1
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Xu Y, Muñoz-Hernández H, Krutyhołowa R, Marxer F, Cetin F, Wieczorek M. Partial closure of the γ-tubulin ring complex by CDK5RAP2 activates microtubule nucleation. Dev Cell 2024:S1534-5807(24)00530-6. [PMID: 39321808 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
Microtubule nucleation is templated by the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), but its structure deviates from the geometry of α-/β-tubulin in the microtubule, explaining the complex's poor nucleating activity. Several proteins may activate the γ-TuRC, but the mechanisms underlying activation are not known. Here, we determined the structure of the porcine γ-TuRC purified using CDK5RAP2's centrosomin motif 1 (CM1). We identified an unexpected conformation of the γ-TuRC bound to multiple protein modules containing MZT2, GCP2, and CDK5RAP2, resulting in a long-range constriction of the γ-tubulin ring that brings it in closer agreement with the 13-protofilament microtubule. Additional CDK5RAP2 promoted γ-TuRC decoration and stimulated the microtubule-nucleating activities of the porcine γ-TuRC and a reconstituted, CM1-free human complex in single-molecule assays. Our results provide a structural mechanism for the control of microtubule nucleation by CM1 proteins and identify conformational transitions in the γ-TuRC that prime it for microtubule nucleation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Xu
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hugo Muñoz-Hernández
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Rościsław Krutyhołowa
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Florina Marxer
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ferdane Cetin
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Michal Wieczorek
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland.
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2
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Serna M, Zimmermann F, Vineethakumari C, Gonzalez-Rodriguez N, Llorca O, Lüders J. CDK5RAP2 activates microtubule nucleator γTuRC by facilitating template formation and actin release. Dev Cell 2024:S1534-5807(24)00529-X. [PMID: 39321809 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
To organize microtubules, cells tightly control the activity of the microtubule nucleator γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC). The open ring-shaped γTuRC was proposed to nucleate microtubules by a template mechanism. However, its splayed structure does not match microtubule symmetry, leaving it unclear how γTuRC becomes an efficient nucleator. Here, we identify the mechanism of γTuRC activation by CDK5RAP2 centrosomin motif 1 (CM1). Using cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM), we find that activation involves binding of multiple CM1 dimers to five distinct sites around the outside of the γTuRC cone, which crucially depends on regulatory modules formed by MZT2 and the N-terminal extensions of GCP2 subunits. CM1 binding promotes lateral interactions between GCP subunits to facilitate microtubule-like conformations and release of luminal actin that is integral to non-activated γTuRC. We propose a model where generation of γTuRC with an expanded conformational range, rather than perfect symmetry, is sufficient to boost nucleation activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Serna
- Structural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fabian Zimmermann
- Mechanisms of Disease Programme, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Chithran Vineethakumari
- Mechanisms of Disease Programme, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nayim Gonzalez-Rodriguez
- Structural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Llorca
- Structural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jens Lüders
- Mechanisms of Disease Programme, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
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3
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Gao Q, Vermeulen BJA, Würtz M, Shin H, Erdogdu D, Zheng A, Hofer FW, Neuner A, Pfeffer S, Schiebel E. The structure of the γ-TuRC at the microtubule minus end - not just one solution. Bioessays 2024; 46:e2400117. [PMID: 39044599 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202400117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
In cells, microtubules (MTs) assemble from α/β-tubulin subunits at nucleation sites containing the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC). Within the γ-TuRC, exposed γ-tubulin molecules act as templates for MT assembly by interacting with α/β-tubulin. The vertebrate γ-TuRC is scaffolded by γ-tubulin-interacting proteins GCP2-6 arranged in a specific order. Interestingly, the γ-tubulin molecules in the γ-TuRC deviate from the cylindrical geometry of MTs, raising the question of how the γ-TuRC structure changes during MT nucleation. Recent studies on the structure of the vertebrate γ-TuRC attached to the end of MTs came to varying conclusions. In vitro assembly of MTs, facilitated by an α-tubulin mutant, resulted in a closed, cylindrical γ-TuRC showing canonical interactions between all γ-tubulin molecules and α/β-tubulin subunits. Conversely, native MTs formed in a frog extract were capped by a partially closed γ-TuRC, with some γ-tubulin molecules failing to align with α/β-tubulin. This review discusses these outcomes, along with the broader implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Gao
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bram J A Vermeulen
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Würtz
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hyesu Shin
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dilara Erdogdu
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anjun Zheng
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Florian W Hofer
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annett Neuner
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Pfeffer
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elmar Schiebel
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
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4
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Aher A, Urnavicius L, Xue A, Neselu K, Kapoor TM. Structure of the γ-tubulin ring complex-capped microtubule. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:1124-1133. [PMID: 38609661 PMCID: PMC11257807 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01264-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Microtubules are composed of α-tubulin and β-tubulin dimers positioned head-to-tail to form protofilaments that associate laterally in varying numbers. It is not known how cellular microtubules assemble with the canonical 13-protofilament architecture, resulting in micrometer-scale α/β-tubulin tracks for intracellular transport that align with, rather than spiral along, the long axis of the filament. We report that the human ~2.3 MDa γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), an essential regulator of microtubule formation that contains 14 γ-tubulins, selectively nucleates 13-protofilament microtubules. Cryogenic electron microscopy reconstructions of γ-TuRC-capped microtubule minus ends reveal the extensive intra-domain and inter-domain motions of γ-TuRC subunits that accommodate luminal bridge components and establish lateral and longitudinal interactions between γ-tubulins and α-tubulins. Our structures suggest that γ-TuRC, an inefficient nucleation template owing to its splayed conformation, can transform into a compacted cap at the microtubule minus end and set the lattice architecture of cellular microtubules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amol Aher
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Linas Urnavicius
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Allen Xue
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kasahun Neselu
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tarun M Kapoor
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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5
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Dendooven T, Yatskevich S, Burt A, Chen ZA, Bellini D, Rappsilber J, Kilmartin JV, Barford D. Structure of the native γ-tubulin ring complex capping spindle microtubules. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:1134-1144. [PMID: 38609662 PMCID: PMC11257966 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01281-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Microtubule (MT) filaments, composed of α/β-tubulin dimers, are fundamental to cellular architecture, function and organismal development. They are nucleated from MT organizing centers by the evolutionarily conserved γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC). However, the molecular mechanism of nucleation remains elusive. Here we used cryo-electron tomography to determine the structure of the native γTuRC capping the minus end of a MT in the context of enriched budding yeast spindles. In our structure, γTuRC presents a ring of γ-tubulin subunits to seed nucleation of exclusively 13-protofilament MTs, adopting an active closed conformation to function as a perfect geometric template for MT nucleation. Our cryo-electron tomography reconstruction revealed that a coiled-coil protein staples the first row of α/β-tubulin of the MT to alternating positions along the γ-tubulin ring of γTuRC. This positioning of α/β-tubulin onto γTuRC suggests a role for the coiled-coil protein in augmenting γTuRC-mediated MT nucleation. Based on our results, we describe a molecular model for budding yeast γTuRC activation and MT nucleation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stanislau Yatskevich
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
- Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Alister Burt
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zhuo A Chen
- Technische Universität Berlin, Chair of Bioanalytics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dom Bellini
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Juri Rappsilber
- Technische Universität Berlin, Chair of Bioanalytics, Berlin, Germany
- Si-M/'Der Simulierte Mensch', Technische Universität Berlin and Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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6
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McManus CT, Travis SM, Jeffrey PD, Zhang R, Petry S. Mechanism of how the universal module XMAP215 γ-TuRC nucleates microtubules. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.03.597159. [PMID: 38895418 PMCID: PMC11185565 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.03.597159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
It has become increasingly evident in recent years that nucleation of microtubules from a diverse set of MTOCs requires both the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) and the microtubule polymerase XMAP215. Despite their essentiality, little is known about how these nucleation factors interact and work together to generate microtubules. Using biochemical domain analysis of XMAP215 and structural approaches, we find that a sixth TOG domain in XMAP215 binds γ-TuRC via γ-tubulin as part of a broader interaction involving the C-terminal region. Moreover, TOG6 is required for XMAP215 to promote nucleation from γ-TuRC to its full extent. Interestingly, we find that XMAP215 also depends strongly on TOG5 for microtubule lattice binding and nucleation. Accordingly, we report a cryo-EM structure of TOG5 bound to the microtubule lattice that reveals promotion of lateral interactions between tubulin dimers. Finally, we find that while XMAP215 constructs' effects on nucleation are generally proportional to their effects on polymerization, formation of a direct complex with γ-TuRC allows cooperative nucleation activity. Thus, we propose that XMAP215's C-terminal TOGs 5 and 6 play key roles in promoting nucleation by promoting formation of longitudinal and lateral bonds in γ-TuRC templated nascent microtubules at cellular MTOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin T. McManus
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Sophie M. Travis
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Philip D. Jeffrey
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine (St. Louis, Missouri, United States)
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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7
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Grazzini A, Cavanaugh AM. Fungal microtubule organizing centers are evolutionarily unstable structures. Fungal Genet Biol 2024; 172:103885. [PMID: 38485050 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2024.103885] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
For most Eukaryotic species the requirements of cilia formation dictate the structure of microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs). In this study we find that loss of cilia corresponds to loss of evolutionary stability for fungal MTOCs. We used iterative search algorithms to identify proteins homologous to those found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Schizosaccharomyces pombe MTOCs, and calculated site-specific rates of change for those proteins that were broadly phylogenetically distributed. Our results indicate that both the protein composition of MTOCs as well as the sequence of MTOC proteins are poorly conserved throughout the fungal kingdom. To begin to reconcile this rapid evolutionary change with the rigid structure and essential function of the S. cerevisiae MTOC we further analyzed how structural interfaces among proteins influence the rates of change for specific residues within a protein. We find that a more stable protein may stabilize portions of an interacting partner where the two proteins are in contact. In summary, while the protein composition and sequences of the MTOC may be rapidly changing the proteins within the structure have a stabilizing effect on one another. Further exploration of fungal MTOCs will expand our understanding of how changes in the functional needs of a cell have affected physical structures, proteomes, and protein sequences throughout fungal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Grazzini
- Department of Biology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Ann M Cavanaugh
- Department of Biology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
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8
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Vermeulen BJ, Böhler A, Gao Q, Neuner A, Župa E, Chu Z, Würtz M, Jäkle U, Gruss OJ, Pfeffer S, Schiebel E. γ-TuRC asymmetry induces local protofilament mismatch at the RanGTP-stimulated microtubule minus end. EMBO J 2024; 43:2062-2085. [PMID: 38600243 PMCID: PMC11099078 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00087-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) is a structural template for de novo microtubule assembly from α/β-tubulin units. The isolated vertebrate γ-TuRC assumes an asymmetric, open structure deviating from microtubule geometry, suggesting that γ-TuRC closure may underlie regulation of microtubule nucleation. Here, we isolate native γ-TuRC-capped microtubules from Xenopus laevis egg extract nucleated through the RanGTP-induced pathway for spindle assembly and determine their cryo-EM structure. Intriguingly, the microtubule minus end-bound γ-TuRC is only partially closed and consequently, the emanating microtubule is locally misaligned with the γ-TuRC and asymmetric. In the partially closed conformation of the γ-TuRC, the actin-containing lumenal bridge is locally destabilised, suggesting lumenal bridge modulation in microtubule nucleation. The microtubule-binding protein CAMSAP2 specifically binds the minus end of γ-TuRC-capped microtubules, indicating that the asymmetric minus end structure may underlie recruitment of microtubule-modulating factors for γ-TuRC release. Collectively, we reveal a surprisingly asymmetric microtubule minus end protofilament organisation diverging from the regular microtubule structure, with direct implications for the kinetics and regulation of nucleation and subsequent modulation of microtubules during spindle assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bram Ja Vermeulen
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Böhler
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Qi Gao
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annett Neuner
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Erik Župa
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Zhenzhen Chu
- Institut für Genetik, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education, Beijing), Lymphoma Department, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Martin Würtz
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ursula Jäkle
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Pfeffer
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Elmar Schiebel
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany.
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9
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Tollervey F, Rios MU, Zagoriy E, Woodruff JB, Mahamid J. Native molecular architectures of centrosomes in C. elegans embryos. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.03.587742. [PMID: 38617234 PMCID: PMC11014625 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.03.587742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Centrosomes organize microtubules that are essential for mitotic divisions in animal cells. They consist of centrioles surrounded by Pericentriolar Material (PCM). Questions related to mechanisms of centriole assembly, PCM organization, and microtubule formation remain unanswered, in part due to limited availability of molecular-resolution structural analyses in situ. Here, we use cryo-electron tomography to visualize centrosomes across the cell cycle in cells isolated from C. elegans embryos. We describe a pseudo-timeline of centriole assembly and identify distinct structural features including a cartwheel in daughter centrioles, and incomplete microtubule doublets surrounded by a star-shaped density in mother centrioles. We find that centriole and PCM microtubules differ in protofilament number (13 versus 11) indicating distinct nucleation mechanisms. This difference could be explained by atypical γ-tubulin ring complexes with 11-fold symmetry identified at the minus ends of short PCM microtubules. We further characterize a porous and disordered network that forms the interconnected PCM. Thus, our work builds a three-dimensional structural atlas that helps explain how centrosomes assemble, grow, and achieve function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fergus Tollervey
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- Collaboration for Joint PhD Degree between EMBL and Heidelberg University, Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Manolo U. Rios
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Evgenia Zagoriy
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jeffrey B. Woodruff
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Julia Mahamid
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, EMBL, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
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10
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Brito C, Serna M, Guerra P, Llorca O, Surrey T. Transition of human γ-tubulin ring complex into a closed conformation during microtubule nucleation. Science 2024; 383:870-876. [PMID: 38305685 DOI: 10.1126/science.adk6160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Microtubules are essential for intracellular organization and chromosome segregation. They are nucleated by the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC). However, isolated vertebrate γTuRC adopts an open conformation that deviates from the microtubule structure, raising the question of the nucleation mechanism. In this study, we determined cryo-electron microscopy structures of human γTuRC bound to a nascent microtubule. Structural changes of the complex into a closed conformation ensure that γTuRC templates the 13-protofilament microtubules that exist in human cells. Closure is mediated by a latch that interacts with incorporating tubulin, making it part of the closing mechanism. Further rearrangements involve all γTuRC subunits and the removal of the actin-containing luminal bridge. Our proposed mechanism of microtubule nucleation by human γTuRC relies on large-scale structural changes that are likely the target of regulation in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Brito
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marina Serna
- Structural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Guerra
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Platform-IBMB CSIC, Joint Electron Microscopy Center at ALBA (JEMCA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Oscar Llorca
- Structural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Thomas Surrey
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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11
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Romer B, Travis SM, Mahon BP, McManus CT, Jeffrey PD, Coudray N, Raghu R, Rale MJ, Zhong ED, Bhabha G, Petry S. Conformational states of the microtubule nucleator, the γ-tubulin ring complex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.19.572162. [PMID: 38187763 PMCID: PMC10769196 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.19.572162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Microtubules (MTs) perform essential functions in the cell, and it is critical that they are made at the correct cellular location and cell cycle stage. This nucleation process is catalyzed by the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), a cone-shaped protein complex composed of over 30 subunits. Despite recent insight into the structure of vertebrate γ-TuRC, which shows that its diameter is wider than that of a MT, and that it exhibits little of the symmetry expected for an ideal MT template, the question of how γ-TuRC achieves MT nucleation remains open. Here, we utilized single particle cryo-EM to identify two conformations of γ-TuRC. The helix composed of 14 γ-tubulins at the top of the γ-TuRC cone undergoes substantial deformation, which is predominantly driven by bending of the hinge between the GRIP1 and GRIP2 domains of the γ-tubulin complex proteins. However, surprisingly, this deformation does not remove the inherent asymmetry of γ-TuRC. To further investigate the role of γ-TuRC conformational change, we used cryo electron-tomography (cryo-ET) to obtain a 3D reconstruction of γ-TuRC bound to a nucleated MT, providing insight into the post-nucleation state. Rigid-body fitting of our cryo-EM structures into this reconstruction suggests that the MT lattice is nucleated by spokes 2 through 14 of the γ-tubulin helix, which entails spokes 13 and 14 becoming more structured than what is observed in apo γ-TuRC. Together, our results allow us to propose a model for conformational changes in γ-TuRC and how these may facilitate MT formation in a cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Romer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Sophie M. Travis
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Brian P. Mahon
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Present address: Molecular Structure and Design, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Collin T. McManus
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Philip D. Jeffrey
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Nicolas Coudray
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
- Applied Bioinformatics Laboratories, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rishwanth Raghu
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Michael J. Rale
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Present address: Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ellen D. Zhong
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Gira Bhabha
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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12
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Aher A, Urnavicius L, Xue A, Neselu K, Kapoor TM. Structure of the γ-tubulin ring complex-capped microtubule. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.20.567916. [PMID: 38045257 PMCID: PMC10690160 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.20.567916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Microtubules are composed of α/β-tubulin dimers positioned head-to-tail to form protofilaments that associate laterally in varying numbers. It is not known how cellular microtubules assemble with the canonical 13-protofilament architecture, resulting in micrometer-scale α/β-tubulin tracks for intracellular transport that align with, rather than spiral along, the filament's long-axis. We report that the human ∼2.3MDa γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), an essential regulator of microtubule formation that contains 14 γ-tubulins, selectively nucleates 13-protofilament microtubules. Cryo-EM reconstructions of γ-TuRC-capped microtubule minus-ends reveal the extensive intra- and inter-domain motions of γ-TuRC subunits that accommodate its actin-containing luminal bridge and establish lateral and longitudinal interactions between γ- and α-tubulins. Our structures reveal how free γ-TuRC, an inefficient nucleation template due to its splayed conformation, transforms into a stable cap that blocks addition or loss of α/β-tubulins from minus-ends and sets the lattice architecture of cellular microtubules. One Sentence Summary Structural insights into how the γ-tubulin ring complex nucleates and caps a 13-protofilament microtubule.
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13
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Kraus J, Alfaro-Aco R, Gouveia B, Petry S. Microtubule nucleation for spindle assembly: one molecule at a time. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:761-775. [PMID: 37482516 PMCID: PMC10789498 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The cell orchestrates the dance of chromosome segregation with remarkable speed and fidelity. The mitotic spindle is built from scratch after interphase through microtubule (MT) nucleation, which is dependent on the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), the universal MT template. Although several MT nucleation pathways build the spindle framework, the question of when and how γ-TuRC is targeted to these nucleation sites in the spindle and subsequently activated remains an active area of investigation. Recent advances facilitated the discovery of new MT nucleation effectors and their mechanisms of action. In this review, we illuminate each spindle assembly pathway and subsequently consider how the pathways are merged to build a spindle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi Kraus
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | - Bernardo Gouveia
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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14
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Valdez VA, Neahring L, Petry S, Dumont S. Mechanisms underlying spindle assembly and robustness. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:523-542. [PMID: 36977834 PMCID: PMC10642710 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00584-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
The microtubule-based spindle orchestrates chromosome segregation during cell division. Following more than a century of study, many components and pathways contributing to spindle assembly have been described, but how the spindle robustly assembles remains incompletely understood. This process involves the self-organization of a large number of molecular parts - up to hundreds of thousands in vertebrate cells - whose local interactions give rise to a cellular-scale structure with emergent architecture, mechanics and function. In this Review, we discuss key concepts in our understanding of spindle assembly, focusing on recent advances and the new approaches that enabled them. We describe the pathways that generate the microtubule framework of the spindle by driving microtubule nucleation in a spatially controlled fashion and present recent insights regarding the organization of individual microtubules into structural modules. Finally, we discuss the emergent properties of the spindle that enable robust chromosome segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lila Neahring
- Department of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Graduate Program, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sabine Petry
- Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| | - Sophie Dumont
- Department of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Graduate Program, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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15
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Haruta N, Sumiyoshi E, Honda Y, Terasawa M, Uchiyama C, Toya M, Kubota Y, Sugimoto A. A germline-specific role for unconventional components of the γ-tubulin complex in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:jcs260922. [PMID: 37313686 PMCID: PMC10657210 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The γ-tubulin complex (γTuC) is a widely conserved microtubule nucleator, but some of its components, namely GCP4, GCP5 and GCP6 (also known as TUBGCP4, TUBGCP5 and TUBGCP6, respectively), have not been detected in Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, we identified two γTuC-associated proteins in C. elegans, GTAP-1 and GTAP-2, for which apparent orthologs were detected only in the genus Caenorhabditis. GTAP-1 and GTAP-2 were found to localize at centrosomes and the plasma membrane of the germline, and their centrosomal localization was interdependent. In early C. elegans embryos, whereas the conserved γTuC component MZT-1 (also known as MOZART1 and MZT1) was essential for the localization of centrosomal γ-tubulin, depletion of GTAP-1 and/or GTAP-2 caused up to 50% reduction of centrosomal γ-tubulin and precocious disassembly of spindle poles during mitotic telophase. In the adult germline, GTAP-1 and GTAP-2 contributed to efficient recruitment of the γTuC to the plasma membrane. Depletion of GTAP-1, but not of GTAP-2, severely disrupted both the microtubule array and the honeycomb-like structure of the adult germline. We propose that GTAP-1 and GTAP-2 are unconventional components of the γTuC that contribute to the organization of both centrosomal and non-centrosomal microtubules by targeting the γTuC to specific subcellular sites in a tissue-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nami Haruta
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Eisuke Sumiyoshi
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Yu Honda
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Masahiro Terasawa
- Laboratory for Developmental Genomics, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Chihiro Uchiyama
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Mika Toya
- Laboratory for Developmental Genomics, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Yukihiko Kubota
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Asako Sugimoto
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
- Laboratory for Developmental Genomics, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
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16
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Laguillo-Diego A, Kiewisz R, Martí-Gómez C, Baum D, Müller-Reichert T, Vernos I. MCRS1 modulates the heterogeneity of microtubule minus-end morphologies in mitotic spindles. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 34:ar1. [PMID: 36350698 PMCID: PMC9816640 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e22-08-0306-t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Faithful chromosome segregation requires the assembly of a bipolar spindle, consisting of two antiparallel microtubule (MT) arrays having most of their minus ends focused at the spindle poles and their plus ends overlapping in the spindle midzone. Spindle assembly, chromosome alignment, and segregation require highly dynamic MTs. The plus ends of MTs have been extensively investigated but their minus-end structure remains poorly characterized. Here, we used large-scale electron tomography to study the morphology of the MT minus ends in three dimensionally reconstructed metaphase spindles in HeLa cells. In contrast to the homogeneous open morphology of the MT plus ends at the kinetochores, we found that MT minus ends are heterogeneous, showing either open or closed morphologies. Silencing the minus end-specific stabilizer, MCRS1 increased the proportion of open MT minus ends. Altogether, these data suggest a correlation between the morphology and the dynamic state of the MT ends. Taking this heterogeneity of the MT minus-end morphologies into account, our work indicates an unsynchronized behavior of MTs at the spindle poles, thus laying the groundwork for further studies on the complexity of MT dynamics regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Laguillo-Diego
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Robert Kiewisz
- Experimental Center, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Carlos Martí-Gómez
- Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724
| | - Daniel Baum
- Department of Visual and Data-Centric Computing, Zuse Institute Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Müller-Reichert
- Experimental Center, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Isabelle Vernos
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08003, Spain,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona 08003, Spain,ICREA, Barcelona 08010, Spain,*Address correspondence to: Isabelle Vernos ()
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17
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Rale MJ, Romer B, Mahon BP, Travis SM, Petry S. The conserved centrosomin motif, γTuNA, forms a dimer that directly activates microtubule nucleation by the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC). eLife 2022; 11:e80053. [PMID: 36515268 PMCID: PMC9859039 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
To establish the microtubule cytoskeleton, the cell must tightly regulate when and where microtubules are nucleated. This regulation involves controlling the initial nucleation template, the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC). Although γTuRC is present throughout the cytoplasm, its activity is restricted to specific sites including the centrosome and Golgi. The well-conserved γ-tubulin nucleation activator (γTuNA) domain has been reported to increase the number of microtubules (MTs) generated by γTuRCs. However, previously we and others observed that γTuNA had a minimal effect on the activity of antibody-purified Xenopus γTuRCs in vitro (Thawani et al., eLife, 2020; Liu et al., 2020). Here, we instead report, based on improved versions of γTuRC, γTuNA, and our TIRF assay, the first real-time observation that γTuNA directly increases γTuRC activity in vitro, which is thus a bona fide γTuRC activator. We further validate this effect in Xenopus egg extract. Via mutation analysis, we find that γTuNA is an obligate dimer. Moreover, efficient dimerization as well as γTuNA's L70, F75, and L77 residues are required for binding to and activation of γTuRC. Finally, we find that γTuNA's activating effect opposes inhibitory regulation by stathmin. In sum, our improved assays prove that direct γTuNA binding strongly activates γTuRCs, explaining previously observed effects of γTuNA expression in cells and illuminating how γTuRC-mediated microtubule nucleation is regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Rale
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Brianna Romer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Brian P Mahon
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Sophie M Travis
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
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18
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Sulimenko V, Dráberová E, Dráber P. γ-Tubulin in microtubule nucleation and beyond. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:880761. [PMID: 36158181 PMCID: PMC9503634 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.880761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubules composed of αβ-tubulin dimers are dynamic cytoskeletal polymers that play key roles in essential cellular processes such as cell division, organelle positioning, intracellular transport, and cell migration. γ-Tubulin is a highly conserved member of the tubulin family that is required for microtubule nucleation. γ-Tubulin, together with its associated proteins, forms the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), that templates microtubules. Here we review recent advances in the structure of γ-TuRC, its activation, and centrosomal recruitment. This provides new mechanistic insights into the molecular mechanism of microtubule nucleation. Accumulating data suggest that γ-tubulin also has other, less well understood functions. We discuss emerging evidence that γ-tubulin can form oligomers and filaments, has specific nuclear functions, and might be involved in centrosomal cross-talk between microtubules and microfilaments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pavel Dráber
- *Correspondence: Vadym Sulimenko, ; Pavel Dráber,
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19
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Real-Time Imaging of Single γTuRC-Mediated Microtubule Nucleation Events In Vitro by TIRF Microscopy. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2022; 2430:315-336. [PMID: 35476342 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1983-4_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) is the major microtubule nucleator in cells. How γTuRC nucleates microtubules, and how nucleation is regulated is not understood. To gain an understanding of γTuRC activity and regulation at the molecular level, it is important to measure quantitatively how γTuRC interacts with tubulin and potential regulators in space and time. Here, we describe a total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy-based assay on chemically functionalized glass slides for the in vitro study of surface immobilized purified γTuRC. The assay allows to measure microtubule nucleation by γTuRC in real time and at a single molecule level over a wide variety of assay conditions, in the absence and presence of potential regulators. This setup provides a previously unavailable opportunity for quantitative studies of the kinetics of microtubule nucleation by γTuRC.
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20
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Ti SC. Reconstituting Microtubules: A Decades-Long Effort From Building Block Identification to the Generation of Recombinant α/β-Tubulin. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:861648. [PMID: 35573669 PMCID: PMC9096264 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.861648] [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: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are cytoskeletal filaments underlying the morphology and functions of all eukaryotic cells. In higher eukaryotes, the basic building blocks of these non-covalent polymers, ɑ- and β-tubulins, are encoded by expanded tubulin family genes (i.e., isotypes) at distinct loci in the genome. While ɑ/β-tubulin heterodimers have been isolated and examined for more than 50 years, how tubulin isotypes contribute to the microtubule organization and functions that support diverse cellular architectures remains a fundamental question. To address this knowledge gap, in vitro reconstitution of microtubules with purified ɑ/β-tubulin proteins has been employed for biochemical and biophysical characterization. These in vitro assays have provided mechanistic insights into the regulation of microtubule dynamics, stability, and interactions with other associated proteins. Here we survey the evolving strategies of generating purified ɑ/β-tubulin heterodimers and highlight the advances in tubulin protein biochemistry that shed light on the roles of tubulin isotypes in determining microtubule structures and properties.
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21
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Vineethakumari C, Lüders J. Microtubule Anchoring: Attaching Dynamic Polymers to Cellular Structures. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:867870. [PMID: 35309944 PMCID: PMC8927778 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.867870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are dynamic, filamentous polymers composed of α- and β-tubulin. Arrays of microtubules that have a specific polarity and distribution mediate essential processes such as intracellular transport and mitotic chromosome segregation. Microtubule arrays are generated with the help of microtubule organizing centers (MTOC). MTOCs typically combine two principal activities, the de novo formation of microtubules, termed nucleation, and the immobilization of one of the two ends of microtubules, termed anchoring. Nucleation is mediated by the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC), which, in cooperation with its recruitment and activation factors, provides a template for α- and β-tubulin assembly, facilitating formation of microtubule polymer. In contrast, the molecules and mechanisms that anchor newly formed microtubules at MTOCs are less well characterized. Here we discuss the mechanistic challenges underlying microtubule anchoring, how this is linked with the molecular activities of known and proposed anchoring factors, and what consequences defective microtubule anchoring has at the cellular and organismal level.
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22
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Dráber P, Dráberová E. Dysregulation of Microtubule Nucleating Proteins in Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13225638. [PMID: 34830792 PMCID: PMC8616210 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The dysfunction of microtubule nucleation in cancer cells changes the overall cytoskeleton organization and cellular physiology. This review focuses on the dysregulation of the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) proteins that are essential for microtubule nucleation. Recent research on the high-resolution structure of γ-TuRC has brought new insight into the microtubule nucleation mechanism. We discuss the effect of γ-TuRC protein overexpression on cancer cell behavior and new drugs directed to γ-tubulin that may offer a viable alternative to microtubule-targeting agents currently used in cancer chemotherapy. Abstract In cells, microtubules typically nucleate from microtubule organizing centers, such as centrosomes. γ-Tubulin, which forms multiprotein complexes, is essential for nucleation. The γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) is an efficient microtubule nucleator that requires additional centrosomal proteins for its activation and targeting. Evidence suggests that there is a dysfunction of centrosomal microtubule nucleation in cancer cells. Despite decades of molecular analysis of γ-TuRC and its interacting factors, the mechanisms of microtubule nucleation in normal and cancer cells remains obscure. Here, we review recent work on the high-resolution structure of γ-TuRC, which brings new insight into the mechanism of microtubule nucleation. We discuss the effects of γ-TuRC protein dysregulation on cancer cell behavior and new compounds targeting γ-tubulin. Drugs inhibiting γ-TuRC functions could represent an alternative to microtubule targeting agents in cancer chemotherapy.
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23
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Rice LM, Moritz M, Agard DA. Microtubules form by progressively faster tubulin accretion, not by nucleation-elongation. J Cell Biol 2021; 220:211894. [PMID: 33734292 PMCID: PMC7980253 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202012079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are dynamic polymers that play fundamental roles in all eukaryotes. Despite their importance, how new microtubules form is poorly understood. Textbooks have focused on variations of a nucleation–elongation mechanism in which monomers rapidly equilibrate with an unstable oligomer (nucleus) that limits the rate of polymer formation; once formed, the polymer then elongates efficiently from this nucleus by monomer addition. Such models faithfully describe actin assembly, but they fail to account for how more complex polymers like hollow microtubules assemble. Here, we articulate a new model for microtubule formation that has three key features: (1) microtubules initiate via rectangular, sheet-like structures that grow faster the larger they become; (2) the dominant pathway proceeds via accretion, the stepwise addition of longitudinal or lateral layers; and (3) a “straightening penalty” to account for the energetic cost of tubulin’s curved-to-straight conformational transition. This model can quantitatively fit experimental assembly data, providing new insights into biochemical determinants and assembly pathways for microtubule nucleation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke M Rice
- Departments of Biophysics and Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Michelle Moritz
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco CA
| | - David A Agard
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco CA
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24
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Abstract
As one of four filament types, microtubules are a core component of the cytoskeleton and are essential for cell function. Yet how microtubules are nucleated from their building blocks, the αβ-tubulin heterodimer, has remained a fundamental open question since the discovery of tubulin 50 years ago. Recent structural studies have shed light on how γ-tubulin and the γ-tubulin complex proteins (GCPs) GCP2 to GCP6 form the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC). In parallel, functional and single-molecule studies have informed on how the γ-TuRC nucleates microtubules in real time, how this process is regulated in the cell and how it compares to other modes of nucleation. Another recent surprise has been the identification of a second essential nucleation factor, which turns out to be the well-characterized microtubule polymerase XMAP215 (also known as CKAP5, a homolog of chTOG, Stu2 and Alp14). This discovery helps to explain why the observed nucleation activity of the γ-TuRC in vitro is relatively low. Taken together, research in recent years has afforded important insight into how microtubules are made in the cell and provides a basis for an exciting era in the cytoskeleton field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Thawani
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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25
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Abstract
Centrioles are microtubule-based cylindrical structures that assemble the centrosome and template the formation of cilia. The proximal part of centrioles is associated with the pericentriolar material, a protein scaffold from which microtubules are nucleated. This activity is mediated by the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) whose central role in centrosomal microtubule organization has been recognized for decades. However, accumulating evidence suggests that γTuRC activity at this organelle is neither restricted to the pericentriolar material nor limited to microtubule nucleation. Instead, γTuRC is found along the entire centriole cylinder, at subdistal appendages, and inside the centriole lumen, where its canonical function as a microtubule nucleator might be supplemented or replaced by a function in microtubule anchoring and centriole stabilization, respectively. In this Opinion, we discuss recent insights into the expanded repertoire of γTuRC activities at centrioles and how distinct subpopulations of γTuRC might act in concert to ensure centrosome and cilia biogenesis and function, ultimately supporting cell proliferation, differentiation and homeostasis. We propose that the classical view of centrosomal γTuRC as a pericentriolar material-associated microtubule nucleator needs to be revised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Schweizer
- Mechanisms of Disease Programme, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jens Lüders
- Mechanisms of Disease Programme, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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26
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Böhler A, Vermeulen BJA, Würtz M, Zupa E, Pfeffer S, Schiebel E. The gamma-tubulin ring complex: Deciphering the molecular organization and assembly mechanism of a major vertebrate microtubule nucleator. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2100114. [PMID: 34160844 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Microtubules are protein cylinders with functions in cell motility, signal sensing, cell organization, intracellular transport, and chromosome segregation. One of the key properties of microtubules is their dynamic architecture, allowing them to grow and shrink in length by adding or removing copies of their basic subunit, the heterodimer αβ-tubulin. In higher eukaryotes, de novo assembly of microtubules from αβ-tubulin is initiated by a 2 MDa multi-subunit complex, the gamma-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC). For many years, the structure of the γ-TuRC and the function of its subunits remained enigmatic, although structural data from the much simpler yeast counterpart, the γ-tubulin small complex (γ-TuSC), were available. Two recent breakthroughs in the field, high-resolution structural analysis and recombinant reconstitution of the complex, have revolutionized our knowledge about the architecture and function of the γ-TuRC and will form the basis for addressing outstanding questions about biogenesis and regulation of this essential microtubule organizer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Böhler
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bram J A Vermeulen
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Würtz
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Erik Zupa
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Pfeffer
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elmar Schiebel
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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27
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Tovey CA, Tsuji C, Egerton A, Bernard F, Guichet A, de la Roche M, Conduit PT. Autoinhibition of Cnn binding to γ-TuRCs prevents ectopic microtubule nucleation and cell division defects. J Cell Biol 2021; 220:212197. [PMID: 34042945 PMCID: PMC8164090 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
γ-Tubulin ring complexes (γ-TuRCs) nucleate microtubules. They are recruited to centrosomes in dividing cells via binding to N-terminal CM1 domains within γ-TuRC–tethering proteins, including Drosophila Centrosomin (Cnn). Binding promotes microtubule nucleation and is restricted to centrosomes in dividing cells, but the mechanism regulating binding remains unknown. Here, we identify an extreme N-terminal CM1 autoinhibition (CAI) domain found specifically within the centrosomal isoform of Cnn (Cnn-C) that inhibits γ-TuRC binding. Robust binding occurs after removal of the CAI domain or with the addition of phosphomimetic mutations, suggesting that phosphorylation helps relieve inhibition. We show that regulation of Cnn binding to γ-TuRCs is isoform specific and that misregulation of binding can result in ectopic cytosolic microtubules and major defects during cell division. We also find that human CDK5RAP2 is autoinhibited from binding γ-TuRCs, suggesting conservation across species. Overall, our results shed light on how and why CM1 domain binding to γ-TuRCs is regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne A Tovey
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Université de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France
| | - Chisato Tsuji
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alice Egerton
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Fred Bernard
- Université de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France
| | - Antoine Guichet
- Université de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France
| | - Marc de la Roche
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Paul T Conduit
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Université de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France
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28
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Brilot AF, Lyon AS, Zelter A, Viswanath S, Maxwell A, MacCoss MJ, Muller EG, Sali A, Davis TN, Agard DA. CM1-driven assembly and activation of yeast γ-tubulin small complex underlies microtubule nucleation. eLife 2021; 10:e65168. [PMID: 33949948 PMCID: PMC8099430 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubule (MT) nucleation is regulated by the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC), conserved from yeast to humans. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, γTuRC is composed of seven identical γ-tubulin small complex (γTuSC) sub-assemblies, which associate helically to template MT growth. γTuRC assembly provides a key point of regulation for the MT cytoskeleton. Here, we combine crosslinking mass spectrometry, X-ray crystallography, and cryo-EM structures of both monomeric and dimeric γTuSCs, and open and closed helical γTuRC assemblies in complex with Spc110p to elucidate the mechanisms of γTuRC assembly. γTuRC assembly is substantially aided by the evolutionarily conserved CM1 motif in Spc110p spanning a pair of adjacent γTuSCs. By providing the highest resolution and most complete views of any γTuSC assembly, our structures allow phosphorylation sites to be mapped, surprisingly suggesting that they are mostly inhibitory. A comparison of our structures with the CM1 binding site in the human γTuRC structure at the interface between GCP2 and GCP6 allows for the interpretation of significant structural changes arising from CM1 helix binding to metazoan γTuRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel F Brilot
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Andrew S Lyon
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Alex Zelter
- Department of Biochemistry, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Shruthi Viswanath
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California at San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Alison Maxwell
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Michael J MacCoss
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Eric G Muller
- Department of Biochemistry, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Andrej Sali
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California at San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Trisha N Davis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - David A Agard
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
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29
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Jaiswal S, Kasera H, Jain S, Khandelwal S, Singh P. Centrosome: A Microtubule Nucleating Cellular Machinery. J Indian Inst Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s41745-020-00213-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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30
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Gangadharan B, Rice LM. Nucleating a Microtubule: Put a γ-Tubulin Ring on It. Dev Cell 2020; 53:495-497. [PMID: 32516593 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) is a microtubule nucleator that controls when and where new microtubules form. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Consolati et al. provide much-needed insight into the mechanism of γTuRC-mediated nucleation by determining the structure of human γTuRC and performing quantitative measurements of its activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binnu Gangadharan
- Department of Biophysics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Luke M Rice
- Department of Biophysics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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31
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Zimmermann F, Serna M, Ezquerra A, Fernandez-Leiro R, Llorca O, Luders J. Assembly of the asymmetric human γ-tubulin ring complex by RUVBL1-RUVBL2 AAA ATPase. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eabe0894. [PMID: 33355144 PMCID: PMC11206223 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe0894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The microtubule nucleator γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) is essential for the function of microtubule organizing centers such as the centrosome. Since its discovery over two decades ago, γTuRC has evaded in vitro reconstitution and thus detailed structure-function studies. Here, we show that a complex of RuvB-like protein 1 (RUVBL1) and RUVBL2 "RUVBL" controls assembly and composition of γTuRC in human cells. Likewise, RUVBL assembles γTuRC from a minimal set of core subunits in a heterologous coexpression system. RUVBL interacts with γTuRC subcomplexes but is not part of fully assembled γTuRC. Purified, reconstituted γTuRC has nucleation activity and resembles native γTuRC as revealed by its cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure at ~4.0-Å resolution. We further use cryo-EM to identify features that determine the intricate, higher-order γTuRC architecture. Our work finds RUVBL as an assembly factor that regulates γTuRC in cells and allows production of recombinant γTuRC for future in-depth mechanistic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Zimmermann
- Mechanisms of Disease Programme, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marina Serna
- Structural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Artur Ezquerra
- Mechanisms of Disease Programme, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Fernandez-Leiro
- Structural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Llorca
- Structural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jens Luders
- Mechanisms of Disease Programme, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
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32
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Nejedlá M, Klebanovych A, Sulimenko V, Sulimenko T, Dráberová E, Dráber P, Karlsson R. The actin regulator profilin 1 is functionally associated with the mammalian centrosome. Life Sci Alliance 2020; 4:4/1/e202000655. [PMID: 33184056 PMCID: PMC7668531 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202000655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The actin regulator profilin 1 recently shown to control microtubule elongation at the cell periphery is found to interact with the γ-tubulin ring complex and tune centrosomal microtubule nucleation. Profilin 1 is a crucial actin regulator, interacting with monomeric actin and several actin-binding proteins controlling actin polymerization. Recently, it has become evident that this profilin isoform associates with microtubules via formins and interferes with microtubule elongation at the cell periphery. Recruitment of microtubule-associated profilin upon extensive actin polymerizations, for example, at the cell edge, enhances microtubule growth, indicating that profilin contributes to the coordination of actin and microtubule organization. Here, we provide further evidence for the profilin-microtubule connection by demonstrating that it also functions in centrosomes where it impacts on microtubule nucleation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Nejedlá
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anastasiya Klebanovych
- Department of Biology of Cytoskeleton, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vadym Sulimenko
- Department of Biology of Cytoskeleton, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tetyana Sulimenko
- Department of Biology of Cytoskeleton, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eduarda Dráberová
- Department of Biology of Cytoskeleton, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Dráber
- Department of Biology of Cytoskeleton, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Roger Karlsson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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33
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Liu P, Würtz M, Zupa E, Pfeffer S, Schiebel E. Microtubule nucleation: The waltz between γ-tubulin ring complex and associated proteins. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2020; 68:124-131. [PMID: 33190097 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2020.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Microtubules are essential cytoskeletal elements assembled from αβ-tubulin dimers. In high eukaryotes, microtubule nucleation, the de novo assembly of a microtubule from its minus end, is initiated by the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC). Despite many years of research, the structural and mechanistic principles of the microtubule nucleation machinery remained poorly understood. Only recently, cryoelectron microscopy studies uncovered the molecular organization and potential activation mechanisms of γ-TuRC. In vitro assays further deciphered the spatial and temporal cooperation between γ-TuRC and additional factors, for example, the augmin complex, the phase separation protein TPX2, and the microtubule polymerase XMAP215. These breakthroughs deepen our understanding of microtubule nucleation mechanisms and will link the assembly of individual microtubules to the organization of cellular microtubule networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Liu
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Martin Würtz
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Erik Zupa
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Pfeffer
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elmar Schiebel
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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34
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Zupa E, Zheng A, Neuner A, Würtz M, Liu P, Böhler A, Schiebel E, Pfeffer S. The cryo-EM structure of a γ-TuSC elucidates architecture and regulation of minimal microtubule nucleation systems. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5705. [PMID: 33177498 PMCID: PMC7658347 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19456-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleation of microtubules from αβ-tubulin subunits is mediated by γ-tubulin complexes, which vary in composition across organisms. Aiming to understand how de novo microtubule formation is achieved and regulated by a minimal microtubule nucleation system, we here determined the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the heterotetrameric γ-tubulin small complex (γ-TuSC) from C. albicans at near-atomic resolution. Compared to the vertebrate γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), we observed a vastly remodeled interface between the SPC/GCP-γ-tubulin spokes, which stabilizes the complex and defines the γ-tubulin arrangement. The relative positioning of γ-tubulin subunits indicates that a conformational rearrangement of the complex is required for microtubule nucleation activity, which follows opposing directionality as predicted for the vertebrate γ-TuRC. Collectively, our data suggest that the assembly and regulation mechanisms of γ-tubulin complexes fundamentally differ between the microtubule nucleation systems in lower and higher eukaryotes. The nucleation of microtubules from αβ-tubulin subunits is mediated by γtubulin complexes, which vary in composition across organisms. Here, authors present the cryo-EM structure of the heterotetrameric γ-tubulin small complex (γ-TuSC) from C. albicans at near-atomic resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Zupa
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anjun Zheng
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annett Neuner
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Würtz
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peng Liu
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Böhler
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elmar Schiebel
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Stefan Pfeffer
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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35
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Jaspersen SL. Anatomy of the fungal microtubule organizing center, the spindle pole body. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2020; 66:22-31. [PMID: 33113389 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2020.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The fungal kingdom is large and diverse, representing extremes of ecology, life cycles and morphology. At a cellular level, the diversity among fungi is particularly apparent at the spindle pole body (SPB). This nuclear envelope embedded structure, which is essential for microtubule nucleation, shows dramatically different morphologies between different fungi. However, despite phenotypic diversity, many SPB components are conserved, suggesting commonalities in structure, function and duplication. Here, I review the organization of the most well-studied SPBs and describe how advances in genomics, genetics and cell biology have accelerated knowledge of SPB architecture in other fungi, providing insights into microtubule nucleation and other processes conserved across eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sue L Jaspersen
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, United States; Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, United States.
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36
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Zupa E, Liu P, Würtz M, Schiebel E, Pfeffer S. The structure of the γ-TuRC: a 25-years-old molecular puzzle. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2020; 66:15-21. [PMID: 33002806 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2020.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The nucleation of microtubules from αβ-tubulin dimers is an essential cellular process dependent on γ-tubulin complexes. Mechanistic understanding of the nucleation reaction was hampered by the lack of γ-tubulin complex structures at sufficiently high resolution. The recent technical developments in cryo-electron microscopy have allowed resolving the vertebrate γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) structure at near-atomic resolution. These studies clarified the arrangement and stoichiometry of gamma-tubulin complex proteins in the γ-TuRC, characterized the surprisingly versatile integration of the small proteins MZT1/2 into the complex, and identified actin as an integral component of the γ-TuRC. In this review, we summarize the structural insights into the molecular architecture, the assembly pathway, and the regulation of the microtubule nucleation reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Zupa
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peng Liu
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Würtz
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elmar Schiebel
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Stefan Pfeffer
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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37
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King BR, Moritz M, Kim H, Agard DA, Asbury CL, Davis TN. XMAP215 and γ-tubulin additively promote microtubule nucleation in purified solutions. Mol Biol Cell 2020; 31:2187-2194. [PMID: 32726183 PMCID: PMC7550701 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e20-02-0160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubule nucleation is spatiotemporally regulated in cells by several known molecules, including the template γ-tubulin and the polymerase XMAP215. The role of XMAP215 in nucleation is under debate, specifically whether it acts independently as a polymerase or acts dependently with γ-tubulin. We first confirm XMAP215 as a classically defined nucleator that reduces the nucleation lag seen in bulk tubulin assembly. Secondly, using deletion constructs, we probe the domain requirements for XMAP215 to promote microtubule nucleation. We show that its ability to nucleate microtubules in purified solutions correlates with its ability to elongate existing microtubules and does not depend on the number of tumor overexpressed gene (TOG) domains. Finally, we show that XMAP215 and γ-tubulin promote αβ-tubulin assembly in an additive, not synergistic, manner. Thus, their modes of action during microtubule nucleation are distinct. These findings suggest there are at least two independent processes in nucleation, one promoted by γ-tubulin and one promoted by XMAP215. We propose that XMAP215 accelerates the addition of subunits to existing nucleation intermediates formed either spontaneously or by oligomers of γ-tubulin. [Media: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna R. King
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Michelle Moritz
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Haein Kim
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - David A. Agard
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Charles L. Asbury
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Trisha N. Davis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
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38
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Thawani A, Rale MJ, Coudray N, Bhabha G, Stone HA, Shaevitz JW, Petry S. The transition state and regulation of γ-TuRC-mediated microtubule nucleation revealed by single molecule microscopy. eLife 2020; 9:e54253. [PMID: 32538784 PMCID: PMC7338055 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining how microtubules (MTs) are nucleated is essential for understanding how the cytoskeleton assembles. While the MT nucleator, γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) has been identified, precisely how γ-TuRC nucleates a MT remains poorly understood. Here, we developed a single molecule assay to directly visualize nucleation of a MT from purified Xenopus laevis γ-TuRC. We reveal a high γ-/αβ-tubulin affinity, which facilitates assembly of a MT from γ-TuRC. Whereas spontaneous nucleation requires assembly of 8 αβ-tubulins, nucleation from γ-TuRC occurs efficiently with a cooperativity of 4 αβ-tubulin dimers. This is distinct from pre-assembled MT seeds, where a single dimer is sufficient to initiate growth. A computational model predicts our kinetic measurements and reveals the rate-limiting transition where laterally associated αβ-tubulins drive γ-TuRC into a closed conformation. NME7, TPX2, and the putative activation domain of CDK5RAP2 h γ-TuRC-mediated nucleation, while XMAP215 drastically increases the nucleation efficiency by strengthening the longitudinal γ-/αβ-tubulin interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Thawani
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Michael J Rale
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Nicolas Coudray
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Gira Bhabha
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Howard A Stone
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Joshua W Shaevitz
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative GenomicsPrincetonUnited States
- Department of Physics, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
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39
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Consolati T, Locke J, Roostalu J, Chen ZA, Gannon J, Asthana J, Lim WM, Martino F, Cvetkovic MA, Rappsilber J, Costa A, Surrey T. Microtubule Nucleation Properties of Single Human γTuRCs Explained by Their Cryo-EM Structure. Dev Cell 2020; 53:603-617.e8. [PMID: 32433913 PMCID: PMC7280788 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) is the major microtubule nucleator in cells. The mechanism of its regulation is not understood. We purified human γTuRC and measured its nucleation properties in a total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy-based real-time nucleation assay. We find that γTuRC stably caps the minus ends of microtubules that it nucleates stochastically. Nucleation is inefficient compared with microtubule elongation. The 4 Å resolution cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of γTuRC, combined with crosslinking mass spectrometry analysis, reveals an asymmetric conformation with only part of the complex in a "closed" conformation matching the microtubule geometry. Actin in the core of the complex, and MZT2 at the outer perimeter of the closed part of γTuRC appear to stabilize the closed conformation. The opposite side of γTuRC is in an "open," nucleation-incompetent conformation, leading to a structural asymmetry explaining the low nucleation efficiency of purified human γTuRC. Our data suggest possible regulatory mechanisms for microtubule nucleation by γTuRC closure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Consolati
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Dr Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julia Locke
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | - Zhuo Angel Chen
- Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Julian Gannon
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Jayant Asthana
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Dr Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wei Ming Lim
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Dr Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Juri Rappsilber
- Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alessandro Costa
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK.
| | - Thomas Surrey
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Dr Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; ICREA, Passeig de Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
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40
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Wang H, Lee M. Switching between Stacked Toroids and Helical Supramolecular Polymers in Aqueous Nanotubules. Macromol Rapid Commun 2020; 41:e2000138. [PMID: 32307804 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202000138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Although significant advances have been made in supramolecular tubules, reversible polymerization in the tubular walls while maintaining their intact structure remains a great challenge. Here, reversible helical supramolecular polymerization of stacked toroids is reported, while maintaining tubular structures in aqueous solution. At room temperature, the tubules consist of discrete toroid stackings with hydrophobic interior. Upon heating, the tubules based on toroid stackings undergo a reversible helical supramolecular polymerization to transform into helical tubules by interconnecting between spirally open toroids. The helical polymerization arises from a tilting transition of the closed toroids that transform into spirally open toroids driven by the thermal dehydration of a hydrophilic oligoether dendron surrounding the toroid frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaxin Wang
- State Key Lab of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Myongsoo Lee
- State Key Lab of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China.,Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
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Wieczorek M, Urnavicius L, Ti SC, Molloy KR, Chait BT, Kapoor TM. Asymmetric Molecular Architecture of the Human γ-Tubulin Ring Complex. Cell 2020; 180:165-175.e16. [PMID: 31862189 PMCID: PMC7027161 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) is an essential regulator of centrosomal and acentrosomal microtubule formation, yet its structure is not known. Here, we present a cryo-EM reconstruction of the native human γ-TuRC at ∼3.8 Å resolution, revealing an asymmetric, cone-shaped structure. Pseudo-atomic models indicate that GCP4, GCP5, and GCP6 form distinct Y-shaped assemblies that structurally mimic GCP2/GCP3 subcomplexes distal to the γ-TuRC "seam." We also identify an unanticipated structural bridge that includes an actin-like protein and spans the γ-TuRC lumen. Despite its asymmetric architecture, the γ-TuRC arranges γ-tubulins into a helical geometry poised to nucleate microtubules. Diversity in the γ-TuRC subunits introduces large (>100,000 Å2) surfaces in the complex that allow for interactions with different regulatory factors. The observed compositional complexity of the γ-TuRC could self-regulate its assembly into a cone-shaped structure to control microtubule formation across diverse contexts, e.g., within biological condensates or alongside existing filaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Wieczorek
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Linas Urnavicius
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Laboratory of Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shih-Chieh Ti
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kelly R Molloy
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Brian T Chait
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Tarun M Kapoor
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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42
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Lüders
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.
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43
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Abstract
For automated acquisition of tilt series for electron tomography, software needs to handle complications such as movements of the sample in x/y and z, increased projected thickness at high tilt, specimen drift, etc. In addition, many applications require special functionality such as low dose acquisition, automated sequential (batch) tomography, or montage tomography. After reviewing how these difficulties can be addressed and a closer look at what advanced acquisition strategies are employed in biosciences, this chapter introduces acquisition software both developed in academia as well as by hardware vendors. It covers the hardware requirements and compatibility, the functional principle and workflow implemented, as well as what advanced functions are supported by the individual programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guenter P Resch
- Nexperion e.U.-Solutions for Electron Microscopy, Vienna, Austria.
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44
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Leong SL, Lynch EM, Zou J, Tay YD, Borek WE, Tuijtel MW, Rappsilber J, Sawin KE. Reconstitution of Microtubule Nucleation In Vitro Reveals Novel Roles for Mzt1. Curr Biol 2019; 29:2199-2207.e10. [PMID: 31287970 PMCID: PMC6616311 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.05.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Microtubule (MT) nucleation depends on the γ-tubulin complex (γ-TuC), in which multiple copies of the heterotetrameric γ-tubulin small complex (γ-TuSC) associate to form a ring-like structure (in metazoans, γ-tubulin ring complex; γ-TuRC) [1-7]. Additional conserved regulators of the γ-TuC include the small protein Mzt1 (MOZART1 in human; GIP1/1B and GIP2/1A in plants) [8-13] and proteins containing a Centrosomin Motif 1 (CM1) domain [10, 14-19]. Many insights into γ-TuC regulators have come from in vivo analysis in fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The S. pombe CM1 protein Mto1 recruits the γ-TuC to microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) [14, 20-22], and analysis of Mto1[bonsai], a truncated version of Mto1 that cannot localize to MTOCs, has shown that Mto1 also has a role in γ-TuC activation [23]. S. pombe Mzt1 interacts with γ-TuSC and is essential for γ-TuC function and localization to MTOCs [11, 12]. However, the mechanisms by which Mzt1 functions remain unclear. Here we describe reconstitution of MT nucleation using purified recombinant Mto1[bonsai], the Mto1 partner protein Mto2, γ-TuSC, and Mzt1. Multiple copies of the six proteins involved coassemble to form a 34-40S ring-like "MGM" holocomplex that is a potent MT nucleator in vitro. Using purified MGM and subcomplexes, we investigate the role of Mzt1 in MT nucleation. Our results suggest that Mzt1 is critical to stabilize Alp6, the S. pombe homolog of human γ-TuSC protein GCP3, in an "interaction-competent" form within the γ-TuSC. This is essential for MGM to become a functional nucleator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Ling Leong
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Eric M Lynch
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Juan Zou
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Ye Dee Tay
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Weronika E Borek
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Maarten W Tuijtel
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Juri Rappsilber
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK; Chair of Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin 13355, Germany
| | - Kenneth E Sawin
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
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45
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Abstract
Microtubules are cytoskeletal filaments essential for numerous aspects of cell physiology. They are polarized polymeric tubes with a fast growing plus end and a slow growing minus end. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we review the current knowledge on the dynamics and organization of microtubule minus ends. Several factors, including the γ-tubulin ring complex, CAMSAP/Patronin, ASPM/Asp, SPIRAL2 (in plants) and the KANSL complex recognize microtubule minus ends and regulate their nucleation, stability and interactions with partners, such as microtubule severing enzymes, microtubule depolymerases and protein scaffolds. Together with minus-end-directed motors, these microtubule minus-end targeting proteins (-TIPs) also control the formation of microtubule-organizing centers, such as centrosomes and spindle poles, and mediate microtubule attachment to cellular membrane structures, including the cell cortex, Golgi complex and the cell nucleus. Structural and functional studies are starting to reveal the molecular mechanisms by which dynamic -TIP networks control microtubule minus ends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Akhmanova
- Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Michel O Steinmetz
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Research, Division of Biology and Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland .,University of Basel, Biozentrum, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
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Mukherjee A, Conduit PT. γ-TuRCs. Curr Biol 2019; 29:R398-R400. [PMID: 31163138 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Mukherjee and Conduit introduce γ-tubulin ring complexes (γ-TuRCs), multi-protein complexes that catalyse the kinetically unfavourable formation of new microtubules in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Mukherjee
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.
| | - Paul T Conduit
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.
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47
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Abstract
Nucleation is one of the least understood steps of microtubule dynamics. It is a kinetically unfavorable process that is templated in the cell by the γ-tubulin ring complex or by preexisting microtubules; it also occurs in vitro from pure tubulin. Here we study the nucleation inhibition potency of natural or artificial proteins in connection with their binding mode to the longitudinal surface of α- or β-tubulin. The structure of tubulin-bound CopN, a Chlamydia protein that delays nucleation, suggests that this protein may interfere with two protofilaments at the (+) end of a nucleus. Designed ankyrin repeat proteins that share a binding mode similar to that of CopN also impede nucleation, whereas those that target only one protofilament do not. In addition, an αRep protein predicted to target two protofilaments at the (-) end does not delay nucleation, pointing to different behaviors at both ends of the nucleus. Our results link the interference with protofilaments at the (+) end and the inhibition of nucleation.
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Abstract
Microtubules are major constituents of the cytoskeleton in all eukaryotic cells. They are essential for chromosome segregation during cell division, for directional intracellular transport and for building specialized cellular structures such as cilia or flagella. Their assembly has to be controlled spatially and temporally. For this, the cell uses multiprotein complexes containing γ-tubulin. γ-Tubulin has been found in two different types of complexes, γ-tubulin small complexes and γ-tubulin ring complexes. Binding to adaptors and activator proteins transforms these complexes into structural templates that drive the nucleation of new microtubules in a highly controlled manner. This review discusses recent advances on the mechanisms of assembly, recruitment and activation of γ-tubulin complexes at microtubule-organizing centres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorian Farache
- Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Laurent Emorine
- Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Laurence Haren
- Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Andreas Merdes
- Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France
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49
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Directing curli polymerization with DNA origami nucleators. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1395. [PMID: 30918257 PMCID: PMC6437208 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09369-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The physiological or pathological formation of fibrils often relies on molecular-scale nucleators that finely control the kinetics and structural features. However, mechanistic understanding of how protein nucleators mediate fibril formation in cells remains elusive. Here, we develop a CsgB-decorated DNA origami (CB-origami) to mimic protein nucleators in Escherichia coli biofilm that direct curli polymerization. We show that CB-origami directs curli subunit CsgA monomers to form oligomers and then accelerates fibril formation by increasing the proliferation rate of primary pathways. Fibrils grow either out from (departure mode) or towards the nucleators (arrival mode), implying two distinct roles of CsgB: as nucleation sites and as trap sites to capture growing nanofibrils in vicinity. Curli polymerization follows typical stop-and-go dynamics but exhibits a higher instantaneous elongation rate compared with independent fibril growth. This origami nucleator thus provides an in vitro platform for mechanistically probing molecular nucleation and controlling directional fibril polymerization for bionanotechnology.
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50
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Autonomous helical propagation of active toroids with mechanical action. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1080. [PMID: 30842429 PMCID: PMC6403424 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09099-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-assembly in nature is fundamentally dynamic, existing in out-of-equilibrium state in which the systems have the ability to autonomously respond to environmental changes. However, artificial systems exist in a global minimum state, which are incapable of conducting such complex functions. Here we report that input of thermal energy can trigger fixed, artificial toroids to spontaneously nucleate helical growth. The helical polymerization undergoes reversible and repeatable cycles with subsequent energy input. When the toroids are located inside lipid vesicles, the polymerization-depolymerization cycle is accompanied by reversible elongation of spherical vesicles. Such liberation from a global minimum state will pave the way to create emergent structures with functions as complex as those of living systems. Self-assembly in nature is dynamic and exists in out-of-equilibrium state and thus systems have the ability to autonomously respond to environmental changes. Here the authors report that input of thermal energy can trigger fixed, artificial toroids to spontaneously nucleate helical growth.
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