1
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Bhatnagar A, Nestler M, Gross P, Kramar M, Leaver M, Voigt A, Grill SW. Axis convergence in C. elegans embryos. Curr Biol 2023; 33:5096-5108.e15. [PMID: 37979577 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Embryos develop in a surrounding that guides key aspects of their development. For example, the anteroposterior (AP) body axis is always aligned with the geometric long axis of the surrounding eggshell in fruit flies and worms. The mechanisms that ensure convergence of the AP axis with the long axis of the eggshell remain unresolved. We investigate axis convergence in early C. elegans development, where the nascent AP axis, when misaligned, actively re-aligns to converge with the long axis of the egg. We identify two physical mechanisms that underlie axis convergence. First, bulk cytoplasmic flows, driven by actomyosin cortical flows, can directly reposition the AP axis. Second, active forces generated within the pseudocleavage furrow, a transient actomyosin structure similar to a contractile ring, can drive a mechanical re-orientation such that it becomes positioned perpendicular to the long axis of the egg. This in turn ensures AP axis convergence. Numerical simulations, together with experiments that either abolish the pseudocleavage furrow or change the shape of the egg, demonstrate that the pseudocleavage-furrow-dependent mechanism is a major driver of axis convergence. We conclude that active force generation within the actomyosin cortical layer drives axis convergence in the early nematode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archit Bhatnagar
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrase 108, Dresden 01037, Germany
| | - Michael Nestler
- Institute of Scientific Computing, Technische Universitӓt Dresden, Zellescher Weg 25, Dresden 01217, Germany
| | - Peter Gross
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrase 108, Dresden 01037, Germany; Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universitӓt Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Mirna Kramar
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universitӓt Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Mark Leaver
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrase 108, Dresden 01037, Germany
| | - Axel Voigt
- Institute of Scientific Computing, Technische Universitӓt Dresden, Zellescher Weg 25, Dresden 01217, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universitӓt Dresden, Arnoldstrase 18, Dresden 01307, Germany; Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Pfotenhauerstrase 108, Dresden 01037, Germany.
| | - Stephan W Grill
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrase 108, Dresden 01037, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universitӓt Dresden, Arnoldstrase 18, Dresden 01307, Germany; Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Pfotenhauerstrase 108, Dresden 01037, Germany.
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2
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Yamamoto K, Motegi F. Cell polarity: Adapting the PAR cascade to diverse cellular contexts. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R1047-R1049. [PMID: 37875077 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Two new studies shed light on the intricacies of Caenorhabditis elegans embryo patterning, revealing how the conserved interaction and crosstalk of PAR proteins are adapted to perceive distinct cues, ultimately shaping unique asymmetries in form and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazunori Yamamoto
- Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0815, Japan
| | - Fumio Motegi
- Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0815, Japan.
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3
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Naturale VF, Pickett MA, Feldman JL. Context matters: Lessons in epithelial polarity from the Caenorhabditis elegans intestine and other tissues. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 154:37-71. [PMID: 37100523 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Epithelia are tissues with diverse morphologies and functions across metazoans, ranging from vast cell sheets encasing internal organs to internal tubes facilitating nutrient uptake, all of which require establishment of apical-basolateral polarity axes. While all epithelia tend to polarize the same components, how these components are deployed to drive polarization is largely context-dependent and likely shaped by tissue-specific differences in development and ultimate functions of polarizing primordia. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) offers exceptional imaging and genetic tools and possesses unique epithelia with well-described origins and roles, making it an excellent model to investigate polarity mechanisms. In this review, we highlight the interplay between epithelial polarization, development, and function by describing symmetry breaking and polarity establishment in a particularly well-characterized epithelium, the C. elegans intestine. We compare intestinal polarization to polarity programs in two other C. elegans epithelia, the pharynx and epidermis, correlating divergent mechanisms with tissue-specific differences in geometry, embryonic environment, and function. Together, we emphasize the importance of investigating polarization mechanisms against the backdrop of tissue-specific contexts, while also underscoring the benefits of cross-tissue comparisons of polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor F Naturale
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Melissa A Pickett
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States; Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, San José, CA, United States
| | - Jessica L Feldman
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States.
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4
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Milas A, de-Carvalho J, Telley IA. Follicle cell contact maintains main body axis polarity in the Drosophila melanogaster oocyte. J Cell Biol 2022; 222:213703. [PMID: 36409222 PMCID: PMC9682419 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202209052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster, the anterior-posterior body axis is maternally established and governed by differential localization of partitioning defective (Par) proteins within the oocyte. At mid-oogenesis, Par-1 accumulates at the oocyte posterior end, while Par-3/Bazooka is excluded there but maintains its localization along the remaining oocyte cortex. Past studies have proposed the need for somatic cells at the posterior end to initiate oocyte polarization by providing a trigger signal. To date, neither the molecular identity nor the nature of the signal is known. Here, we provide evidence that mechanical contact of posterior follicle cells (PFCs) with the oocyte cortex causes the posterior exclusion of Bazooka and maintains oocyte polarity. We show that Bazooka prematurely accumulates exclusively where posterior follicle cells have been mechanically detached or ablated. Furthermore, we provide evidence that PFC contact maintains Par-1 and oskar mRNA localization and microtubule cytoskeleton polarity in the oocyte. Our observations suggest that cell-cell contact mechanics modulates Par protein binding sites at the oocyte cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Milas
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Rua da Quinta Grande, Portugal
| | - Jorge de-Carvalho
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Rua da Quinta Grande, Portugal
| | - Ivo A. Telley
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Rua da Quinta Grande, Portugal,Correspondence to Ivo A. Telley:
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5
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Takada S, Yoshinaga N, Doi N, Fujiwara K. Controlling the Periodicity of a Reaction-Diffusion Wave in Artificial Cells by a Two-Way Energy Supplier. ACS NANO 2022; 16:16853-16861. [PMID: 36214379 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c06756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Reaction-diffusion (RD) waves, which are dynamic self-organization structures generated by nanosize molecules, are a fundamental mechanism from patterning in nano- and micromaterials to spatiotemporal regulations in living cells, such as cell division and motility. Although the periods of RD waves are the critical element for these functions, the development of a system to control their period is challenging because RD waves result from nonlinear physical dynamics under far-from-equilibrium conditions. Here, we developed an artificial cell system with tunable period of an RD-driven wave (Min protein wave), which determines a cell division site plane in living bacterial cells. The developed system is based on our finding that Min waves are generated by energy consumption of either ATP or dATP, and the period of the wave is different between these two energy suppliers. We showed that the Min-wave period was modulated linearly by the mixing ratio of ATP and dATP and that it was also possible to estimate the mixing ratio of ATP and dATP from the period. Our findings illuminated a previously unidentified principle to control the dissipative dynamics of biomolecules and, simultaneously, built an important framework to construct molecular robots with spatiotemporal units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakura Takada
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Natsuhiko Yoshinaga
- Mathematical Science Group, WPI Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-Ku, Sendai 9808577, Japan
- MathAM-OIL, AIST, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Nobuhide Doi
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Kei Fujiwara
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
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6
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Abstract
Some dividing cells sense their shape by becoming polarized along their long axis. Cell polarity is controlled in part by polarity proteins, like Rho GTPases, cycling between active membrane-bound forms and inactive cytosolic forms, modeled as a "wave-pinning" reaction-diffusion process. Does shape sensing emerge from wave pinning? We show that wave pinning senses the cell's long axis. Simulating wave pinning on a curved surface, we find that high-activity domains migrate to peaks and troughs of the surface. For smooth surfaces, a simple rule of minimizing the domain perimeter while keeping its area fixed predicts the final position of the domain and its shape. However, when we introduce roughness to our surfaces, shape sensing can be disrupted, and high-activity domains can become localized to locations other than the global peaks and valleys of the surface. On rough surfaces, the domains of the wave-pinning model are more robust in finding the peaks and troughs than the minimization rule, although both can become trapped in steady states away from the peaks and valleys. We can control the robustness of shape sensing by altering the Rho GTPase diffusivity and the domain size. We also find that the shape-sensing properties of cell polarity models can explain how domains localize to curved regions of deformed cells. Our results help to understand the factors that allow cells to sense their shape-and the limits that membrane roughness can place on this process.
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7
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Guan G, Zhao Z, Tang C. Delineating mechanisms and design principles of Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis using in toto high-resolution imaging data and computational modeling. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:5500-5515. [PMID: 36284714 PMCID: PMC9562942 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The nematode (roundworm) Caenorhabditis elegans is one of the most popular animal models for the study of developmental biology, as its invariant development and transparent body enable in toto cellular-resolution fluorescence microscopy imaging of developmental processes at 1-min intervals. This has led to the development of various computational tools for the systematic and automated analysis of imaging data to delineate the molecular and cellular processes throughout the embryogenesis of C. elegans, such as those associated with cell lineage, cell migration, cell morphology, and gene activity. In this review, we first introduce C. elegans embryogenesis and the development of techniques for tracking cell lineage and reconstructing cell morphology during this process. We then contrast the developmental modes of C. elegans and the customized technologies used for studying them with the ones of other animal models, highlighting its advantage for studying embryogenesis with exceptional spatial and temporal resolution. This is followed by an examination of the physical models that have been devised—based on accurate determinations of developmental processes afforded by analyses of imaging data—to interpret the early embryonic development of C. elegans from subcellular to intercellular levels of multiple cells, which focus on two key processes: cell polarization and morphogenesis. We subsequently discuss how quantitative data-based theoretical modeling has improved our understanding of the mechanisms of C. elegans embryogenesis. We conclude by summarizing the challenges associated with the acquisition of C. elegans embryogenesis data, the construction of algorithms to analyze them, and the theoretical interpretation.
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8
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Takada S, Yoshinaga N, Doi N, Fujiwara K. Mode selection mechanism in traveling and standing waves revealed by Min wave reconstituted in artificial cells. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm8460. [PMID: 35675408 PMCID: PMC9177070 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm8460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Reaction-diffusion coupling (RDc) generates spatiotemporal patterns, including two dynamic wave modes: traveling and standing waves. Although mode selection plays a substantial role in the spatiotemporal organization of living cell molecules, the mechanism for selecting each wave mode remains elusive. Here, we investigated a wave mode selection mechanism using Min waves reconstituted in artificial cells, emerged by the RDc of MinD and MinE. Our experiments and theoretical analysis revealed that the balance of membrane binding and dissociation from the membrane of MinD determines the mode selection of the Min wave. We successfully demonstrated that the transition of the wave modes can be regulated by controlling this balance and found hysteresis characteristics in the wave mode transition. These findings highlight a previously unidentified role of the balance between activators and inhibitors as a determinant of the mode selection of waves by RDc and depict an unexplored mechanism in intracellular spatiotemporal pattern formations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakura Takada
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | - Natsuhiko Yoshinaga
- Mathematical Science Group, WPI Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-Ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
- MathAM-OIL, AIST, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
- Corresponding author. (N.Y.); (K.F.)
| | - Nobuhide Doi
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | - Kei Fujiwara
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
- Corresponding author. (N.Y.); (K.F.)
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9
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Najafabadi FR, Leaver M, Grill SW. Orchestrating Non-muscle myosin II filament assembly at the onset of cytokinesis. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:ar74. [PMID: 35544301 PMCID: PMC9635286 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e21-12-0599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Contractile forces in the actomyosin cortex are required for cellular morphogenesis. This includes the invagination of the cell membrane during division, where filaments of nonmuscle myosin II (NMII) are responsible for generating contractile forces in the cortex. However, how NMII heterohexamers form filaments in vivo is not well understood. To quantify NMII filament assembly dynamics, we imaged the cortex of Caenorhabditis elegans embryos at high spatial resolution around the time of the first division. We show that during the assembly of the cytokinetic ring, the number of NMII filaments in the cortex increases and more NMII motors are assembled into each filament. These dynamics are influenced by two proteins in the RhoA GTPase pathway, the RhoA-dependent kinase LET-502 and the myosin phosphatase MEL-11. We find that these two proteins differentially regulate NMII activity at the anterior and at the division site. We show that the coordinated action of these regulators generates a gradient of free NMII in the cytoplasm driving a net diffusive flux of NMII motors toward the cytokinetic ring. Our work highlights how NMII filament assembly and disassembly dynamics are orchestrated over space and time to facilitate the up-regulation of cortical contractility during cytokinesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark Leaver
- Biotechnology Centre, Technische Universität, Tatzberg 47/49, Dresden 01307.,Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, Dresden
| | - Stephan W Grill
- Biotechnology Centre, Technische Universität, Tatzberg 47/49, Dresden 01307.,Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, Dresden.,Excellence Cluster Physics of Life, Technische Universität, Dresden, Germany 01307
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10
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Cole E, Gaertig J. Anterior-posterior pattern formation in ciliates. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12890. [PMID: 35075744 PMCID: PMC9309198 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
As single cells, ciliates build, duplicate, and even regenerate complex cortical patterns by largely unknown mechanisms that precisely position organelles along two cell‐wide axes: anterior–posterior and circumferential (left–right). We review our current understanding of intracellular patterning along the anterior–posterior axis in ciliates, with emphasis on how the new pattern emerges during cell division. We focus on the recent progress at the molecular level that has been driven by the discovery of genes whose mutations cause organelle positioning defects in the model ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. These investigations have revealed a network of highly conserved kinases that are confined to either anterior or posterior domains in the cell cortex. These pattern‐regulating kinases create zones of cortical inhibition that by exclusion determine the precise placement of organelles. We discuss observations and models derived from classical microsurgical experiments in large ciliates (including Stentor) and interpret them in light of recent molecular findings in Tetrahymena. In particular, we address the involvement of intracellular gradients as vehicles for positioning organelles along the anterior‐posterior axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Cole
- Biology Department, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, USA
| | - Jacek Gaertig
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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11
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Gorelova V, Sprakel J, Weijers D. Plant cell polarity as the nexus of tissue mechanics and morphogenesis. NATURE PLANTS 2021; 7:1548-1559. [PMID: 34887521 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-021-01021-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
How reproducible body patterns emerge from the collective activity of individual cells is a key question in developmental biology. Plant cells are encaged in their walls and unable to migrate. Morphogenesis thus relies on directional cell division, by precise positioning of division planes, and anisotropic cellular growth, mediated by regulated mechanical inhomogeneity of the walls. Both processes require the prior establishment of cell polarity, marked by the formation of polar domains at the plasma membrane, in a number of developmental contexts. The establishment of cell polarity involves biochemical cues, but increasing evidence suggests that mechanical forces also play a prominent instructive role. While evidence for mutual regulation between cell polarity and tissue mechanics is emerging, the nature of this bidirectional feedback remains unclear. Here we review the role of cell polarity at the interface of tissue mechanics and morphogenesis. We also aim to integrate biochemistry-centred insights with concepts derived from physics and physical chemistry. Lastly, we propose a set of questions that will help address the fundamental nature of cell polarization and its mechanistic basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Gorelova
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Joris Sprakel
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Dolf Weijers
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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12
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Lim YW, Wen FL, Shankar P, Shibata T, Motegi F. A balance between antagonizing PAR proteins specifies the pattern of asymmetric and symmetric divisions in C. elegans embryogenesis. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109326. [PMID: 34233197 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Coordination between cell differentiation and proliferation during development requires the balance between asymmetric and symmetric modes of cell division. However, the cellular intrinsic cue underlying the choice between these two division modes remains elusive. Here, we show evidence in Caenorhabditis elegans that the invariable lineage of the division modes is specified by the balance between antagonizing complexes of partitioning-defective (PAR) proteins. By uncoupling unequal inheritance of PAR proteins from that of fate determinants during cell division, we demonstrate that changes in the balance between PAR-2 and PAR-6 can be sufficient to re-program the division modes from symmetric to asymmetric and vice versa in two daughter cells. The division mode adopted occurs independently of asymmetry in cytoplasmic fate determinants, cell-size asymmetry, and cell-cycle asynchrony between sister cells. We propose that the balance between PAR proteins represents an intrinsic self-organizing cue for the specification of the two division modes during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen Wei Lim
- Temasek Life-sciences Laboratory, Singapore 117604, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
| | - Fu-Lai Wen
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Prabhat Shankar
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Shibata
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan.
| | - Fumio Motegi
- Temasek Life-sciences Laboratory, Singapore 117604, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore; Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0815, Japan.
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13
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Dias Gomes M, Iden S. Orchestration of tissue-scale mechanics and fate decisions by polarity signalling. EMBO J 2021; 40:e106787. [PMID: 33998017 PMCID: PMC8204866 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020106787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic development relies on dynamic cell shape changes and segregation of fate determinants to achieve coordinated compartmentalization at larger scale. Studies in invertebrates have identified polarity programmes essential for morphogenesis; however, less is known about their contribution to adult tissue maintenance. While polarity-dependent fate decisions in mammals utilize molecular machineries similar to invertebrates, the hierarchies and effectors can differ widely. Recent studies in epithelial systems disclosed an intriguing interplay of polarity proteins, adhesion molecules and mechanochemical pathways in tissue organization. Based on major advances in biophysics, genome editing, high-resolution imaging and mathematical modelling, the cell polarity field has evolved to a remarkably multidisciplinary ground. Here, we review emerging concepts how polarity and cell fate are coupled, with emphasis on tissue-scale mechanisms, mechanobiology and mammalian models. Recent findings on the role of polarity signalling for tissue mechanics, micro-environmental functions and fate choices in health and disease will be summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martim Dias Gomes
- CECAD Cluster of ExcellenceUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
- Cell and Developmental BiologyFaculty of MedicineCenter of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB)Saarland UniversityHomburgGermany
| | - Sandra Iden
- CECAD Cluster of ExcellenceUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
- Cell and Developmental BiologyFaculty of MedicineCenter of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB)Saarland UniversityHomburgGermany
- CMMCUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
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14
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Long time behavior and stable patterns in high-dimensional polarity models of asymmetric cell division. J Math Biol 2021; 82:66. [PMID: 34095962 PMCID: PMC8180481 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-021-01619-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Asymmetric cell division is one of the fundamental processes to create cell diversity in the early stage of embryonic development. During this process, the polarity formation in the cell membrane has been considered as a key process by which the entire polarity formation in the cytosol is controlled, and it has been extensively studied in both experiments and mathematical models. Nonetheless, a mathematically rigorous analysis of the polarity formation in the asymmetric cell division has been little explored, particularly for bulk-surface models. In this article, we deal with polarity models proposed for describing the PAR polarity formation in the asymmetric cell division of a C. elegans embryo. Using a simpler but mathematically consistent model, we exhibit the long time behavior of the polarity formation of a bulk-surface cell. Moreover, we mathematically prove the existence of stable polarity solutions of the model equation in an arbitrary high-dimensional domain and analyse how the boundary position of polarity domain is determined. Our results propose that the existence and dynamics of the polarity in the asymmetric cell division can be understood universally in terms of basic mathematical structures.
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15
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Zhao X, Garcia JQ, Tong K, Chen X, Yang B, Li Q, Dai Z, Shi X, Seiple IB, Huang B, Guo S. Polarized endosome dynamics engage cytoplasmic Par-3 that recruits dynein during asymmetric cell division. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabg1244. [PMID: 34117063 PMCID: PMC8195473 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg1244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In the developing embryos, the cortical polarity regulator Par-3 is critical for establishing Notch signaling asymmetry between daughter cells during asymmetric cell division (ACD). How cortically localized Par-3 establishes asymmetric Notch activity in the nucleus is not understood. Here, using in vivo time-lapse imaging of mitotic radial glia progenitors in the developing zebrafish forebrain, we uncover that during horizontal ACD along the anteroposterior embryonic axis, endosomes containing the Notch ligand DeltaD (Dld) move toward the cleavage plane and preferentially segregate into the posterior (subsequently basal) Notchhi daughter. This asymmetric segregation requires the activity of Par-3 and dynein motor complex. Using label retention expansion microscopy, we further detect Par-3 in the cytosol colocalizing the dynein light intermediate chain 1 (Dlic1) onto Dld endosomes. Par-3, Dlic1, and Dld are associated in protein complexes in vivo. Our data reveal an unanticipated mechanism by which cytoplasmic Par-3 directly polarizes Notch signaling components during ACD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Zhao
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jason Q Garcia
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Kai Tong
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xingye Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Bin Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Zhipeng Dai
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Xiaoyu Shi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Ian B Seiple
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Bo Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Su Guo
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
- Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Programs in Human Genetics and Biological Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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16
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Floris E, Piras A, Dall’Asta L, Gamba A, Hirsch E, Campa CC. Physics of compartmentalization: How phase separation and signaling shape membrane and organelle identity. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:3225-3233. [PMID: 34141141 PMCID: PMC8190439 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Compartmentalization of cellular functions is at the core of the physiology of eukaryotic cells. Recent evidences indicate that a universal organizing process - phase separation - supports the partitioning of biomolecules in distinct phases from a single homogeneous mixture, a landmark event in both the biogenesis and the maintenance of membrane and non-membrane-bound organelles. In the cell, 'passive' (non energy-consuming) mechanisms are flanked by 'active' mechanisms of separation into phases of distinct density and stoichiometry, that allow for increased partitioning flexibility and programmability. A convergence of physical and biological approaches is leading to new insights into the inner functioning of this driver of intracellular order, holding promises for future advances in both biological research and biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Floris
- Institute of Condensed Matter Physics and Complex Systems, Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
| | - Andrea Piras
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), c/o IRCCS Candiolo, Str.Prov.le 142, km 3.95, Candiolo (TO) 10060, Italy
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Str.Prov.le 142, km 3.95, Candiolo (TO) 10060, Italy
| | - Luca Dall’Asta
- Institute of Condensed Matter Physics and Complex Systems, Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
- Collegio Carlo Alberto, Piazza Arbarello 8, 10122 Torino, Italy
| | - Andrea Gamba
- Institute of Condensed Matter Physics and Complex Systems, Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), c/o IRCCS Candiolo, Str.Prov.le 142, km 3.95, Candiolo (TO) 10060, Italy
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Str.Prov.le 142, km 3.95, Candiolo (TO) 10060, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), sezione di Torino, Via Giuria 1, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Emilio Hirsch
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Carlo C. Campa
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), c/o IRCCS Candiolo, Str.Prov.le 142, km 3.95, Candiolo (TO) 10060, Italy
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Str.Prov.le 142, km 3.95, Candiolo (TO) 10060, Italy
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17
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Abstract
The epithelium forms a smart barrier to the external environment that can remodel whilst maintaining tissue integrity, a feature important for development, homeostasis, and function. Its dysregulation can lead to diseases ranging from cancer to vision loss. Epithelial remodeling requires reorganization of a thin sheet of actomyosin cortex under the plasma membrane of polarized cells that form basolateral contacts with neighboring cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Rho GTPases act as spatiotemporal molecular switches in this process, controlling localized actomyosin dynamics. However, the molecular mechanisms that control actomyosin dynamics at the apical cortex are poorly understood. This review focusses on a growing body of evidence that suggest myotonic dystrophy kinase-related Cdc42-binding kinase (MRCK) plays a conserved role in morphogenetic signaling at the apical cortex in diverse cell and tissue remodeling processes. The possible molecular and mechanistic basis for the diverse functions of MRCK at the apical pole will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceniz Zihni
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Department of Cell Biology, University College London, London, UK
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18
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Seirin-Lee S. The Role of Cytoplasmic MEX-5/6 Polarity in Asymmetric Cell Division. Bull Math Biol 2021; 83:29. [PMID: 33594535 PMCID: PMC7886744 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-021-00860-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In the process of asymmetric cell division, the mother cell induces polarity in both the membrane and the cytosol by distributing substrates and components asymmetrically. Such polarity formation results from the harmonization of the upstream and downstream polarities between the cell membrane and the cytosol. MEX-5/6 is a well-investigated downstream cytoplasmic protein, which is deeply involved in the membrane polarity of the upstream transmembrane protein PAR in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo. In contrast to the extensive exploration of membrane PAR polarity, cytoplasmic polarity is poorly understood, and the precise contribution of cytoplasmic polarity to the membrane PAR polarity remains largely unknown. In this study, we explored the interplay between the cytoplasmic MEX-5/6 polarity and the membrane PAR polarity by developing a mathematical model that integrates the dynamics of PAR and MEX-5/6 and reflects the cell geometry. Our investigations show that the downstream cytoplasmic protein MEX-5/6 plays an indispensable role in causing a robust upstream PAR polarity, and the integrated understanding of their interplay, including the effect of the cell geometry, is essential for the study of polarity formation in asymmetric cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungrim Seirin-Lee
- Department of Mathematics, Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Science for Life, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama 1-3-1, Hiroshima, 700-0046, Japan.
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19
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So C, Cheng S, Schuh M. Phase Separation during Germline Development. Trends Cell Biol 2021; 31:254-268. [PMID: 33455855 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2020.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Phase separation has emerged as a new key principle of intracellular organization. Phase-separated structures play diverse roles in various biological processes and pathogenesis of protein aggregation diseases. Recent work has revealed crucial functions for phase separation during germline development. Phase separation controls the assembly and segregation of germ granules that determine which embryonic cells become germ cells. Phase separation promotes the formation of the Balbiani body, a structure that stores organelles and RNAs during the prolonged prophase arrest of oocytes. Phase separation also facilitates meiotic recombination that prepares homologous chromosomes for segregation, and drives the formation of a liquid-like spindle domain that promotes spindle assembly in mammalian oocytes. We review how phase separation drives these essential steps during germline development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun So
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Shiya Cheng
- 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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20
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Symmetry Breaking as an Interdisciplinary Concept Unifying Cell and Developmental Biology. Cells 2021; 10:cells10010086. [PMID: 33430209 PMCID: PMC7825676 DOI: 10.3390/cells10010086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
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21
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Gaggioli V, Kieninger MR, Klucnika A, Butler R, Zegerman P. Identification of the critical replication targets of CDK reveals direct regulation of replication initiation factors by the embryo polarity machinery in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008948. [PMID: 33320862 PMCID: PMC7771872 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
During metazoan development, the cell cycle is remodelled to coordinate proliferation with differentiation. Developmental cues cause dramatic changes in the number and timing of replication initiation events, but the mechanisms and physiological importance of such changes are poorly understood. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are important for regulating S-phase length in many metazoa, and here we show in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans that an essential function of CDKs during early embryogenesis is to regulate the interactions between three replication initiation factors SLD-3, SLD-2 and MUS-101 (Dpb11/TopBP1). Mutations that bypass the requirement for CDKs to generate interactions between these factors is partly sufficient for viability in the absence of Cyclin E, demonstrating that this is a critical embryonic function of this Cyclin. Both SLD-2 and SLD-3 are asymmetrically localised in the early embryo and the levels of these proteins inversely correlate with S-phase length. We also show that SLD-2 asymmetry is determined by direct interaction with the polarity protein PKC-3. This study explains an essential function of CDKs for replication initiation in a metazoan and provides the first direct molecular mechanism through which polarization of the embryo is coordinated with DNA replication initiation factors. How and when a cell divides changes as the cell assumes different fates. How these changes in cell division are brought about are poorly understood, but are critical to ensure that cells do not over-proliferate leading to cancer. The nematode C. elegans is an excellent system to study the role of cell cycle changes during animal development. Here we show that two factors SLD-2 and SLD-3 are critical to control the decision to begin genome duplication. We show that these factors are differently distributed to different cell lineages in the early embryo, which may be a key event in determining the cell cycle rate in these cells. For the first time we show that, PKC-3, a key component of the machinery that determines the front (anterior) from the back (posterior) of the embryo directly controls SLD-2 distribution, which might explain how the polarisation of the embryo causes changes in the proliferation of different cell lineages. As PKC-3 is frequently mutated in human cancers, how this factor controls cell proliferation may be important to understand tumour progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Gaggioli
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, The Henry Wellcome Building of Cancer and Developmental Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Manuela R. Kieninger
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, The Henry Wellcome Building of Cancer and Developmental Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Klucnika
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, The Henry Wellcome Building of Cancer and Developmental Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Butler
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, The Henry Wellcome Building of Cancer and Developmental Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Philip Zegerman
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, The Henry Wellcome Building of Cancer and Developmental Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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22
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Gubieda AG, Packer JR, Squires I, Martin J, Rodriguez J. Going with the flow: insights from Caenorhabditis elegans zygote polarization. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190555. [PMID: 32829680 PMCID: PMC7482210 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell polarity is the asymmetric distribution of cellular components along a defined axis. Polarity relies on complex signalling networks between conserved patterning proteins, including the PAR (partitioning defective) proteins, which become segregated in response to upstream symmetry breaking cues. Although the mechanisms that drive the asymmetric localization of these proteins are dependent upon cell type and context, in many cases the regulation of actomyosin cytoskeleton dynamics is central to the transport, recruitment and/or stabilization of these polarity effectors into defined subcellular domains. The transport or advection of PAR proteins by an actomyosin flow was first observed in the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote more than a decade ago. Since then a multifaceted approach, using molecular methods, high-throughput screens, and biophysical and computational models, has revealed further aspects of this flow and how polarity regulators respond to and modulate it. Here, we review recent findings on the interplay between actomyosin flow and the PAR patterning networks in the polarization of the C. elegans zygote. We also discuss how these discoveries and developed methods are shaping our understanding of other flow-dependent polarizing systems. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Contemporary morphogenesis'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Josana Rodriguez
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
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23
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PIG-1 MELK-dependent phosphorylation of nonmuscle myosin II promotes apoptosis through CES-1 Snail partitioning. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008912. [PMID: 32946434 PMCID: PMC7527206 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanism(s) through which mammalian kinase MELK promotes tumorigenesis is not understood. We find that the C. elegans orthologue of MELK, PIG-1, promotes apoptosis by partitioning an anti-apoptotic factor. The C. elegans NSM neuroblast divides to produce a larger cell that differentiates into a neuron and a smaller cell that dies. We find that in this context, PIG-1 MELK is required for partitioning of CES-1 Snail, a transcriptional repressor of the pro-apoptotic gene egl-1 BH3-only. pig-1 MELK is controlled by both a ces-1 Snail- and par-4 LKB1-dependent pathway, and may act through phosphorylation and cortical enrichment of nonmuscle myosin II prior to neuroblast division. We propose that pig-1 MELK-induced local contractility of the actomyosin network plays a conserved role in the acquisition of the apoptotic fate. Our work also uncovers an auto-regulatory loop through which ces-1 Snail controls its own activity through the formation of a gradient of CES-1 Snail protein. Apoptosis is critical for the elimination of ‘unwanted’ cells. What distinguishes wanted from unwanted cells in developing animals is poorly understood. We report that in the C. elegans NSM neuroblast lineage, the level of CES-1, a Snail-family member and transcriptional repressor of the pro-apoptotic gene egl-1, contributes to this process. In addition, we demonstrate that C. elegans PIG-1, the orthologue of mammalian proto-oncoprotein MELK, plays a critical role in controlling CES-1Snail levels. Specifically, during NSM neuroblast division, PIG-1MELK controls partitioning of CES-1Snail into one but not the other daughter cell thereby promoting the making of one wanted and one unwanted cell. Furthermore, we present evidence that PIG-1MELK acts prior to NSM neuroblast division by locally activating the actomyosin network.
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24
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Salinas-Saavedra M, Martindale MQ. Par protein localization during the early development of Mnemiopsis leidyi suggests different modes of epithelial organization in the metazoa. eLife 2020; 9:54927. [PMID: 32716297 PMCID: PMC7441587 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In bilaterians and cnidarians, epithelial cell-polarity is regulated by the interactions between Par proteins, Wnt/PCP signaling pathway, and cell-cell adhesion. Par proteins are highly conserved across Metazoa, including ctenophores. But strikingly, ctenophore genomes lack components of the Wnt/PCP pathway and cell-cell adhesion complexes raising the question if ctenophore cells are polarized by mechanisms involving Par proteins. Here, by using immunohistochemistry and live-cell imaging of specific mRNAs, we describe for the first time the subcellular localization of selected Par proteins in blastomeres and epithelial cells during the embryogenesis of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi. We show that these proteins distribute differently compared to what has been described for other animals, even though they segregate in a host-specific fashion when expressed in cnidarian embryos. This differential localization might be related to the emergence of different junctional complexes during metazoan evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Salinas-Saavedra
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, and the Department of Biology, University of Florida, St. Augustine, United States
| | - Mark Q Martindale
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, and the Department of Biology, University of Florida, St. Augustine, United States
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25
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Cornwall Scoones J, Banerjee DS, Banerjee S. Size-Regulated Symmetry Breaking in Reaction-Diffusion Models of Developmental Transitions. Cells 2020; 9:E1646. [PMID: 32659915 PMCID: PMC7407810 DOI: 10.3390/cells9071646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of multicellular organisms proceeds through a series of morphogenetic and cell-state transitions, transforming homogeneous zygotes into complex adults by a process of self-organisation. Many of these transitions are achieved by spontaneous symmetry breaking mechanisms, allowing cells and tissues to acquire pattern and polarity by virtue of local interactions without an upstream supply of information. The combined work of theory and experiment has elucidated how these systems break symmetry during developmental transitions. Given that such transitions are multiple and their temporal ordering is crucial, an equally important question is how these developmental transitions are coordinated in time. Using a minimal mass-conserved substrate-depletion model for symmetry breaking as our case study, we elucidate mechanisms by which cells and tissues can couple reaction-diffusion-driven symmetry breaking to the timing of developmental transitions, arguing that the dependence of patterning mode on system size may be a generic principle by which developing organisms measure time. By analysing different regimes of our model, simulated on growing domains, we elaborate three distinct behaviours, allowing for clock-, timer- or switch-like dynamics. Relating these behaviours to experimentally documented case studies of developmental timing, we provide a minimal conceptual framework to interrogate how developing organisms coordinate developmental transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake Cornwall Scoones
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA;
| | - Deb Sankar Banerjee
- Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA;
| | - Shiladitya Banerjee
- Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA;
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26
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Centrosome Aurora A gradient ensures single polarity axis in C. elegans embryos. Biochem Soc Trans 2020; 48:1243-1253. [PMID: 32597472 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Cellular asymmetries are vital for generating cell fate diversity during development and in stem cells. In the newly fertilized Caenorhabditis elegans embryo, centrosomes are responsible for polarity establishment, i.e. anterior-posterior body axis formation. The signal for polarity originates from the centrosomes and is transmitted to the cell cortex, where it disassembles the actomyosin network. This event leads to symmetry breaking and the establishment of distinct domains of evolutionarily conserved PAR proteins. However, the identity of an essential component that localizes to the centrosomes and promotes symmetry breaking was unknown. Recent work has uncovered that the loss of Aurora A kinase (AIR-1 in C. elegans and hereafter referred to as Aurora A) in the one-cell embryo disrupts stereotypical actomyosin-based cortical flows that occur at the time of polarity establishment. This misregulation of actomyosin flow dynamics results in the occurrence of two polarity axes. Notably, the role of Aurora A in ensuring a single polarity axis is independent of its well-established function in centrosome maturation. The mechanism by which Aurora A directs symmetry breaking is likely through direct regulation of Rho-dependent contractility. In this mini-review, we will discuss the unconventional role of Aurora A kinase in polarity establishment in C. elegans embryos and propose a refined model of centrosome-dependent symmetry breaking.
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27
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Liu Z, Yang Y, Gu A, Xu J, Mao Y, Lu H, Hu W, Lei QY, Li Z, Zhang M, Cai Y, Wen W. Par complex cluster formation mediated by phase separation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2266. [PMID: 32385244 PMCID: PMC7211019 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16135-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolutionarily conserved Par3/Par6/aPKC complex regulates the polarity establishment of diverse cell types and distinct polarity-driven functions. However, how the Par complex is concentrated beneath the membrane to initiate cell polarization remains unclear. Here we show that the Par complex exhibits cell cycle-dependent condensation in Drosophila neuroblasts, driven by liquid–liquid phase separation. The open conformation of Par3 undergoes autonomous phase separation likely due to its NTD-mediated oligomerization. Par6, via C-terminal tail binding to Par3 PDZ3, can be enriched to Par3 condensates and in return dramatically promote Par3 phase separation. aPKC can also be concentrated to the Par3N/Par6 condensates as a client. Interestingly, activated aPKC can disperse the Par3/Par6 condensates via phosphorylation of Par3. Perturbations of Par3/Par6 phase separation impair the establishment of apical–basal polarity during neuroblast asymmetric divisions and lead to defective lineage development. We propose that phase separation may be a common mechanism for localized cortical condensation of cell polarity complexes. The evolutionarily conserved complex, the Par proteins, regulates cell polarity. Here, the authors show that in Drosophila neuroblasts, the Par complex exhibits liquid–liquid phase separation dependent on the cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziheng Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Aihong Gu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jiawen Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ying Mao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Haojie Lu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Weiguo Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Cancer Metabolism Laboratory, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qun-Ying Lei
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Cancer Metabolism Laboratory, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhouhua Li
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Mingjie Zhang
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu Cai
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
| | - Wenyu Wen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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28
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Transitions to slow or fast diffusions provide a general property for in-phase or anti-phase polarity in a cell. J Math Biol 2020; 80:1885-1917. [PMID: 32198524 PMCID: PMC7214518 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-020-01484-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Cell polarity is an important cellular process that cells use for various cellular functions such as asymmetric division, cell migration, and directionality determination. In asymmetric cell division, a mother cell creates multiple polarities of various proteins simultaneously within her membrane and cytosol to generate two different daughter cells. The formation of multiple polarities in asymmetric cell division has been found to be controlled via the regulatory system by upstream polarity of the membrane to downstream polarity of the cytosol, which is involved in not only polarity establishment but also polarity positioning. However, the mechanism for polarity positioning remains unclear. In this study, we found a general mechanism and mathematical structure for the multiple streams of polarities to determine their relative position via conceptional models based on the biological example of the asymmetric cell division process of C. elegans embryo. Using conceptional modeling and model reductions, we show that the positional relation of polarities is determined by a contrasting role of regulation by upstream polarity proteins on the transition process of diffusion dynamics of downstream proteins. We analytically prove that our findings hold under the general mathematical conditions, suggesting that the mechanism of relative position between upstream and downstream dynamics could be understood without depending on a specific type of bio-chemical reaction, and it could be the universal mechanism in multiple streams of polarity dynamics of the cell.
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29
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Seirin-Lee S. Asymmetric cell division from a cell to cells: Shape, length, and location of polarity domain. Dev Growth Differ 2020; 62:188-195. [PMID: 32120453 PMCID: PMC7754510 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Asymmetric cell division is one of the most elegant biological systems by which cells create daughter cells with different functions and increase cell diversity. In particular, PAR polarity in the cell membrane plays a critical role in regulating the whole process of asymmetric cell division. Numerous studies have been conducted to determine the underlying mechanism of PAR polarity formation using both experimental and theoretical approaches in the last 10 years. However, they have mostly focused on answering the fundamental question of how this exclusive polarity is established but the precise dynamics of polarity domain have been little notified. In this review, I focused on studies on the shape, length, and location of PAR polarity from a theoretical perspective that may be important for an integrated understanding of the entire process of asymmetric cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungrim Seirin-Lee
- Department of Mathematics, School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.,Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.,JST PRESTO, Kawaguchi, Japan
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30
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Geßele R, Halatek J, Würthner L, Frey E. Geometric cues stabilise long-axis polarisation of PAR protein patterns in C. elegans. Nat Commun 2020; 11:539. [PMID: 31988277 PMCID: PMC6985163 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14317-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote, PAR protein patterns, driven by mutual anatagonism, determine the anterior-posterior axis and facilitate the redistribution of proteins for the first cell division. Yet, the factors that determine the selection of the polarity axis remain unclear. We present a reaction-diffusion model in realistic cell geometry, based on biomolecular reactions and accounting for the coupling between membrane and cytosolic dynamics. We find that the kinetics of the phosphorylation-dephosphorylation cycle of PARs and the diffusive protein fluxes from the cytosol towards the membrane are crucial for the robust selection of the anterior-posterior axis for polarisation. The local ratio of membrane surface to cytosolic volume is the main geometric cue that initiates pattern formation, while the choice of the long-axis for polarisation is largely determined by the length of the aPAR-pPAR interface, and mediated by processes that minimise the diffusive fluxes of PAR proteins between cytosol and membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaela Geßele
- Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics and Center for NanoScience, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstraße 37, 80333, München, Germany
| | - Jacob Halatek
- Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics and Center for NanoScience, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstraße 37, 80333, München, Germany
| | - Laeschkir Würthner
- Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics and Center for NanoScience, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstraße 37, 80333, München, Germany
| | - Erwin Frey
- Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics and Center for NanoScience, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstraße 37, 80333, München, Germany.
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Kapoor S, Kotak S. Centrosome Aurora A regulates RhoGEF ECT-2 localisation and ensures a single PAR-2 polarity axis in C. elegans embryos. Development 2019; 146:dev.174565. [PMID: 31636075 DOI: 10.1242/dev.174565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Proper establishment of cell polarity is essential for development. In the one-cell C. elegans embryo, a centrosome-localised signal provides spatial information for polarity establishment. It is hypothesised that this signal causes local inhibition of the cortical actomyosin network, and breaks symmetry to direct partitioning of the PAR proteins. However, the molecular nature of the centrosomal signal that triggers cortical anisotropy in the actomyosin network to promote polarity establishment remains elusive. Here, we discover that depletion of Aurora A kinase (AIR-1 in C. elegans) causes pronounced cortical contractions on the embryo surface, and this creates more than one PAR-2 polarity axis. This function of AIR-1 appears to be independent of its role in microtubule nucleation. Importantly, upon AIR-1 depletion, centrosome positioning becomes dispensable in dictating the PAR-2 axis. Moreover, we uncovered that a Rho GEF, ECT-2, acts downstream of AIR-1 in regulating contractility and PAR-2 localisation, and, notably, AIR-1 depletion influences ECT-2 cortical localisation. Overall, this study provides a novel insight into how an evolutionarily conserved centrosome Aurora A kinase inhibits promiscuous PAR-2 domain formation to ensure singularity in the polarity establishment axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukriti Kapoor
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology (MCB), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Sachin Kotak
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology (MCB), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
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32
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Nunes de Almeida F, Walther RF, Pressé MT, Vlassaks E, Pichaud F. Cdc42 defines apical identity and regulates epithelial morphogenesis by promoting apical recruitment of Par6-aPKC and Crumbs. Development 2019; 146:dev175497. [PMID: 31405903 PMCID: PMC6703713 DOI: 10.1242/dev.175497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Cdc42 regulates epithelial morphogenesis together with the Par complex (Baz/Par3-Par6-aPKC), Crumbs (Crb/CRB3) and Stardust (Sdt/PALS1). However, how these proteins work together and interact during epithelial morphogenesis is not well understood. To address this issue, we used the genetically amenable Drosophila pupal photoreceptor and follicular epithelium. We show that during epithelial morphogenesis active Cdc42 accumulates at the developing apical membrane and cell-cell contacts, independently of the Par complex and Crb. However, membrane localization of Baz, Par6-aPKC and Crb all depend on Cdc42. We find that although binding of Cdc42 to Par6 is not essential for the recruitment of Par6 and aPKC to the membrane, it is required for their apical localization and accumulation, which we find also depends on Par6 retention by Crb. In the pupal photoreceptor, membrane recruitment of Par6-aPKC also depends on Baz. Our work shows that Cdc42 is required for this recruitment and suggests that this factor promotes the handover of Par6-aPKC from Baz onto Crb. Altogether, we propose that Cdc42 drives morphogenesis by conferring apical identity, Par-complex assembly and apical accumulation of Crb.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rhian F Walther
- MRC - Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Mary T Pressé
- MRC - Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Evi Vlassaks
- MRC - Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Franck Pichaud
- MRC - Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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33
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Gross P, Kumar KV, Goehring NW, Bois JS, Hoege C, Jülicher F, Grill SW. Guiding self-organized pattern formation in cell polarity establishment. NATURE PHYSICS 2019; 15:293-300. [PMID: 31327978 PMCID: PMC6640039 DOI: 10.1038/s41567-018-0358-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Spontaneous pattern formation in Turing systems relies on feedback. Patterns in cells and tissues however often do not form spontaneously, but are under control of upstream pathways that provide molecular guiding cues. The relationship between guiding cues and feedback in controlled biological pattern formation remains unclear. We explored this relationship during cell polarity establishment in the one-cell-stage C. elegans embryo. We quantified the strength of two feedback systems that operate during polarity establishment, feedback between polarity proteins and the actomyosin cortex, and mutual antagonism amongst polarity proteins. We characterized how these feedback systems are modulated by guiding cues from the centrosome. By coupling a mass-conserved Turing-like reaction-diffusion system for polarity proteins to an active gel description of the actomyosin cortex, we reveal a transition point beyond which feedback ensures self-organized polarization even when cues are removed. Notably, the baton is passed from a guide-dominated to a feedback-dominated regime significantly beyond this transition point, which ensures robustness. Together, this reveals a general criterion for controlling biological pattern forming systems: feedback remains subcritical to avoid unstable behaviour, and molecular guiding cues drive the system beyond a transition point for pattern formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Gross
- BIOTEC, TU Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics,
Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems,
Nöthnitzer Strasse 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - K. Vijay Kumar
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems,
Nöthnitzer Strasse 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany
- International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of
Fundamental Research, Bengaluru 560089, India
| | - Nathan W. Goehring
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,
UK
- Medical Research Council Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology,
Gower Street, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Justin S. Bois
- California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Blvd,
Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Carsten Hoege
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics,
Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Frank Jülicher
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems,
Nöthnitzer Strasse 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Stephan W. Grill
- BIOTEC, TU Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics,
Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems,
Nöthnitzer Strasse 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany
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34
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Kang J, Lim L, Lu Y, Song J. A unified mechanism for LLPS of ALS/FTLD-causing FUS as well as its modulation by ATP and oligonucleic acids. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000327. [PMID: 31188823 PMCID: PMC6590835 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2018] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
526-residue Fused in sarcoma (FUS) undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) for its functions, which can further transit into pathological aggregation. ATP and nucleic acids, the universal cellular actors, were shown to modulate LLPS of FUS in a unique manner: enhancement and then dissolution. Currently, the driving force for LLPS of FUS is still under debate, while the mechanism for the modulation remains completely undefined. Here, by NMR and differential interference contrast (DIC) imaging, we characterized conformations, dynamics, and LLPS of FUS and its domains and subsequently their molecular interactions with oligonucleic acids, including one RNA and two single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) molecules, as well as ATP, Adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and adenosine. The results reveal 1) both a prion-like domain (PLD) rich in Tyr but absent of Arg/Lys and a C-terminal domain (CTD) abundant in Arg/Lys fail to phase separate. By contrast, the entire N-terminal domain (NTD) containing the PLD and an Arg-Gly (RG)-rich region efficiently phase separate, indicating that the π-cation interaction is the major driving force; 2) despite manifesting distinctive NMR observations, ATP has been characterized to modulate LLPS by specific binding as oligonucleic acids but with much lower affinity. Our results together establish a unified mechanism in which the π-cation interaction acts as the major driving force for LLPS of FUS and also serves as the target for modulation by ATP and oligonucleic acids through specific binding. This mechanism predicts that a myriad of proteins unrelated to RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) but with Arg/Lys-rich disordered regions could be modulated by ATP and nucleic acids, thus rationalizing the pathological association of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-causing C9ORF72 dipeptides with any nucleic acids to manifest cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Kang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Liangzhong Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yimei Lu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jianxing Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Halatek J, Brauns F, Frey E. Self-organization principles of intracellular pattern formation. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0107. [PMID: 29632261 PMCID: PMC5904295 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dynamic patterning of specific proteins is essential for the spatio-temporal regulation of many important intracellular processes in prokaryotes, eukaryotes and multicellular organisms. The emergence of patterns generated by interactions of diffusing proteins is a paradigmatic example for self-organization. In this article, we review quantitative models for intracellular Min protein patterns in Escherichia coli, Cdc42 polarization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the bipolar PAR protein patterns found in Caenorhabditis elegans. By analysing the molecular processes driving these systems we derive a theoretical perspective on general principles underlying self-organized pattern formation. We argue that intracellular pattern formation is not captured by concepts such as ‘activators’, ‘inhibitors’ or ‘substrate depletion’. Instead, intracellular pattern formation is based on the redistribution of proteins by cytosolic diffusion, and the cycling of proteins between distinct conformational states. Therefore, mass-conserving reaction–diffusion equations provide the most appropriate framework to study intracellular pattern formation. We conclude that directed transport, e.g. cytosolic diffusion along an actively maintained cytosolic gradient, is the key process underlying pattern formation. Thus the basic principle of self-organization is the establishment and maintenance of directed transport by intracellular protein dynamics. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Self-organization in cell biology’.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Halatek
- Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics and Center for NanoScience, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstraße 37, D-80333 München, Germany
| | - F Brauns
- Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics and Center for NanoScience, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstraße 37, D-80333 München, Germany
| | - E Frey
- Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics and Center for NanoScience, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstraße 37, D-80333 München, Germany
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36
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Hannaford M, Loyer N, Tonelli F, Zoltner M, Januschke J. A chemical-genetics approach to study the role of atypical Protein Kinase C in Drosophila. Development 2019; 146:dev170589. [PMID: 30635282 PMCID: PMC6361133 DOI: 10.1242/dev.170589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Studying the function of proteins using genetics in cycling cells is complicated by the fact that there is often a delay between gene inactivation and the time point of phenotypic analysis. This is particularly true when studying kinases that have pleiotropic functions and multiple substrates. Drosophila neuroblasts (NBs) are rapidly dividing stem cells and an important model system for the study of cell polarity. Mutations in multiple kinases cause NB polarity defects, but their precise functions at particular time points in the cell cycle are unknown. Here, we use chemical genetics and report the generation of an analogue-sensitive allele of Drosophila atypical Protein Kinase C (aPKC). We demonstrate that the resulting mutant aPKC kinase can be specifically inhibited in vitro and in vivo Acute inhibition of aPKC during NB polarity establishment abolishes asymmetric localization of Miranda, whereas its inhibition during NB polarity maintenance does not in the time frame of normal mitosis. However, aPKC helps to sharpen the pattern of Miranda, by keeping it off the apical and lateral cortex after nuclear envelope breakdown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Hannaford
- Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD5 1EH, UK
| | - Nicolas Loyer
- Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD5 1EH, UK
| | - Francesca Tonelli
- MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD5 1EH, UK
| | - Martin Zoltner
- Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD5 1EH, UK
| | - Jens Januschke
- Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD5 1EH, UK
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37
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Glock P, Schwille P. Switching protein patterns on membranes. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2018.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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38
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The MinDE system is a generic spatial cue for membrane protein distribution in vitro. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3942. [PMID: 30258191 PMCID: PMC6158289 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06310-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The E. coli MinCDE system has become a paradigmatic reaction-diffusion system in biology. The membrane-bound ATPase MinD and ATPase-activating protein MinE oscillate between the cell poles followed by MinC, thus positioning the main division protein FtsZ at midcell. Here we report that these energy-consuming MinDE oscillations may play a role beyond constraining MinC/FtsZ localization. Using an in vitro reconstitution assay, we show that MinDE self-organization can spatially regulate a variety of functionally completely unrelated membrane proteins into patterns and gradients. By concentration waves sweeping over the membrane, they induce a direct net transport of tightly membrane-attached molecules. That the MinDE system can spatiotemporally control a much larger set of proteins than previously known, may constitute a MinC-independent pathway to division site selection and chromosome segregation. Moreover, the here described phenomenon of active transport through a traveling diffusion barrier may point to a general mechanism of spatiotemporal regulation in cells.
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Scholze MJ, Barbieux KS, De Simone A, Boumasmoud M, Süess CCN, Wang R, Gönczy P. PI(4,5)P 2 forms dynamic cortical structures and directs actin distribution as well as polarity in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Development 2018; 145:dev.164988. [PMID: 29724757 DOI: 10.1242/dev.164988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Asymmetric division is crucial for embryonic development and stem cell lineages. In the one-cell Caenorhabditis elegans embryo, a contractile cortical actomyosin network contributes to asymmetric division by segregating partitioning-defective (PAR) proteins to discrete cortical domains. In the current study, we found that the plasma membrane lipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) localizes to polarized dynamic structures in C. elegans zygotes, distributing in a PAR-dependent manner along the anterior-posterior (A-P) embryonic axis. PIP2 cortical structures overlap with F-actin, and coincide with the actin regulators RHO-1 and CDC-42, as well as ECT-2. Particle image velocimetry analysis revealed that PIP2 and F-actin cortical movements are coupled, with PIP2 structures moving slightly ahead of F-actin. Importantly, we established that PIP2 cortical structure formation and movement is actin dependent. Moreover, we found that decreasing or increasing the level of PIP2 resulted in severe F-actin disorganization, revealing interdependence between these components. Furthermore, we determined that PIP2 and F-actin regulate the sizing of PAR cortical domains, including during the maintenance phase of polarization. Overall, our work establishes that a lipid membrane component, PIP2, modulates actin organization and cell polarity in C. elegans embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina J Scholze
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kévin S Barbieux
- Geodetic Engineering Laboratory (TOPO), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Environmental Engineering Institute (IIE), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro De Simone
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mathilde Boumasmoud
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Camille C N Süess
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ruijia Wang
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pierre Gönczy
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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40
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Non-invasive perturbations of intracellular flow reveal physical principles of cell organization. Nat Cell Biol 2018; 20:344-351. [PMID: 29403036 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-017-0032-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in cell biology enable precise molecular perturbations. The spatiotemporal organization of cells and organisms, however, also depends on physical processes such as diffusion or cytoplasmic flows, and strategies to perturb physical transport inside cells are not yet available. Here, we demonstrate focused-light-induced cytoplasmic streaming (FLUCS). FLUCS is local, directional, dynamic, probe-free, physiological, and is even applicable through rigid egg shells or cell walls. We explain FLUCS via time-dependent modelling of thermoviscous flows. Using FLUCS, we demonstrate that cytoplasmic flows drive partitioning-defective protein (PAR) polarization in Caenorhabditis elegans zygotes, and that cortical flows are sufficient to transport PAR domains and invert PAR polarity. In addition, we find that asymmetric cell division is a binary decision based on gradually varying PAR polarization states. Furthermore, the use of FLUCS for active microrheology revealed a metabolically induced fluid-to-solid transition of the yeast cytoplasm. Our findings establish how a wide range of transport-dependent models of cellular organization become testable by FLUCS.
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41
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Han B, Antkowiak KR, Fan X, Rutigliano M, Ryder SP, Griffin EE. Polo-like Kinase Couples Cytoplasmic Protein Gradients in the C. elegans Zygote. Curr Biol 2017; 28:60-69.e8. [PMID: 29276126 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.11.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular protein gradients underlie essential cellular and developmental processes, but the mechanisms by which they are established are incompletely understood. During the asymmetric division of the C. elegans zygote, the RNA-binding protein MEX-5 forms an anterior-rich cytoplasmic gradient that causes the RNA-binding protein POS-1 to form an opposing, posterior-rich gradient. We demonstrate that the polo-like kinase PLK-1 mediates the repulsive coupling between MEX-5 and POS-1 by increasing the mobility of POS-1 in the anterior. PLK-1 is enriched in the anterior cytoplasm and phosphorylates POS-1, which is both necessary and sufficient to increase POS-1 mobility. Regulation of POS-1 mobility depends on both the interaction between PLK-1 and MEX-5 and between MEX-5 and RNA, suggesting that MEX-5 may recruit PLK-1 to RNA in the anterior. The low concentration of MEX-5/PLK-1 in the posterior cytoplasm provides a permissive environment for the retention of POS-1, which depends on POS-1 RNA binding. Our findings describe a novel reaction/diffusion mechanism in which the asymmetric distribution of cytoplasmic PLK-1 couples two RNA-binding protein gradients, thereby partitioning the cytoplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingjie Han
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Katianna R Antkowiak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Xintao Fan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Mallory Rutigliano
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Sean P Ryder
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Erik E Griffin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
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42
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Nakama AB, Chou HC, Schneider SQ. The asymmetric cell division machinery in the spiral-cleaving egg and embryo of the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2017; 17:16. [PMID: 29228898 PMCID: PMC5725810 DOI: 10.1186/s12861-017-0158-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over one third of all animal phyla utilize a mode of early embryogenesis called 'spiral cleavage' to divide the fertilized egg into embryonic cells with different cell fates. This mode is characterized by a series of invariant, stereotypic, asymmetric cell divisions (ACDs) that generates cells of different size and defined position within the early embryo. Astonishingly, very little is known about the underlying molecular machinery to orchestrate these ACDs in spiral-cleaving embryos. Here we identify, for the first time, cohorts of factors that may contribute to early embryonic ACDs in a spiralian embryo. RESULTS To do so we analyzed stage-specific transcriptome data in eggs and early embryos of the spiralian annelid Platynereis dumerilii for the expression of over 50 candidate genes that are involved in (1) establishing cortical domains such as the partitioning defective (par) genes, (2) directing spindle orientation, (3) conveying polarity cues including crumbs and scribble, and (4) maintaining cell-cell adhesion between embryonic cells. In general, each of these cohorts of genes are co-expressed exhibiting high levels of transcripts in the oocyte and fertilized single-celled embryo, with progressively lower levels at later stages. Interestingly, a small number of key factors within each ACD module show different expression profiles with increased early zygotic expression suggesting distinct regulatory functions. In addition, our analysis discovered several highly co-expressed genes that have been associated with specialized neural cell-cell recognition functions in the nervous system. The high maternal contribution of these 'neural' adhesion complexes indicates novel general adhesion functions during early embryogenesis. CONCLUSIONS Spiralian embryos are champions of ACD generating embryonic cells of different size with astonishing accuracy. Our results suggest that the molecular machinery for ACD is already stored as maternal transcripts in the oocyte. Thus, the spiralian egg can be viewed as a totipotent yet highly specialized cell that evolved to execute fast and precise ACDs during spiral cleaving stages. Our survey identifies cohorts of factors in P. dumerilii that are candidates for these molecular mechanisms and their regulation, and sets the stage for a functional dissection of ACD in a spiral-cleaving embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aron B. Nakama
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, 503 Science Hall II, Ames, IA 50011 USA
| | - Hsien-Chao Chou
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, 503 Science Hall II, Ames, IA 50011 USA
- current address: Center for Cancer Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894 USA
| | - Stephan Q. Schneider
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, 503 Science Hall II, Ames, IA 50011 USA
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43
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Naganathan SR, Oates AC. Mechanochemical coupling and developmental pattern formation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coisb.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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44
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Zihni C, Vlassaks E, Terry S, Carlton J, Leung TKC, Olson M, Pichaud F, Balda MS, Matter K. An apical MRCK-driven morphogenetic pathway controls epithelial polarity. Nat Cell Biol 2017; 19:1049-1060. [PMID: 28825699 PMCID: PMC5617103 DOI: 10.1038/ncb3592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Polarized epithelia develop distinct cell surface domains, with the apical membrane acquiring characteristic morphological features such as microvilli. Cell polarization is driven by polarity determinants including the evolutionarily conserved partitioning-defective (PAR) proteins that are separated into distinct cortical domains. PAR protein segregation is thought to be a consequence of asymmetric actomyosin contractions. The mechanism of activation of apically polarized actomyosin contractility is unknown. Here we show that the Cdc42 effector MRCK activates myosin-II at the apical pole to segregate aPKC-Par6 from junctional Par3, defining the apical domain. Apically polarized MRCK-activated actomyosin contractility is reinforced by cooperation with aPKC-Par6 downregulating antagonistic RhoA-driven junctional actomyosin contractility, and drives polarization of cytosolic brush border determinants and apical morphogenesis. MRCK-activated polarized actomyosin contractility is required for apical differentiation and morphogenesis in vertebrate epithelia and Drosophila photoreceptors. Our results identify an apical origin of actomyosin-driven morphogenesis that couples cytoskeletal reorganization to PAR polarity signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceniz Zihni
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Evi Vlassaks
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Stephen Terry
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Jeremy Carlton
- Division of Cancer Studies, Section of Cell Biology and Imaging, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Thomas King Chor Leung
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A-STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673 and the Department of Anatomy, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119260, Singapore
| | - Michael Olson
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Franck Pichaud
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Maria Susana Balda
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Karl Matter
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
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45
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Rodriguez J, Peglion F, Martin J, Hubatsch L, Reich J, Hirani N, Gubieda AG, Roffey J, Fernandes AR, St Johnston D, Ahringer J, Goehring NW. aPKC Cycles between Functionally Distinct PAR Protein Assemblies to Drive Cell Polarity. Dev Cell 2017; 42:400-415.e9. [PMID: 28781174 PMCID: PMC5563072 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The conserved polarity effector proteins PAR-3, PAR-6, CDC-42, and atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) form a core unit of the PAR protein network, which plays a central role in polarizing a broad range of animal cell types. To functionally polarize cells, these proteins must activate aPKC within a spatially defined membrane domain on one side of the cell in response to symmetry-breaking cues. Using the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote as a model, we find that the localization and activation of aPKC involve distinct, specialized aPKC-containing assemblies: a PAR-3-dependent assembly that responds to polarity cues and promotes efficient segregation of aPKC toward the anterior but holds aPKC in an inactive state, and a CDC-42-dependent assembly in which aPKC is active but poorly segregated. Cycling of aPKC between these distinct functional assemblies, which appears to depend on aPKC activity, effectively links cue-sensing and effector roles within the PAR network to ensure robust establishment of polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josana Rodriguez
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK; Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK.
| | | | - Jack Martin
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | | | - Jacob Reich
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | - Alicia G Gubieda
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Jon Roffey
- Cancer Research Technology, Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Daniel St Johnston
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Julie Ahringer
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Nathan W Goehring
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK; Medical Research Council Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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46
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Maître JL. Mechanics of blastocyst morphogenesis. Biol Cell 2017; 109:323-338. [DOI: 10.1111/boc.201700029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Léon Maître
- Institut Curie; PSL Research University; CNRS UMR3215, INSERM U934; Paris France
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47
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Wang SC, Low TYF, Nishimura Y, Gole L, Yu W, Motegi F. Cortical forces and CDC-42 control clustering of PAR proteins for Caenorhabditis elegans embryonic polarization. Nat Cell Biol 2017; 19:988-995. [DOI: 10.1038/ncb3577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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48
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Hansen AH, Duellberg C, Mieck C, Loose M, Hippenmeyer S. Cell Polarity in Cerebral Cortex Development-Cellular Architecture Shaped by Biochemical Networks. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:176. [PMID: 28701923 PMCID: PMC5487411 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The human cerebral cortex is the seat of our cognitive abilities and composed of an extraordinary number of neurons, organized in six distinct layers. The establishment of specific morphological and physiological features in individual neurons needs to be regulated with high precision. Impairments in the sequential developmental programs instructing corticogenesis lead to alterations in the cortical cytoarchitecture which is thought to represent the major underlying cause for several neurological disorders including neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diseases. In this review article we discuss the role of cell polarity at sequential stages during cortex development. We first provide an overview of morphological cell polarity features in cortical neural stem cells and newly-born postmitotic neurons. We then synthesize a conceptual molecular and biochemical framework how cell polarity is established at the cellular level through a break in symmetry in nascent cortical projection neurons. Lastly we provide a perspective how the molecular mechanisms applying to single cells could be probed and integrated in an in vivo and tissue-wide context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andi H Hansen
- Institute of Science and Technology AustriaKlosterneuburg, Austria
| | | | - Christine Mieck
- Institute of Science and Technology AustriaKlosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Martin Loose
- Institute of Science and Technology AustriaKlosterneuburg, Austria
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49
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A Design Principle for an Autonomous Post-translational Pattern Formation. Cell Rep 2017; 19:863-874. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.03.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2016] [Revised: 01/22/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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50
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Christensen JR, Hocky GM, Homa KE, Morganthaler AN, Hitchcock-DeGregori SE, Voth GA, Kovar DR. Competition between Tropomyosin, Fimbrin, and ADF/Cofilin drives their sorting to distinct actin filament networks. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28282023 PMCID: PMC5404920 DOI: 10.7554/elife.23152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The fission yeast actin cytoskeleton is an ideal, simplified system to investigate fundamental mechanisms behind cellular self-organization. By focusing on the stabilizing protein tropomyosin Cdc8, bundling protein fimbrin Fim1, and severing protein coffin Adf1, we examined how their pairwise and collective interactions with actin filaments regulate their activity and segregation to functionally diverse F-actin networks. Utilizing multi-color TIRF microscopy of in vitro reconstituted F-actin networks, we observed and characterized two distinct Cdc8 cables loading and spreading cooperatively on individual actin filaments. Furthermore, Cdc8, Fim1, and Adf1 all compete for association with F-actin by different mechanisms, and their cooperative association with actin filaments affects their ability to compete. Finally, competition between Fim1 and Adf1 for F-actin synergizes their activities, promoting rapid displacement of Cdc8 from a dense F-actin network. Our findings reveal that competitive and cooperative interactions between actin binding proteins help define their associations with different F-actin networks. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23152.001 Cells use a protein called actin to provide shape, to generate the forces needed for cells to divide, and for many other essential processes. Inside a cell, individual actin proteins join up to form long filaments. These actin filaments are organized in different ways to make networks that have distinct properties, each tailored for a specific process. For instance, bundles of straight actin filaments help a cell to divide, whereas a network of branched actin filaments allows cells to move. The different proteins that bind to actin filaments influence how quickly actin filaments are assembled and organized into networks. Therefore, many of the properties of an actin filament network are due to the actin binding proteins that are associated with it. Two actin binding proteins called fimbrin and cofilin associate with a type of actin filament network known as the actin patch. A third actin binding protein called tropomyosin associates with a different network that forms a ring. It is not known how particular actin binding proteins choose to associate with one actin network instead of another. Christensen et al. used a fluorescence microscopy technique to study how fimbrin, cofilin and tropomyosin associate with different actin networks in a single-celled organism called fission yeast. This technique involved incubating actin and actin binding proteins together in a microscope chamber. The experiments show that some actin binding proteins, like tropomyosin, cooperate to bind to actin. Individual tropomyosin molecules find it difficult to bind actin filaments on their own, but once one tropomyosin molecule is attached to the filament, others rapidly join to coat the filament. On the other hand, some actin-binding proteins compete for binding to filaments. For example, the binding of fimbrin to actin filaments causes tropomyosin to be removed from the actin network. Further experiments revealed that fimbrin and cofilin work with each other to rapidly generate a dense actin network and displace tropomyosin. Together, the findings of Christensen et al. suggest that competitions between actin binding proteins determine which actin binding proteins are associated with an actin network. The next challenge is to understand how the most competitive actin-binding proteins are kept off actin networks where they do not belong. Further studies will shed light on how these interactions cause large changes in how the cell is organized. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23152.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna R Christensen
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Glen M Hocky
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Kaitlin E Homa
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Alisha N Morganthaler
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Sarah E Hitchcock-DeGregori
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, United States
| | - Gregory A Voth
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Computation Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - David R Kovar
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
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