Hippo signaling pathway. In summary, we found that inhibition of neddylation induced epigenetic changes in early embryos and led to abnormalities in related downstream signaling pathways. This study sheds light upon new forms of ubiquitination regulating mammalian embryonic development and may contribute to further investigation of female infertility pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangping Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproduction Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China; Yangzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, China
| | - Yingnan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproduction Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Saifei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproduction Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Jianhua Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproduction Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Liangliang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproduction Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Hui Miao
- Department of Reproductive Genetics, Heping Hospital of Changzhi Medical College, Key Laboratory of Reproduction Engineer of Shanxi Health Committee, Changzhi, Shanxi 046000, China
| | - Na Li
- Department of Reproductive Genetics, Heping Hospital of Changzhi Medical College, Key Laboratory of Reproduction Engineer of Shanxi Health Committee, Changzhi, Shanxi 046000, China
| | - Hui Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproduction Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Yanni He
- State Key Laboratory of Reproduction Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Yun Qian
- Clinical Center of Reproductive Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China
| | - Congxiu Miao
- Department of Reproductive Genetics, Heping Hospital of Changzhi Medical College, Key Laboratory of Reproduction Engineer of Shanxi Health Committee, Changzhi, Shanxi 046000, China.
| | - Ruizhi Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Reproduction Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China; Clinical Center of Reproductive Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China; Innovation Center of Suzhou Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215005, China.
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3
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Fluks M, Collier R, Walewska A, Bruce AW, Ajduk A. How great thou ART: biomechanical properties of oocytes and embryos as indicators of quality in assisted reproductive technologies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1342905. [PMID: 38425501 PMCID: PMC10902081 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1342905] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) have revolutionized infertility treatment and animal breeding, but their success largely depends on selecting high-quality oocytes for fertilization and embryos for transfer. During preimplantation development, embryos undergo complex morphogenetic processes, such as compaction and cavitation, driven by cellular forces dependent on cytoskeletal dynamics and cell-cell interactions. These processes are pivotal in dictating an embryo's capacity to implant and progress to full-term development. Hence, a comprehensive grasp of the biomechanical attributes characterizing healthy oocytes and embryos is essential for selecting those with higher developmental potential. Various noninvasive techniques have emerged as valuable tools for assessing biomechanical properties without disturbing the oocyte or embryo physiological state, including morphokinetics, analysis of cytoplasmic movement velocity, or quantification of cortical tension and elasticity using microaspiration. By shedding light on the cytoskeletal processes involved in chromosome segregation, cytokinesis, cellular trafficking, and cell adhesion, underlying oogenesis, and embryonic development, this review explores the significance of embryo biomechanics in ART and its potential implications for improving clinical IVF outcomes, offering valuable insights and research directions to enhance oocyte and embryo selection procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Fluks
- Department of Embryology, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Rebecca Collier
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Agnieszka Walewska
- Department of Embryology, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alexander W. Bruce
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Anna Ajduk
- Department of Embryology, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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4
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Ichbiah S, Delbary F, McDougall A, Dumollard R, Turlier H. Embryo mechanics cartography: inference of 3D force atlases from fluorescence microscopy. Nat Methods 2023; 20:1989-1999. [PMID: 38057527 PMCID: PMC10703677 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-02084-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Tissue morphogenesis results from a tight interplay between gene expression, biochemical signaling and mechanics. Although sequencing methods allow the generation of cell-resolved spatiotemporal maps of gene expression, creating similar maps of cell mechanics in three-dimensional (3D) developing tissues has remained a real challenge. Exploiting the foam-like arrangement of cells, we propose a robust end-to-end computational method called 'foambryo' to infer spatiotemporal atlases of cellular forces from fluorescence microscopy images of cell membranes. Our method generates precise 3D meshes of cells' geometry and successively predicts relative cell surface tensions and pressures. We validate it with 3D foam simulations, study its noise sensitivity and prove its biological relevance in mouse, ascidian and worm embryos. 3D force inference allows us to recover mechanical features identified previously, but also predicts new ones, unveiling potential new insights on the spatiotemporal regulation of cell mechanics in developing embryos. Our code is freely available and paves the way for unraveling the unknown mechanochemical feedbacks that control embryo and tissue morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sacha Ichbiah
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, College of France, CNRS, INSERM, University of PSL, Paris, France
| | - Fabrice Delbary
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, College of France, CNRS, INSERM, University of PSL, Paris, France
| | - Alex McDougall
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology of the Villefranche-sur-Mer, Institute of Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne University, CNRS, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Rémi Dumollard
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology of the Villefranche-sur-Mer, Institute of Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne University, CNRS, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Hervé Turlier
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, College of France, CNRS, INSERM, University of PSL, Paris, France.
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5
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Zhu F, Lu X, Jiang Y, Wang D, Pan L, Jia C, Zhang L, Xie Y, Zhao M, Liu H, Wang M, Wang T, Liu H, Li J. Proteomics reveals the underlying mechanism by which the first uneven division affects embryonic development in pig. Theriogenology 2023; 210:42-52. [PMID: 37473595 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
One of the most typical abnormal cleavage patterns during early embryonic development is uneven division, but the first uneven division of pig zygote is common. Uneven division results in different daughter cell sizes and an uneven distribution of organelles such as lipid droplet, mitochondria, but the developmental capacity of daughter cells and proteomic changes of daughter cells are still unclear. Therefore, the developmental ability and proteomic quantification were investigated on blastomeres from even division (ED) or uneven division (UD) embryos at 2-cell stage in the present study. Firstly, the developmental ability was affected by the blastomeric size, when compared with medium blastomeres (MBs), the large blastomeres (LBs) with the higher cleavage rate but the small blastomeres (SBs) with the lower rate was observed. Subsequently, proteomic analysis was performed on blastomeres of LBs, MBs and SBs, a total of 109 DEPs were detected, which were involved in protein metabolism and processing, energy metabolism and ribosome. In particular, DEPs in LBs vs. SBs were focused on RNA binding and actin cytoskeletal tissue. Two protein-dense networks associated with RNA binding and cytoskeleton were revealed by further protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis of DEPs in LBs vs. SBs, that DDX1 related to RNA binding and ACTB related to cytoskeleton were confirmed in UD embryos. Therefore, a briefly information of DEPs in blastomeres of 2-cell stage pig embryos was described in the present study, and it further confirmed that the formation of uneven division of the first cell cycle of pig embryos might be controlled by the cytoskeleton; the developmental capacity of daughter cells might be affected by the energy metabolism, RNA binding and ribosome, and further account for the developmental potential of the whole embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuquan Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210018, China
| | - Xinyue Lu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210018, China
| | - Yuan Jiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210018, China
| | - Dayu Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210018, China
| | - Linqing Pan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210018, China
| | - Chao Jia
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210018, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- Jiangsu Yangyu Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd, Taixing, 225400, China
| | - Yan Xie
- Taixing Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Center, Taixing, 225400, China
| | - Mingyue Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210018, China
| | - Huijun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Institute of Microbiology, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Meixia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Institute of Microbiology, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Tingzhang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Institute of Microbiology, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Honglin Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210018, China
| | - Juan Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210018, China.
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6
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Jafari G, Khan LA, Zhang H, Membreno E, Yan S, Dempsey G, Gobel V. Branched-chain actin dynamics polarizes vesicle trajectories and partitions apicobasal epithelial membrane domains. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade4022. [PMID: 37379384 PMCID: PMC10306301 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade4022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
In prevailing epithelial polarity models, membrane- and junction-based polarity cues such as the partitioning-defective PARs specify the positions of apicobasal membrane domains. Recent findings indicate, however, that intracellular vesicular trafficking can determine the position of the apical domain, upstream of membrane-based polarity cues. These findings raise the question of how vesicular trafficking becomes polarized independent of apicobasal target membrane domains. Here, we show that the apical directionality of vesicle trajectories depends on actin dynamics during de novo polarized membrane biogenesis in the C. elegans intestine. We find that actin, powered by branched-chain actin modulators, determines the polarized distribution of apical membrane components, PARs, and itself. Using photomodulation, we demonstrate that F-actin travels through the cytoplasm and along the cortex toward the future apical domain. Our findings support an alternative polarity model where actin-directed trafficking asymmetrically inserts the nascent apical domain into the growing epithelial membrane to partition apicobasal membrane domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gholamali Jafari
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, MGHfC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Liakot A. Khan
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, MGHfC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hongjie Zhang
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, MGHfC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Edward Membreno
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, MGHfC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Siyang Yan
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, MGHfC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Graham Dempsey
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Verena Gobel
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, MGHfC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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7
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Remsburg CM, Konrad KD, Song JL. RNA localization to the mitotic spindle is essential for early development and is regulated by kinesin-1 and dynein. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:jcs260528. [PMID: 36751992 PMCID: PMC10038151 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260528] [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: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitosis is a fundamental and highly regulated process that acts to faithfully segregate chromosomes into two identical daughter cells. Localization of gene transcripts involved in mitosis to the mitotic spindle might be an evolutionarily conserved mechanism to ensure that mitosis occurs in a timely manner. We identified many RNA transcripts that encode proteins involved in mitosis localized at the mitotic spindles in dividing sea urchin embryos and mammalian cells. Disruption of microtubule polymerization, kinesin-1 or dynein results in lack of spindle localization of these transcripts in the sea urchin embryo. Furthermore, results indicate that the cytoplasmic polyadenylation element (CPE) within the 3'UTR of the Aurora B transcript, a recognition sequence for CPEB, is essential for RNA localization to the mitotic spindle in the sea urchin embryo. Blocking this sequence results in arrested development during early cleavage stages, suggesting that RNA localization to the mitotic spindle might be a regulatory mechanism of cell division that is important for early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn M. Remsburg
- University of Delaware, Department of Biological Sciences, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Kalin D. Konrad
- University of Delaware, Department of Biological Sciences, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Jia L. Song
- University of Delaware, Department of Biological Sciences, Newark, DE 19716, USA
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8
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Charalambous C, Webster A, Schuh M. Aneuploidy in mammalian oocytes and the impact of maternal ageing. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:27-44. [PMID: 36068367 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00517-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
During fertilization, the egg and the sperm are supposed to contribute precisely one copy of each chromosome to the embryo. However, human eggs frequently contain an incorrect number of chromosomes - a condition termed aneuploidy, which is much more prevalent in eggs than in either sperm or in most somatic cells. In turn, aneuploidy in eggs is a leading cause of infertility, miscarriage and congenital syndromes. Aneuploidy arises as a consequence of aberrant meiosis during egg development from its progenitor cell, the oocyte. In human oocytes, chromosomes often segregate incorrectly. Chromosome segregation errors increase in women from their mid-thirties, leading to even higher levels of aneuploidy in eggs from women of advanced maternal age, ultimately causing age-related infertility. Here, we cover the two main areas that contribute to aneuploidy: (1) factors that influence the fidelity of chromosome segregation in eggs of women from all ages and (2) factors that change in response to reproductive ageing. Recent discoveries reveal new error-causing pathways and present a framework for therapeutic strategies to extend the span of female fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Charalambous
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexandre Webster
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Melina Schuh
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.
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9
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Ye Y, Homer HA. Two‐step nuclear centring by competing microtubule‐ and actin‐based mechanisms in 2‐cell mouse embryos. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e55251. [DOI: 10.15252/embr.202255251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yunan Ye
- The Christopher Chen Oocyte Biology Research Laboratory, Centre for Clinical Research The University of Queensland Herston QLD Australia
| | - Hayden A Homer
- The Christopher Chen Oocyte Biology Research Laboratory, Centre for Clinical Research The University of Queensland Herston QLD Australia
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10
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Contribution of cytoplasm viscoelastic properties to mitotic spindle positioning. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2115593119. [PMID: 35169074 PMCID: PMC8872784 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2115593119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The regulation of mitotic spindle positioning is a key process for tissue architecture, embryo development, and stem cells. To date, most models have assumed that spindles are positioned by forces exerted by polar cytoskeleton networks, like microtubule asters or actomyosin bundles. Here, using in situ magnetic tweezers to apply calibrated forces and torques to mitotic spindles in live dividing sea urchin cells, we found that the viscoelastic properties of the cytoplasm medium in which spindles are embedded can hold spindles in place and move them back if their original position is perturbed. These viscoelastic forces are large and may significantly participate in the force balance that position and orient mitotic spindles in many cell types. Cells are filled with macromolecules and polymer networks that set scale-dependent viscous and elastic properties to the cytoplasm. Although the role of these parameters in molecular diffusion, reaction kinetics, and cellular biochemistry is being increasingly recognized, their contributions to the motion and positioning of larger organelles, such as mitotic spindles for cell division, remain unknown. Here, using magnetic tweezers to displace and rotate mitotic spindles in living embryos, we uncovered that the cytoplasm can impart viscoelastic reactive forces that move spindles, or passive objects with similar size, back to their original positions. These forces are independent of cytoskeletal force generators yet reach hundreds of piconewtons and scale with cytoplasm crowding. Spindle motion shears and fluidizes the cytoplasm, dissipating elastic energy and limiting spindle recoils with functional implications for asymmetric and oriented divisions. These findings suggest that bulk cytoplasm material properties may constitute important control elements for the regulation of division positioning and cellular organization.
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11
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Deshpande O, Telley IA. Nuclear positioning during development: Pushing, pulling and flowing. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 120:10-21. [PMID: 34642103 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The positioning of the nucleus, the central organelle of the cell, is an active and regulated process crucially linked to cell cycle, differentiation, migration, and polarity. Alterations in positioning have been correlated with cell and tissue function deficiency and genetic or chemical manipulation of nuclear position is embryonic lethal. Nuclear positioning is a precursor for symmetric or asymmetric cell division which is accompanied by fate determination of the daughter cells. Nuclear positioning also plays a key role during early embryonic developmental stages in insects, such as Drosophila, where hundreds of nuclei divide without cytokinesis and are distributed within the large syncytial embryo at roughly regular spacing. While the cytoskeletal elements and the linker proteins to the nucleus are fairly well characterised, including some of the force generating elements driving nuclear movement, there is considerable uncertainty about the biophysical mechanism of nuclear positioning, while the field is debating different force models. In this review, we highlight the current body of knowledge, discuss cell context dependent models of nuclear positioning, and outline open questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ojas Deshpande
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC), Rua da Quinta Grande 6, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ivo A Telley
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC), Rua da Quinta Grande 6, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal.
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12
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Verlhac MH. Preventing aneuploidy: The groom must wait until the bride is ready. J Cell Biol 2021; 220:e202108030. [PMID: 34505874 PMCID: PMC8438638 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202108030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertilization often triggers the final step of haploidization of the female gamete genome. In this issue, Mori et al. (2021. J. Cell Biol.https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202012001) identify two successive actin-dependent mechanisms that delay fusion of maternal and paternal chromosomes, preventing inadvertent elimination of paternal chromosomes together with maternal ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Hélène Verlhac
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, UMR7241/U1050, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Paris, France
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13
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Ramirez I, Gholkar AA, Velasquez EF, Guo X, Tofig B, Damoiseaux R, Torres JZ. The myosin regulatory light chain Myl5 localizes to mitotic spindle poles and is required for proper cell division. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2021; 78:23-35. [PMID: 33641240 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Myosins are ATP-dependent actin-based molecular motors critical for diverse cellular processes like intracellular trafficking, cell motility, and cell invasion. During cell division, myosin MYO10 is important for proper mitotic spindle assembly, the anchoring of the spindle to the cortex, and positioning of the spindle to the cell mid-plane. However, myosins are regulated by myosin regulatory light chains (RLCs), and whether RLCs are important for cell division has remained unexplored. Here, we have determined that the previously uncharacterized myosin RLC Myl5 associates with the mitotic spindle and is required for cell division. We show that Myl5 localizes to the leading edge and filopodia during interphase and to mitotic spindle poles and spindle microtubules during early mitosis. Importantly, depletion of Myl5 led to defects in mitotic spindle assembly, chromosome congression, and chromosome segregation and to a slower transition through mitosis. Furthermore, Myl5 bound to MYO10 in vitro and co-localized with MYO10 at the spindle poles. These results suggest that Myl5 is important for cell division and that it may be performing its function through MYO10.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Ramirez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ankur A Gholkar
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Erick F Velasquez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Xiao Guo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Bobby Tofig
- California NanoSystems Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Robert Damoiseaux
- California NanoSystems Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jorge Z Torres
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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14
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Scheffler K, Uraji J, Jentoft I, Cavazza T, Mönnich E, Mogessie B, Schuh M. Two mechanisms drive pronuclear migration in mouse zygotes. Nat Commun 2021; 12:841. [PMID: 33547291 PMCID: PMC7864974 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21020-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A new life begins with the unification of the maternal and paternal chromosomes upon fertilization. The parental chromosomes first become enclosed in two separate pronuclei near the surface of the fertilized egg. The mechanisms that then move the pronuclei inwards for their unification are only poorly understood in mammals. Here, we report two mechanisms that act in concert to unite the parental genomes in fertilized mouse eggs. The male pronucleus assembles within the fertilization cone and is rapidly moved inwards by the flattening cone. Rab11a recruits the actin nucleation factors Spire and Formin-2 into the fertilization cone, where they locally nucleate actin and further accelerate the pronucleus inwards. In parallel, a dynamic network of microtubules assembles that slowly moves the male and female pronuclei towards the cell centre in a dynein-dependent manner. Both mechanisms are partially redundant and act in concert to unite the parental pronuclei in the zygote's centre.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Scheffler
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Julia Uraji
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ida Jentoft
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tommaso Cavazza
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eike Mönnich
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Melina Schuh
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany.
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15
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Razbin M, Mashaghi A. Elasticity of connected semiflexible quadrilaterals. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:102-112. [PMID: 33150925 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01719a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Using the positional-orientational propagator of a semiflexible filament in the weakly bending regime, we analytically calculate the probability densities associated with the fluctuating tip and the corners of a grafted system of connected quadrilaterals. We calculate closed analytic expressions for the probability densities within the framework of the worm-like chain model, which are valid in the weakly bending regime. The probability densities give the physical quantities related to the elasticity of the system such as the force-extension relation in the fixed extension ensemble, the Poisson's ratio and the average of the force exerted to a confining stiff planar wall by the fluctuating tip of the system. Our analysis reveals that the force-extension relations depend on the contour length of the system (material content), the bending stiffness (chemical nature), the geometrical angle and the number of the quadrilaterals, while the Poisson's ratio depends only on the geometrical angle and the number of the quadrilaterals, and is thus a purely geometric property of the system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadhosein Razbin
- Department of Energy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology, 14588 Tehran, Iran.
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16
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Jo YJ, Kwon J, Jin ZL, Namgoong S, Kwon T, Yoon SB, Lee DH, Kim JS, Kim NH. WHAMM is essential for spindle formation and spindle actin polymerization in maturing mouse oocytes. Cell Cycle 2021; 20:225-235. [PMID: 33397186 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2020.1867791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
WHAMM (WAS Protein Homolog Associated with Actin, Golgi Membranes, and Microtubules) is involved in Golgi membrane association, microtubule binding, and actin nucleation as a nucleation-promoting factor, which activates the actin-related protein 2/3 complex (the Arp2/3 complex). However, the role of WHAMM in mammalian oocyte maturation is poorly understood. The presence of WHAMM mRNA and protein during all stages of mouse oocyte maturation has been verified. It is mainly co-localized with the actin cage permeating the spindle during mouse oocyte maturation. Through the knockdown of WHAMM, we confirmed that it regulates spindle formation and affects the localization of the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) during the early stages of spindle formation. Moreover, depletion of WHAMM impaired the formation of the spindle actin and chromosome alignment, which might be the cause of chromosomal aneuploidy and abnormal, asymmetric division. Treatment with brefeldin A (BFA), an inhibitor of vesicle transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi apparatus, induced abnormal and dispersed localization of WHAMM. Taken together, these findings show that WHAMM is an essential component of the actin cytoskeleton machinery and plays a crucial role in oocyte maturation, presumably by controlling the formation of spindles with normal length by activating the formation of the spindle actin via the Arp2/3 complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jin Jo
- Primate Resources Center (PRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) , Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea.,Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University , Cheong-Ju, Chungcheongbuk-Do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongwoo Kwon
- Primate Resources Center (PRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) , Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea.,Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University , Cheong-Ju, Chungcheongbuk-Do, Republic of Korea
| | - Zhe-Long Jin
- Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University , Cheong-Ju, Chungcheongbuk-Do, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk Namgoong
- Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University , Cheong-Ju, Chungcheongbuk-Do, Republic of Korea
| | - Taeho Kwon
- Primate Resources Center (PRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) , Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Bin Yoon
- Primate Resources Center (PRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) , Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Ho Lee
- Primate Resources Center (PRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) , Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Su Kim
- Primate Resources Center (PRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) , Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Nam-Hyung Kim
- Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University , Cheong-Ju, Chungcheongbuk-Do, Republic of Korea
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17
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Pal D, Ellis A, Sepúlveda-Ramírez SP, Salgado T, Terrazas I, Reyes G, De La Rosa R, Henson JH, Shuster CB. Rac and Arp2/3-Nucleated Actin Networks Antagonize Rho During Mitotic and Meiotic Cleavages. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:591141. [PMID: 33282870 PMCID: PMC7705106 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.591141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
In motile cells, the activities of the different Rho family GTPases are spatially segregated within the cell, and during cytokinesis there is evidence that this may also be the case. But while Rho’s role as the central organizer for contractile ring assembly is well established, the role of Rac and the branched actin networks it promotes is less well understood. To characterize the contributions of these proteins during cytokinesis, we manipulated Rac and Arp2/3 activity during mitosis and meiosis in sea urchin embryos and sea star oocytes. While neither Rac nor Arp2/3 were essential for early embryonic divisions, loss of either Rac or Arp2/3 activity resulted in polar body defects. Expression of activated Rac resulted in cytokinesis failure as early as the first division, and in oocytes, activated Rac suppressed both the Rho wave that traverses the oocyte prior to polar body extrusion as well as polar body formation itself. However, the inhibitory effect of Rac on cytokinesis, polar body formation and the Rho wave could be suppressed by effector-binding mutations or direct inhibition of Arp2/3. Together, these results suggest that Rac- and Arp2/3 mediated actin networks may directly antagonize Rho signaling, thus providing a potential mechanism to explain why Arp2/3-nucleated branched actin networks must be suppressed at the cell equator for successful cytokinesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debadrita Pal
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Andrea Ellis
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | | | - Torey Salgado
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Isabella Terrazas
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Gabriela Reyes
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Richard De La Rosa
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - John H Henson
- Department of Biology, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA, United States
| | - Charles B Shuster
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
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18
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Duch M, Torras N, Asami M, Suzuki T, Arjona MI, Gómez-Martínez R, VerMilyea MD, Castilla R, Plaza JA, Perry ACF. Tracking intracellular forces and mechanical property changes in mouse one-cell embryo development. NATURE MATERIALS 2020; 19:1114-1123. [PMID: 32451513 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-020-0685-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Cells comprise mechanically active matter that governs their functionality, but intracellular mechanics are difficult to study directly and are poorly understood. However, injected nanodevices open up opportunities to analyse intracellular mechanobiology. Here, we identify a programme of forces and changes to the cytoplasmic mechanical properties required for mouse embryo development from fertilization to the first cell division. Injected, fully internalized nanodevices responded to sperm decondensation and recondensation, and subsequent device behaviour suggested a model for pronuclear convergence based on a gradient of effective cytoplasmic stiffness. The nanodevices reported reduced cytoplasmic mechanical activity during chromosome alignment and indicated that cytoplasmic stiffening occurred during embryo elongation, followed by rapid cytoplasmic softening during cytokinesis (cell division). Forces greater than those inside muscle cells were detected within embryos. These results suggest that intracellular forces are part of a concerted programme that is necessary for development at the origin of a new embryonic life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Duch
- Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Esfera UAB, Campus UAB, Cerdanyola, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Torras
- Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Esfera UAB, Campus UAB, Cerdanyola, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomimetic Systems for Cell Engineering, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maki Asami
- Laboratory of Mammalian Molecular Embryology, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Toru Suzuki
- Laboratory of Mammalian Molecular Embryology, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - María Isabel Arjona
- Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Esfera UAB, Campus UAB, Cerdanyola, Barcelona, Spain
- Departamento de Electrónica y Tecnología de Computadores, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Rodrigo Gómez-Martínez
- Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Esfera UAB, Campus UAB, Cerdanyola, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Robert Castilla
- LABSON - Department of Fluid Mechanics, ESEIAAT-Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Terrassa, Spain
| | - José Antonio Plaza
- Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Esfera UAB, Campus UAB, Cerdanyola, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Anthony C F Perry
- Laboratory of Mammalian Molecular Embryology, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
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19
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Ferrer-Vaquer A, Barragán M, Rodríguez A, Vassena R. Altered cytoplasmic maturation in rescued in vitro matured oocytes. Hum Reprod 2020; 34:1095-1105. [PMID: 31119269 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dez052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Do culture conditions affect cytoplasmic maturation in denuded immature non-GV oocytes? SUMMARY ANSWER The maturation rate of denuded non-GV oocytes is not affected by culture media, but in vitro maturation seems to alter the mitochondrial membrane potential, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and actin cytoskeleton compared with in vivo maturation. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY In vitro maturation of denuded immature non-GV oocytes benefits cycles with poor in vivo MII oocyte collection, but maturation levels of non-GV oocytes are only scored by polar body extrusion. Since oocyte maturation involves nuclear as well as cytoplasmic maturation for full meiotic competence, further knowledge is needed about cytoplasmic maturation in in vitro culture. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This basic research study was carried out between January 2017 and September 2018. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS A total of 339 denuded immature non-GV oocytes were cultured in SAGE 1-Step (177) or G-2 PLUS (162) for 6-8 h after retrieval, and 72 in vivo matured MII oocytes were used as controls. Cultured immature non-GV oocytes were scored for polar body extrusion and analysed for mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), ER clusters, cortical granules number and distribution, spindle morphology and actin cytoskeleton organization. The obtained parameter values were compared to in vivo matured MII oocyte parameter values. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The maturation rates of oocytes cultured in G-2 PLUS and SAGE 1-Step were similar (65% vs 64.2%; P = 0.91). The differences observed in cortical granule density were not statistically significant. Also spindle morphometric parameters were mostly similar between in vitro and in vivo matured MII oocytes. However, the number of ER clusters, the ΔΨm and the cortical actin thickness showed significant differences between in vivo MII oocytes and denuded immature non-GV oocytes cultured in vitro until meiosis completion. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Frozen-thawed oocytes together with fresh oocytes were used as controls. Due to technical limitations (fixation method and fluorochrome overlap), only one or two parameters could be studied per oocyte. Thus, a global view of the maturation status for each individual oocyte could not be obtained. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Characterization of in vitro matured oocytes at the cellular level will help us to understand the differences observed in the clinical outcomes reported with rescue IVM compared to in vivo MII oocytes and to improve the culture methods applied. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported by intramural funding of Clinica Eugin and by the Torres Quevedo Program to A.F.-V. from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. No competing interests are declared.
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20
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Artificially decreasing cortical tension generates aneuploidy in mouse oocytes. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1649. [PMID: 32245998 PMCID: PMC7125192 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15470-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Human and mouse oocytes’ developmental potential can be predicted by their mechanical properties. Their development into blastocysts requires a specific stiffness window. In this study, we combine live-cell and computational imaging, laser ablation, and biophysical measurements to investigate how deregulation of cortex tension in the oocyte contributes to early developmental failure. We focus on extra-soft cells, the most common defect in a natural population. Using two independent tools to artificially decrease cortical tension, we show that chromosome alignment is impaired in extra-soft mouse oocytes, despite normal spindle morphogenesis and dynamics, inducing aneuploidy. The main cause is a cytoplasmic increase in myosin-II activity that could sterically hinder chromosome capture. We describe here an original mode of generation of aneuploidies that could be very common in oocytes and could contribute to the high aneuploidy rate observed during female meiosis, a leading cause of infertility and congenital disorders. The developmental potential of human and murine oocytes is predicted by their mechanical properties. Here the authors show that artificial reduction of cortex tension produces aneuploid mouse oocytes and speculate that this may contribute to the high aneuploidy rate typical of female meiosis.
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21
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Rizzelli F, Malabarba MG, Sigismund S, Mapelli M. The crosstalk between microtubules, actin and membranes shapes cell division. Open Biol 2020; 10:190314. [PMID: 32183618 PMCID: PMC7125961 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.190314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitotic progression is orchestrated by morphological and mechanical changes promoted by the coordinated activities of the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton, the actin cytoskeleton and the plasma membrane (PM). MTs assemble the mitotic spindle, which assists sister chromatid separation, and contact the rigid and tensile actomyosin cortex rounded-up underneath the PM. Here, we highlight the dynamic crosstalk between MTs, actin and cell membranes during mitosis, and discuss the molecular connections between them. We also summarize recent views on how MT traction forces, the actomyosin cortex and membrane trafficking contribute to spindle positioning in isolated cells in culture and in epithelial sheets. Finally, we describe the emerging role of membrane trafficking in synchronizing actomyosin tension and cell shape changes with cell–substrate adhesion, cell–cell contacts and extracellular signalling events regulating proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Grazia Malabarba
- IEO, Istituto Europeo di Oncologia IRCCS, Milan, Italy.,Dipartimento di Oncologia ed Emato-oncologia, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Sigismund
- IEO, Istituto Europeo di Oncologia IRCCS, Milan, Italy.,Dipartimento di Oncologia ed Emato-oncologia, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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22
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Spatio-temporal expression of ANK2 promotes cytokinesis in oocytes. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13121. [PMID: 31511568 PMCID: PMC6739377 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49483-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In the absence of transcription, the regulation of gene expression in oocytes is controlled almost exclusively at the level of transcriptome and proteome stabilization, and translation. A subset of maternal transcripts is stored in a translationally dormant state in the oocyte, and temporally driven translation of specific mRNAs propel meiotic progression, oocyte-to-embryo transition and early embryo development. We identified Ank2.3 as the only transcript variant present in the mouse oocyte and discovered that it is translated after nuclear envelope breakdown. Here we show that Ank2.3 mRNA is localized in higher concentration in the oocyte nucleoplasm and, after nuclear envelope breakdown, in the newly forming spindle where its translation occurs. Furthermore, we reveal that Ank2.3 mRNA contains an oligo-pyrimidine motif at 5'UTR that predetermines its translation through a cap-dependent pathway. Lastly, we show that prevention of ANK2 translation leads to abnormalities in oocyte cytokinesis.
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23
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Farina F, Ramkumar N, Brown L, Samandar Eweis D, Anstatt J, Waring T, Bithell J, Scita G, Thery M, Blanchoin L, Zech T, Baum B. Local actin nucleation tunes centrosomal microtubule nucleation during passage through mitosis. EMBO J 2019; 38:e99843. [PMID: 31015335 PMCID: PMC6545563 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201899843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells going through mitosis undergo precisely timed changes in cell shape and organisation, which serve to ensure the fair partitioning of cellular components into the two daughter cells. These structural changes are driven by changes in actin filament and microtubule dynamics and organisation. While most evidence suggests that the two cytoskeletal systems are remodelled in parallel during mitosis, recent work in interphase cells has implicated the centrosome in both microtubule and actin nucleation, suggesting the potential for regulatory crosstalk between the two systems. Here, by using both in vitro and in vivo assays to study centrosomal actin nucleation as cells pass through mitosis, we show that mitotic exit is accompanied by a burst in cytoplasmic actin filament formation that depends on WASH and the Arp2/3 complex. This leads to the accumulation of actin around centrosomes as cells enter anaphase and to a corresponding reduction in the density of centrosomal microtubules. Taken together, these data suggest that the mitotic regulation of centrosomal WASH and the Arp2/3 complex controls local actin nucleation, which may function to tune the levels of centrosomal microtubules during passage through mitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Farina
- MRC-LMCB, UCL, London, UK
- IPLS, UCL, London, UK
- IFOM, the FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- University of Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Louise Brown
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Cellular and Molecular Physiology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | | | - Thomas Waring
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Cellular and Molecular Physiology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Jessica Bithell
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Cellular and Molecular Physiology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Giorgio Scita
- IFOM, the FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Tobias Zech
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Cellular and Molecular Physiology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Buzz Baum
- MRC-LMCB, UCL, London, UK
- IPLS, UCL, London, UK
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24
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Kiyomitsu T. The cortical force-generating machinery: how cortical spindle-pulling forces are generated. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2019; 60:1-8. [PMID: 30954860 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The cortical force-generating machinery pulls on dynamic plus-ends of astral microtubules to control spindle position and orientation, which underlie division type specification and cellular patterning in many eukaryotic cells. A prior work identified cytoplasmic dynein, a minus-end directed microtubule motor, as a key conserved unit of the cortical force-generating machinery. Here, I summarize recent structural, biophysical, and cell-biological studies that advance our understanding of how dynein is activated and organized at the mitotic cell cortex to generate functional spindle-pulling forces. In addition, I introduce recent findings of dynein-independent or parallel mechanisms for achieving oriented cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Kiyomitsu
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan.
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25
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Abstract
The early development of embryos is a widely studied process. Fertilization is the consequence of the fusion of two haploid gametes, the oocyte and the sperm. In mammals, such as human and mouse, this occurs in the female genital tracks. However, imaging in utero is still very limited, which prompts the use of extra utero techniques. In particular, in vitro fertilization provides a quick and simple way to study the very early steps of mouse embryo development. Here, I describe a simple and hands-on protocol to perform in vitro fertilization using the mouse as a model system.
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26
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Schneider I, Ellenberg J. Mysteries in embryonic development: How can errors arise so frequently at the beginning of mammalian life? PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000173. [PMID: 30840627 PMCID: PMC6422315 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromosome segregation errors occur frequently during female meiosis but also in the first mitoses of mammalian preimplantation development. Such errors can lead to aneuploidy, spontaneous abortions, and birth defects. Some of the mechanisms underlying these errors in meiosis have been deciphered but which mechanisms could cause chromosome missegregation in the first embryonic cleavage divisions is mostly a “mystery”. In this article, we describe the starting conditions and challenges of these preimplantation divisions, which might impair faithful chromosome segregation. We also highlight the pending research to provide detailed insight into the mechanisms and regulation of preimplantation mitoses. Starting a new life is a challenging business. This Essay explores the changes at the oocyte-to-embryo transition to highlight the circumstances under which the very first and decisive — but ‘mysteriously’ error-prone — mitotic divisions occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabell Schneider
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
- Candidate for joint PhD degree between EMBL and Heidelberg University, Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan Ellenberg
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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27
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Fatema U, Ali MF, Hu Z, Clark AJ, Kawashima T. Gamete Nuclear Migration in Animals and Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:517. [PMID: 31068960 PMCID: PMC6491811 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The migration of male and female gamete nuclei to each other in the fertilized egg is a prerequisite for the blending of genetic materials and the initiation of the next generation. Interestingly, many differences have been found in the mechanism of gamete nuclear movement among animals and plants. Female to male gamete nuclear movement in animals and brown algae relies on microtubules. By contrast, in flowering plants, the male gamete nucleus is carried to the female gamete nucleus by the filamentous actin cytoskeleton. As techniques have developed from light, electron, fluorescence, immunofluorescence, and confocal microscopy to live-cell time-lapse imaging using fluorescently labeled proteins, details of these differences in gamete nuclear migration have emerged in a wide range of eukaryotes. Especially, gamete nuclear migration in flowering plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, rice, maize, and tobacco has been further investigated, and showed high conservation of the mechanism, yet, with differences among these species. Here, with an emphasis on recent developments in flowering plants, we survey gamete nuclear migration in different eukaryotic groups and highlight the differences and similarities among species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umma Fatema
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Mohammad F. Ali
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Zheng Hu
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
- The Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Anthony J. Clark
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Tomokazu Kawashima
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
- *Correspondence: Tomokazu Kawashima,
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28
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Jo YJ, Lee IW, Jung SM, Kwon J, Kim NH, Namgoong S. Spire localization via zinc finger-containing domain is crucial for the asymmetric division of mouse oocyte. FASEB J 2018; 33:4432-4447. [PMID: 30557038 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201801905r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Zinc plays an essential role in mammalian oocyte maturation, fertilization, and early embryogenesis, and depletion of zinc impairs cell cycle control, asymmetric division, and cytokinesis in oocyte. We report that zinc, via the actin nucleator Spire, acts as an essential regulator of the actin cytoskeleton remodeling during mouse oocyte maturation and fertilization. Depletion of zinc in the mouse oocyte impaired cortical and cytoplasmic actin formation. Spire is colocalized with zinc-containing vesicles via its zinc finger-containing Fab1, YOTB, Vac 1, EEA1 (FYVE) domain. Improper localization of Spire by zinc depletion or mutations in the FYVE domain impair cytoplasmic actin mesh formations and asymmetric division and cytokinesis of oocyte. All 3 major domains of the Spire are required for its proper localization and activity. After fertilization or parthenogenetic activation, Spire localization was dramatically altered following zinc release from the oocyte. Collectively, our data reveal novel roles for zinc in the regulation of the actin nucleator Spire by controlling its localization in mammalian oocyte.-Jo, Y.-J., Lee, I.-W., Jung, S.-M., Kwon, J., Kim, N.-H., Namgoong, S. Spire localization via zinc finger-containing domain is crucial for the asymmetric division of mouse oocyte.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jin Jo
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, North Chungcheong, South Korea
| | - In-Won Lee
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, North Chungcheong, South Korea
| | - Seung-Min Jung
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, North Chungcheong, South Korea
| | - JeongWoo Kwon
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, North Chungcheong, South Korea
| | - Nam-Hyung Kim
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, North Chungcheong, South Korea
| | - Suk Namgoong
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, North Chungcheong, South Korea
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29
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Uraji J, Scheffler K, Schuh M. Functions of actin in mouse oocytes at a glance. J Cell Sci 2018; 131:131/22/jcs218099. [PMID: 30467138 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.218099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Gametes undergo a specialized and reductional cell division termed meiosis. Female gametes (oocytes) undergo two rounds of meiosis; the first meiotic division produces the fertilizable egg, while the second meiotic division occurs upon fertilization. Both meiotic divisions are highly asymmetric, producing a large egg and small polar bodies. Actin takes over various essential function during oocyte meiosis, many of which commonly rely on microtubules in mitotic cells. Specifically, the actin network has been linked to long-range vesicle transport, nuclear positioning, spindle migration and anchorage, polar body extrusion and accurate chromosome segregation in mammalian oocytes. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we summarize the many functions of the actin cytoskeleton in oocytes, with a focus on findings from the mouse model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Uraji
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kathleen Scheffler
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Melina Schuh
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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Abstract
Fertilizable eggs develop from diploid precursor cells termed oocytes. Once every menstrual cycle, an oocyte matures into a fertilizable egg in the ovary. To this end, the oocyte eliminates half of its chromosomes into a small cell termed a polar body. The egg is then released into the Fallopian tube, where it can be fertilized. Upon fertilization, the egg completes the second meiotic division, and the mitotic division of the embryo starts. This review highlights recent work that has shed light on the cytoskeletal structures that drive the meiotic divisions of the oocyte in mammals. In particular, we focus on how mammalian oocytes assemble a microtubule spindle in the absence of centrosomes, how they position the spindle in preparation for polar body extrusion, and how the spindle segregates the chromosomes. We primarily focus on mouse oocytes as a model system but also highlight recent insights from human oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binyam Mogessie
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
- Current affiliation: School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - Kathleen Scheffler
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Melina Schuh
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
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31
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Almonacid M, Terret ME, Verlhac MH. Control of nucleus positioning in mouse oocytes. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 82:34-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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32
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Al Jord A, Verlhac MH. Spindle Assembly: Two Spindles for Two Genomes in a Mammalian Zygote. Curr Biol 2018; 28:R948-R951. [PMID: 30205069 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.07.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
A single bipolar spindle was thought to form around both parental genomes in zygotes initiating the first division. A recent study challenges this predominant view by showing that two independent spindles assemble to prevent parental genome mixing in mouse zygotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adel Al Jord
- CIRB, Collège de France, and CNRS-UMR7241 and INSERM-U1050, Equipe Labellisée FRM, Paris F-75005, France.
| | - Marie-Hélène Verlhac
- CIRB, Collège de France, and CNRS-UMR7241 and INSERM-U1050, Equipe Labellisée FRM, Paris F-75005, France
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33
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Colin A, Singaravelu P, Théry M, Blanchoin L, Gueroui Z. Actin-Network Architecture Regulates Microtubule Dynamics. Curr Biol 2018; 28:2647-2656.e4. [PMID: 30100343 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Coordination between actin filaments and microtubules is critical to complete important steps during cell division. For instance, cytoplasmic actin filament dynamics play an active role in the off-center positioning of the spindle during metaphase I in mouse oocytes [1-3] or in gathering the chromosomes to ensure proper spindle formation in starfish oocytes [4, 5], whereas cortical actin filaments control spindle rotation and positioning in adherent cells or in mouse oocytes [6-9]. Several molecular effectors have been found to facilitate anchoring between the meiotic spindle and the cortical actin [10-14]. In vitro reconstitutions have provided detailed insights in the biochemical and physical interactions between microtubules and actin filaments [15-20]. Yet how actin meshwork architecture affects microtubule dynamics is still unclear. Here, we reconstituted microtubule aster in the presence of a meshwork of actin filaments using confined actin-intact Xenopus egg extracts. We found that actin filament branching reduces the lengths and growth rates of microtubules and constrains the mobility of microtubule asters. By reconstituting the interaction between dynamic actin filaments and microtubules in a minimal system based on purified proteins, we found that the branching of actin filaments is sufficient to block microtubule growth and trigger microtubule disassembly. In a further exploration of Xenopus egg extracts, we found that dense and static branched actin meshwork perturbs monopolar spindle assembly by constraining the motion of the spindle pole. Interestingly, monopolar spindle assembly was not constrained in conditions supporting dynamic meshwork rearrangements. We propose that branched actin filament meshwork provides physical barriers that limit microtubule growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Colin
- PASTEUR, Department of Chemistry, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Pavithra Singaravelu
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, CNRS, INRA, Biosciences & Biotechnology Institute of Grenoble, Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire & Végétale, CytoMorpho Lab, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble, France
| | - Manuel Théry
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, CNRS, INRA, Biosciences & Biotechnology Institute of Grenoble, Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire & Végétale, CytoMorpho Lab, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble, France; Université Paris Diderot, INSERM, CEA, Hôpital Saint Louis, Institut Universitaire d'Hematologie, UMRS1160, CytoMorpho Lab, 1 Avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75010 Paris, France
| | - Laurent Blanchoin
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, CNRS, INRA, Biosciences & Biotechnology Institute of Grenoble, Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire & Végétale, CytoMorpho Lab, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble, France; Université Paris Diderot, INSERM, CEA, Hôpital Saint Louis, Institut Universitaire d'Hematologie, UMRS1160, CytoMorpho Lab, 1 Avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75010 Paris, France.
| | - Zoher Gueroui
- PASTEUR, Department of Chemistry, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France.
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34
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White MD, Zenker J, Bissiere S, Plachta N. Instructions for Assembling the Early Mammalian Embryo. Dev Cell 2018; 45:667-679. [DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2017] [Revised: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Haupt A, Minc N. How cells sense their own shape - mechanisms to probe cell geometry and their implications in cellular organization and function. J Cell Sci 2018; 131:131/6/jcs214015. [PMID: 29581183 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.214015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells come in a variety of shapes that most often underlie their functions. Regulation of cell morphogenesis implies that there are mechanisms for shape sensing that still remain poorly appreciated. Global and local cell geometry features, such as aspect ratio, size or membrane curvature, may be probed by intracellular modules, such as the cytoskeleton, reaction-diffusion systems or molecular complexes. In multicellular tissues, cell shape emerges as an important means to transduce tissue-inherent chemical and mechanical cues into intracellular organization. One emergent paradigm is that cell-shape sensing is most often based upon mechanisms of self-organization, rather than determinism. Here, we review relevant work that has elucidated some of the core principles of how cellular geometry may be conveyed into spatial information to guide processes, such as polarity, signaling, morphogenesis and division-plane positioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armin Haupt
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS UMR7592 and Université Paris Diderot, 15 rue Hélène Brion, 75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Nicolas Minc
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS UMR7592 and Université Paris Diderot, 15 rue Hélène Brion, 75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
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36
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White MD, Zhao ZW, Plachta N. In Vivo Imaging of Single Mammalian Cells in Development and Disease. Trends Mol Med 2018; 24:278-293. [PMID: 29439932 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Live imaging has transformed biomedical sciences by enabling visualization and analysis of dynamic cellular processes as they occur in their native contexts. Here, we review key recent efforts applying in vivo optical imaging with single-cell resolution to mammalian systems ranging from embryos to adult tissues and organs. We highlight insights into active processes regulating cell fate and morphogenesis during embryonic development, how neuronal circuitry and non-neuronal cell types contribute to neurological functions, and how novel imaging-based approaches enable the dissection of neurological disorders and cancer with high spatio-temporal resolution. The convergence of technical advancements in accessing, visualizing, and manipulating individual cells provides an unprecedented lens to probe mammalian cellular dynamics in vivo in both physiological and pathological states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie D White
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore; These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Ziqing W Zhao
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore; These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Nicolas Plachta
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore.
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37
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Bennabi I, Quéguiner I, Kolano A, Boudier T, Mailly P, Verlhac MH, Terret ME. Shifting meiotic to mitotic spindle assembly in oocytes disrupts chromosome alignment. EMBO Rep 2018; 19:368-381. [PMID: 29330318 PMCID: PMC5797964 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201745225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitotic spindles assemble from two centrosomes, which are major microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) that contain centrioles. Meiotic spindles in oocytes, however, lack centrioles. In mouse oocytes, spindle microtubules are nucleated from multiple acentriolar MTOCs that are sorted and clustered prior to completion of spindle assembly in an "inside-out" mechanism, ending with establishment of the poles. We used HSET (kinesin-14) as a tool to shift meiotic spindle assembly toward a mitotic "outside-in" mode and analyzed the consequences on the fidelity of the division. We show that HSET levels must be tightly gated in meiosis I and that even slight overexpression of HSET forces spindle morphogenesis to become more mitotic-like: rapid spindle bipolarization and pole assembly coupled with focused poles. The unusual length of meiosis I is not sufficient to correct these early spindle morphogenesis defects, resulting in severe chromosome alignment abnormalities. Thus, the unique "inside-out" mechanism of meiotic spindle assembly is essential to prevent chromosomal misalignment and production of aneuploidy gametes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isma Bennabi
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB) College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Equipe labellisée FRM, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Quéguiner
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB) College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Equipe labellisée FRM, Paris, France
| | - Agnieszka Kolano
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Thomas Boudier
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Mailly
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB) College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Equipe labellisée FRM, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Hélène Verlhac
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB) College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Equipe labellisée FRM, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Emilie Terret
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB) College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Equipe labellisée FRM, Paris, France
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38
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Abstract
Just as it is important to understand the cell biology of signaling pathways, it is valuable also to understand mechanical forces in cells. The field of mechanobiology has a rich history, including study of cellular mechanics during mitosis and meiosis in echinoderm oocytes and zygotes dating back to the 1930s. This chapter addresses the use of micropipette aspiration (MPA) to assess cellular mechanics, specifically cortical tension, in mammalian oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice P Evans
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Douglas N Robinson
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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39
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Greenfield A, Braude P, Flinter F, Lovell-Badge R, Ogilvie C, Perry ACF. Assisted reproductive technologies to prevent human mitochondrial disease transmission. Nat Biotechnol 2017; 35:1059-1068. [PMID: 29121011 DOI: 10.1038/nbt.3997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondria are essential cytoplasmic organelles that generate energy (ATP) by oxidative phosphorylation and mediate key cellular processes such as apoptosis. They are maternally inherited and in humans contain a 16,569-base-pair circular genome (mtDNA) encoding 37 genes required for oxidative phosphorylation. Mutations in mtDNA cause a range of pathologies, commonly affecting energy-demanding tissues such as muscle and brain. Because mitochondrial diseases are incurable, attention has focused on limiting the inheritance of pathogenic mtDNA by mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT). MRT aims to avoid pathogenic mtDNA transmission between generations by maternal spindle transfer, pronuclear transfer or polar body transfer: all involve the transfer of nuclear DNA from an egg or zygote containing defective mitochondria to a corresponding egg or zygote with normal mitochondria. Here we review recent developments in animal and human models of MRT and the underlying biology. These have led to potential clinical applications; we identify challenges to their technical refinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Greenfield
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Peter Braude
- Division of Women's Health, King's College, London, UK
| | - Frances Flinter
- Clinical Genetics Department, Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London, UK
| | | | - Caroline Ogilvie
- Genetics Department, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and Division of Women's Health, King's College, London, UK
| | - Anthony C F Perry
- Laboratory of Mammalian Molecular Embryology, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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40
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Nair R, Manikkath J, Hegde AR, Mutalik S, Kalthur G, Adiga SK. Liposome-encapsulated diacyl glycerol and inositol triphosphate-induced delayed oocyte activation and poor development of parthenotes. J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc 2017; 18:102-109. [PMID: 28890423 PMCID: PMC5590204 DOI: 10.4274/jtgga.2017.0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: To explore the ability of diacyl glycerol (DAG) and inositol triphosphate (IP3), two major secondary messengers in the calcium signaling pathway, in activating oocytes. Material and Methods: Oocyte cumulus complex obtained from superovulated Swiss albino mice were incubated in M16 medium with liposome-encapsulated 1,2-Dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol (LEDAG) and/or IP3 for 3 h. Strontium chloride was used as positive control. The activation potential, ploidy status, and blastocyst rate was calculated. Results: Both DAG and IP3, individually, induced activation in ~98% of oocytes, which was significantly higher (p<0.01) than activation induced by strontium chloride (60%). Delayed pronucleus formation and a higher percentage of diploid parthenotes was observed in oocytes activated with LEDAG and/or IP3. However, these embryos failed to progress beyond the 6-8–cell stage. Only when the medium was supplemented with LEDAG (5 μg/mL) and IP3 (10 μg/mL) could activated oocytes progress till the blastocyst stage (5.26%), which was lower than the blastocyst rate in the positive controls (13.91%). Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that DAG and IP3 can induce delayed oocyte activation and poor development of parthenotes in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramya Nair
- Department of Clinical Embryology, Central Research Lab, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India
| | - Jyothsna Manikkath
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal University, Manipal, India
| | - Aswathi R Hegde
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal University, Manipal, India
| | - Srinivas Mutalik
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal University, Manipal, India
| | - Guruprasad Kalthur
- Department of Clinical Embryology, Central Research Lab, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India
| | - Satish Kumar Adiga
- Department of Clinical Embryology, Central Research Lab, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India
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41
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Gao Z, Zhang X, Yu X, Qin D, Xiao Y, Yu Y, Xiang Y, Nie X, Lu X, Liu W, Yi Z, Li L. Zbed3 participates in the subcortical maternal complex and regulates the distribution of organelles. J Mol Cell Biol 2017; 10:74-88. [DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjx035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xingjiang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dandan Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yunlong Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoqing Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xukun Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenbo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaohong Yi
- Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (North) of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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42
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Dudka D, Meraldi P. Symmetry Does not Come for Free: Cellular Mechanisms to Achieve a Symmetric Cell Division. Results Probl Cell Differ 2017; 61:301-321. [PMID: 28409311 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-53150-2_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
During mitosis cells can divide symmetrically to proliferate or asymmetrically to generate tissue diversity. While the mechanisms that ensure asymmetric cell division have been extensively studied, it is often assumed that a symmetric cell division is the default outcome of mitosis. Recent studies, however, imply that the symmetric nature of cell division is actively controlled, as they reveal numerous mechanisms that ensure the formation of equal-sized daughter cells as cells progress through cell division. Here we review our current knowledge of these mechanisms and highlight possible key questions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian Dudka
- Medical Faculty, Department of Physiology and Metabolism, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Meraldi
- Medical Faculty, Department of Physiology and Metabolism, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva 4, Switzerland.
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43
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Chaigne A, Terret ME, Verlhac MH. Asymmetries and Symmetries in the Mouse Oocyte and Zygote. Results Probl Cell Differ 2017; 61:285-299. [PMID: 28409310 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-53150-2_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian oocytes grow periodically after puberty thanks to the dialogue with their niche in the follicle. This communication between somatic and germ cells promotes the accumulation, inside the oocyte, of maternal RNAs, proteins and other molecules that will sustain the two gamete divisions and early embryo development up to its implantation. In order to preserve their stock of maternal products, oocytes from all species divide twice minimizing the volume of their daughter cells to their own benefit. For this, they undergo asymmetric divisions in size where one main objective is to locate the division spindle with its chromosomes off-centred. In this chapter, we will review how this main objective is reached with an emphasis on the role of actin microfilaments in this process in mouse oocytes, the most studied example in mammals. This chapter is subdivided into three parts: I-General features of asymmetric divisions in mouse oocytes, II-Mechanism of chromosome positioning by actin in mouse oocytes and III-Switch from asymmetric to symmetric division at the oocyte-to-embryo transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Chaigne
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, UCL, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.,Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, UCL, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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44
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Mice produced by mitotic reprogramming of sperm injected into haploid parthenogenotes. Nat Commun 2016; 7:12676. [PMID: 27623537 PMCID: PMC5027272 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Sperm are highly differentiated and the activities that reprogram them for embryonic development during fertilization have historically been considered unique to the oocyte. We here challenge this view and demonstrate that mouse embryos in the mitotic cell cycle can also directly reprogram sperm for full-term development. Developmentally incompetent haploid embryos (parthenogenotes) injected with sperm developed to produce healthy offspring at up to 24% of control rates, depending when in the embryonic cell cycle injection took place. This implies that most of the first embryonic cell cycle can be bypassed in sperm genome reprogramming for full development. Remodelling of histones and genomic 5′-methylcytosine and 5′-hydroxymethylcytosine following embryo injection were distinct from remodelling in fertilization and the resulting 2-cell embryos consistently possessed abnormal transcriptomes. These studies demonstrate plasticity in the reprogramming of terminally differentiated sperm nuclei and suggest that different epigenetic pathways or kinetics can establish totipotency. It is unclear what regulates gamete reprogramming competence. Here, the authors inject sperm into parthenogenetic embryos, generating viable offspring and show that mouse embryos in the mitotic cell cycle can reprogram sperm for full term development.
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45
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The Candida albicans fimbrin Sac6 regulates oxidative stress response (OSR) and morphogenesis at the transcriptional level. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2016; 1863:2255-66. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2016.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Revised: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Bury L, Coelho PA, Glover DM. From Meiosis to Mitosis: The Astonishing Flexibility of Cell Division Mechanisms in Early Mammalian Development. Curr Top Dev Biol 2016; 120:125-71. [PMID: 27475851 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2016.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The execution of female meiosis and the establishment of the zygote is arguably the most critical stage of mammalian development. The egg can be arrested in the prophase of meiosis I for decades, and when it is activated, the spindle is assembled de novo. This spindle must function with the highest of fidelity and yet its assembly is unusually achieved in the absence of conventional centrosomes and with minimal influence of chromatin. Moreover, its dramatic asymmetric positioning is achieved through remarkable properties of the actin cytoskeleton to ensure elimination of the polar bodies. The second meiotic arrest marks a uniquely prolonged metaphase eventually interrupted by egg activation at fertilization to complete meiosis and mark a period of preparation of the male and female pronuclear genomes not only for their entry into the mitotic cleavage divisions but also for the imminent prospect of their zygotic expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Bury
- University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - P A Coelho
- University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - D M Glover
- University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Namgoong S, Kim NH. Roles of actin binding proteins in mammalian oocyte maturation and beyond. Cell Cycle 2016; 15:1830-43. [PMID: 27152960 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2016.1181239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Actin nucleation factors, which promote the formation of new actin filaments, have emerged in the last decade as key regulatory factors controlling asymmetric division in mammalian oocytes. Actin nucleators such as formin-2, spire, and the ARP2/3 complex have been found to be important regulators of actin remodeling during oocyte maturation. Another class of actin-binding proteins including cofilin, tropomyosin, myosin motors, capping proteins, tropomodulin, and Ezrin-Radixin-Moesin proteins are thought to control actin cytoskeleton dynamics at various steps of oocyte maturation. In addition, actin dynamics controlling asymmetric-symmetric transitions after fertilization is a new area of investigation. Taken together, defining the mechanisms by which actin-binding proteins regulate actin cytoskeletons is crucial for understanding the basic biology of mammalian gamete formation and pre-implantation development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suk Namgoong
- a Department of Animal Sciences , Chungbuk National University , Cheong-Ju , ChungChungBuk-do , Republic of Korea
| | - Nam-Hyung Kim
- a Department of Animal Sciences , Chungbuk National University , Cheong-Ju , ChungChungBuk-do , Republic of Korea
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