PP2A-dependent disruption of centrosome replication and cytoskeleton organization in Drosophila by SV40 small tumor antigen

Zika virus NS3 drives the assembly of a viroplasm-like structure

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted flavivirus that caused an epidemic in 2015-2016 in the Americas and raised serious global health concerns due to its association with congenital brain developmental defects in infected pregnancies. Upon infection, ZIKV assembles virus particles in a virus-generated toroidal compartment next to the nucleus called the replication factory, or viroplasm, which forms by remodeling the host cell endoplasmic reticulum (ER). How the viral proteins control viroplasm assembly remains unknown. Here we show that the ZIKV non-structural protein 3 (NS3) is sufficient to drive the assembly of a viroplasm-like structure (VLS) in human cells. NS3 encodes a dual-function protease and RNA helicase. The VLS is similar to the ZIKV viroplasm in its assembly near centrosomes at the nuclear periphery, its deformation of the nuclear membrane, its recruitment of ER, Golgi, and dsRNA, and its association with microtubules at its surface. While sufficient to generate a VLS, NS3 is less efficient in several aspects compared to viroplasm formation upon ZIKV infection. We further show that the helicase domain and not the protease domain is required for optimal VLS assembly and dsRNA recruitment. Overall, this work advances our understanding of the mechanism of viroplasm assembly by ZIKV and likely will extend to other flaviviruses.

Coordination of Zika Virus Infection and Viroplasm Organization by Microtubules and Microtubule-Organizing Centers

Zika virus (ZIKV) became a global health concern in 2016 due to its links to congenital microcephaly and other birth defects. Flaviviruses, including ZIKV, reorganize the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to form a viroplasm, a compartment where virus particles are assembled. Microtubules (MTs) and microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) coordinate structural and trafficking functions in the cell, and MTs also support replication of flaviviruses. Here we investigated the roles of MTs and the cell's MTOCs on ZIKV viroplasm organization and virus production. We show that a toroidal-shaped viroplasm forms upon ZIKV infection, and MTs are organized at the viroplasm core and surrounding the viroplasm. We show that MTs are necessary for viroplasm organization and impact infectious virus production. In addition, the centrosome and the Golgi MTOC are closely associated with the viroplasm, and the centrosome coordinates the organization of the ZIKV viroplasm toroidal structure. Surprisingly, viroplasm formation and virus production are not significantly impaired when infected cells have no centrosomes and impaired Golgi MTOC, and we show that MTs are anchored to the viroplasm surface in these cells. We propose that the viroplasm is a site of MT organization, and the MTs organized at the viroplasm are sufficient for efficient virus production.

Identification of GOLPH3 Partners in Drosophila Unveils Potential Novel Roles in Tumorigenesis and Neural Disorders

Golgi phosphoprotein 3 (GOLPH3) is a highly conserved peripheral membrane protein localized to the Golgi apparatus and the cytosol. GOLPH3 binding to Golgi membranes depends on phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate [PI(4)P] and regulates Golgi architecture and vesicle trafficking. GOLPH3 overexpression has been correlated with poor prognosis in several cancers, but the molecular mechanisms that link GOLPH3 to malignant transformation are poorly understood. We recently showed that PI(4)P-GOLPH3 couples membrane trafficking with contractile ring assembly during cytokinesis in dividing Drosophila spermatocytes. Here, we use affinity purification coupled with mass spectrometry (AP-MS) to identify the protein-protein interaction network (interactome) of Drosophila GOLPH3 in testes. Analysis of the GOLPH3 interactome revealed enrichment for proteins involved in vesicle-mediated trafficking, cell proliferation and cytoskeleton dynamics. In particular, we found that dGOLPH3 interacts with the Drosophila orthologs of Fragile X mental retardation protein and Ataxin-2, suggesting a potential role in the pathophysiology of disorders of the nervous system. Our findings suggest novel molecular targets associated with GOLPH3 that might be relevant for therapeutic intervention in cancers and other human diseases.

Drosophila as a Model for Infectious Diseases

The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has been used to understand fundamental principles of genetics and biology for over a century. Drosophila is now also considered an essential tool to study mechanisms underlying numerous human genetic diseases. In this review, we will discuss how flies can be used to deepen our knowledge of infectious disease mechanisms in vivo. Flies make effective and applicable models for studying host-pathogen interactions thanks to their highly conserved innate immune systems and cellular processes commonly hijacked by pathogens. Drosophila researchers also possess the most powerful, rapid, and versatile tools for genetic manipulation in multicellular organisms. This allows for robust experiments in which specific pathogenic proteins can be expressed either one at a time or in conjunction with each other to dissect the molecular functions of each virulent factor in a cell-type-specific manner. Well documented phenotypes allow large genetic and pharmacological screens to be performed with relative ease using huge collections of mutant and transgenic strains that are publicly available. These factors combine to make Drosophila a powerful tool for dissecting out host-pathogen interactions as well as a tool to better understand how we can treat infectious diseases that pose risks to public health, including COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2.

Phase Transitioning the Centrosome into a Microtubule Nucleator

Centrosomes are self-assembling, micron-scale, nonmembrane bound organelles that nucleate microtubules (MTs) and organize the microtubule cytoskeleton of the cell. They orchestrate critical cellular processes such as ciliary-based motility, vesicle trafficking, and cell division. Much is known about the role of the centrosome in these contexts, but we have a less comprehensive understanding of how the centrosome assembles and generates microtubules. Studies over the past 10 years have fundamentally shifted our view of these processes. Subdiffraction imaging has probed the amorphous haze of material surrounding the core of the centrosome revealing a complex, hierarchically organized structure whose composition and size changes profoundly during the transition from interphase to mitosis. New biophysical insights into protein phase transitions, where a diffuse protein spontaneously separates into a locally concentrated, nonmembrane bounded compartment, have provided a fresh perspective into how the centrosome might rapidly condense from diffuse cytoplasmic components. In this Perspective, we focus on recent findings that identify several centrosomal proteins that undergo phase transitions. We discuss how to reconcile these results with the current model of the underlying organization of proteins in the centrosome. Furthermore, we reflect on how these findings impact our understanding of how the centrosome undergoes self-assembly and promotes MT nucleation.

Microtubule Regulation and Function during Virus Infection

Microtubules (MTs) form a rapidly adaptable network of filaments that radiate throughout the cell. These dynamic arrays facilitate a wide range of cellular processes, including the capture, transport, and spatial organization of cargos and organelles, as well as changes in cell shape, polarity, and motility. Nucleating from MT-organizing centers, including but by no means limited to the centrosome, MTs undergo rapid transitions through phases of growth, pause, and catastrophe, continuously exploring and adapting to the intracellular environment. Subsets of MTs can become stabilized in response to environmental cues, acquiring distinguishing posttranslational modifications and performing discrete functions as specialized tracks for cargo trafficking. The dynamic behavior and organization of the MT array is regulated by MT-associated proteins (MAPs), which include a subset of highly specialized plus-end-tracking proteins (+TIPs) that respond to signaling cues to alter MT behavior. As pathogenic cargos, viruses require MTs to transport to and from their intracellular sites of replication. While interactions with and functions for MT motor proteins are well characterized and extensively reviewed for many viruses, this review focuses on MT filaments themselves. Changes in the spatial organization and dynamics of the MT array, mediated by virus- or host-induced changes to MT regulatory proteins, not only play a central role in the intracellular transport of virus particles but also regulate a wider range of processes critical to the outcome of infection.

The immediate early protein WSV187 can influence viral replication via regulation of JAK/STAT pathway in Drosophila

The world production of shrimp is seriously affected by the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). Viral immediate-early (IE) genes encode regulatory proteins critical for the viral lifecycle. In spite of their importance, only five out of the 21 identified WSSV IE genes are functionally characterized. Here, we report the use of Drosophila melanogaster as a model to explore the role of WSSV IE gene wsv187. In vivo expression of WSV187 in transgenic flies show WSV187 localized in the cytoplasm. Overexpression of wsv187 results wing defects consistent with phenotypes observed in JAK/STAT exacerbated flies. After artificial infection of the DCV virus, the flies expressing wsv187 showed a lower viral load, a higher survival rate and an up-regulated STAT92E expression. These data demonstrate wsv187 plays a role in the controlling of virus replication by activating host JAK/STAT pathway.

A Role for the Twins Protein Phosphatase (PP2A-B55) in the Maintenance of Drosophila Genome Integrity

The protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a conserved heterotrimeric enzyme that regulates several cellular processes including the DNA damage response and mitosis. Consistent with these functions, PP2A is mutated in many types of cancer and acts as a tumor suppressor. In mammalian cells, PP2A inhibition results in DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) and chromosome aberrations (CABs). However, the mechanisms through which PP2A prevents DNA damage are still unclear. Here, we focus on the role of the Drosophila twins (tws) gene in the maintenance of chromosome integrity; tws encodes the B regulatory subunit (B/B55) of PP2A. Mutations in tws cause high frequencies of CABs (0.5 CABs/cell) in Drosophila larval brain cells and lead to an abnormal persistence of γ-H2Av repair foci. However, mutations that disrupt the PP4 phosphatase activity impair foci dissolution but do not cause CABs, suggesting that a delayed foci regression is not clastogenic. We also show that Tws is required for activation of the G2/M DNA damage checkpoint while PP4 is required for checkpoint recovery, a result that points to a conserved function of these phosphatases from flies to humans. Mutations in the ATM-coding gene tefu are strictly epistatic to tws mutations for the CAB phenotype, suggesting that failure to dephosphorylate an ATM substrate(s) impairs DNA DSBs repair. In addition, mutations in the Ku70 gene, which do not cause CABs, completely suppress CAB formation in tws Ku70 double mutants. These results suggest the hypothesis that an improperly phosphorylated Ku70 protein can lead to DNA damage and CABs.

Greatwall-phosphorylated Endosulfine is both an inhibitor and a substrate of PP2A-B55 heterotrimers

During M phase, Endosulfine (Endos) family proteins are phosphorylated by Greatwall kinase (Gwl), and the resultant pEndos inhibits the phosphatase PP2A-B55, which would otherwise prematurely reverse many CDK-driven phosphorylations. We show here that PP2A-B55 is the enzyme responsible for dephosphorylating pEndos during M phase exit. The kinetic parameters for PP2A-B55's action on pEndos are orders of magnitude lower than those for CDK-phosphorylated substrates, suggesting a simple model for PP2A-B55 regulation that we call inhibition by unfair competition. As the name suggests, during M phase PP2A-B55's attention is diverted to pEndos, which binds much more avidly and is dephosphorylated more slowly than other substrates. When Gwl is inactivated during the M phase-to-interphase transition, the dynamic balance changes: pEndos dephosphorylated by PP2A-B55 cannot be replaced, so the phosphatase can refocus its attention on CDK-phosphorylated substrates. This mechanism explains simultaneously how PP2A-B55 and Gwl together regulate pEndos, and how pEndos controls PP2A-B55. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01695.001.

Human pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and viruses in Drosophila: disease modeling, lessons, and shortcomings

Drosophila has been the invertebrate model organism of choice for the study of innate immune responses during the past few decades. Many Drosophila-microbe interaction studies have helped to define innate immunity pathways, and significant effort has been made lately to decipher mechanisms of microbial pathogenesis. Here we catalog 68 bacterial, fungal, and viral species studied in flies, 43 of which are relevant to human health. We discuss studies of human pathogens in flies revealing not only the elicitation and avoidance of immune response but also mechanisms of tolerance, host tissue homeostasis, regeneration, and predisposition to cancer. Prominent among those is the emerging pattern of intestinal regeneration as a defense response induced by pathogenic and innocuous bacteria. Immunopathology mechanisms and many microbial virulence factors have been elucidated, but their relevance to human health conventionally necessitates validation in mammalian models of infection.

The tumor suppressor CDKN3 controls mitosis

Mitosis is controlled by a network of kinases and phosphatases. We screened a library of small interfering RNAs against a genome-wide set of phosphatases to comprehensively evaluate the role of human phosphatases in mitosis. We found four candidate spindle checkpoint phosphatases, including the tumor suppressor CDKN3. We show that CDKN3 is essential for normal mitosis and G1/S transition. We demonstrate that subcellular localization of CDKN3 changes throughout the cell cycle. We show that CDKN3 dephosphorylates threonine-161 of CDC2 during mitotic exit and we visualize CDC2(pThr-161) at kinetochores and centrosomes in early mitosis. We performed a phosphokinome-wide mass spectrometry screen to find effectors of the CDKN3-CDC2 signaling axis. We found that one of the identified downstream phosphotargets, CKβ phosphorylated at serine 209, localizes to mitotic centrosomes and controls the spindle checkpoint. Finally, we show that CDKN3 protein is down-regulated in brain tumors. Our findings indicate that CDKN3 controls mitosis through the CDC2 signaling axis. These results have implications for targeted anticancer therapeutics.

Show me your license, please: deregulation of centriole duplication mechanisms that promote amplification

Centrosomes are organelles involved in generating and organizing the interphase microtubule cytoskeleton, mitotic spindles and cilia. At the centrosome core are a pair of centrioles, structures that act as the duplicating elements of this organelle. Centrioles function to recruit and organize pericentriolar material which nucleates microtubules. While centrioles are relatively simple in construction, the mechanics of centriole biogenesis remain an important yet poorly understood process. More mysterious still are the regulatory mechanisms that oversee centriole assembly. The fidelity of centriole duplication is critical as defects in either the assembly or number of centrioles promote aneuploidy, primary microcephaly, birth defects, ciliopathies and tumorigenesis. In addition, some pathogens employ mechanisms to promote centriole overduplication to the detriment of the host cell. This review summarizes our current understanding of this important topic, highlighting the need for further study if new therapeutics are to be developed to treat diseases arising from defects of centrosome duplication.

Comparative analysis of SV40 17kT and LT function in vivo demonstrates that LT's C-terminus re-programs hepatic gene expression and is necessary for tumorigenesis in the liver

Transformation by Simian Virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen (LT) is mediated in large part by its interaction with a variety of cellular proteins at distinct binding domains within LT. While the interaction of LT's N-terminus with the tumor suppressor Rb is absolutely required for LT-dependent transformation, the requirement for the interaction of LT's C-terminus with p53 is less clear and cell- and context-dependent. Here, we report a line of transgenic mice expressing a doxycycline-inducible liver-specific viral transcript that produces abundant 17kT, a naturally occurring SV40 early product that is co-linear with LT for the first 131 amino acids and that binds to Rb, but not p53. Comparative analysis of livers of transgenic mice expressing either 17kT or full length LT demonstrates that 17kT stimulates cell proliferation and induces hepatic hyperplasia but is incapable of inducing hepatic dysplasia or promoting hepatocarcinogenesis. Gene expression profiling demonstrates that 17kT and LT invoke a set of shared molecular signatures consistent with the action of LT's N-terminus on Rb-E2F-mediated control of hepatocyte transcription. However, 17kT also induces a unique set of genes, many of which are known transcriptional targets of p53, while LT actively suppresses them. LT also uniquely deregulates the expression of a subset of genes within the imprinted network and rapidly re-programs hepatocyte gene expression to a more fetal-like state. Finally, we provide evidence that the LT/p53 complex provides a gain-of-function for LT-dependent transformation in the liver, and confirm the absolute requirement for LT's C-terminus for liver tumor development by demonstrating that phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)-deficiency readily cooperates with LT, but not 17kT, for tumorigenesis. These results confirm independent and inter-dependent functions for LT's N- and C-terminus and emphasize differences in the requirements for LT's C-terminus in cell-type dependent transformation.

The HIV-1 Vpu protein induces apoptosis in Drosophila via activation of JNK signaling

The genome of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) encodes the canonical retroviral proteins, as well as additional accessory proteins that enhance the expression of viral genes, the infectivity of the virus and the production of virions. The accessory Viral Protein U (Vpu), in particular, enhances viral particle production, while also promoting apoptosis of HIV-infected human T lymphocytes. Some Vpu effects rely on its interaction with the ubiquitin-proteasome protein degradation system, but the mechanisms responsible for its pro-apoptotic effects in vivo are complex and remain largely to be elucidated.We took advantage of the Drosophila model to study the effects of Vpu activity in vivo. Expression of Vpu in the developing Drosophila wing provoked tissue loss due to caspase-dependent apoptosis. Moreover, Vpu induced expression of the pro-apoptotic gene reaper, known to down-regulate Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (IAPs) which are caspase-antagonizing E3 ubiquitin ligases. Indeed, Vpu also reduced accumulation of Drosophila IAP1 (DIAP1). Though our results demonstrate a physical interaction between Vpu and the proteasome-addressing SLIMB/β-TrCP protein, as in mammals, both SLIMB/βTrCP-dependent and -independent Vpu effects were observed in the Drosophila wing. Lastly, the pro-apoptotic effect of Vpu in this tissue was abrogated upon inactivation of the c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) pathway. Our results in the fly thus provide the first functional evidence linking Vpu pro-apoptotic effects to activation of the conserved JNK pathway.

Drosophila as a genetic model for studying pathogenic human viruses

Viruses are infectious particles whose viability is dependent on the cells of living organisms, such as bacteria, plants, and animals. It is of great interest to discover how viruses function inside host cells in order to develop therapies to treat virally infected organisms. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model system for studying the molecular mechanisms of replication, amplification, and cellular consequences of human viruses. In this review, we describe the advantages of using Drosophila as a model system to study human viruses, and highlight how Drosophila has been used to provide unique insight into the gene function of several pathogenic viruses. We also propose possible directions for future research in this area.

The Protein Phosphatase 2A regulatory subunit Twins stabilizes Plk4 to induce centriole amplification

The PP2A subunit Twins and the SV40 small T antigen, a functional mimic of Twins, counteract Plk4 autophosphorylation, leading to its stabilization and to subsequent centriole amplification.

Centriole duplication is a tightly regulated process that must occur only once per cell cycle; otherwise, supernumerary centrioles can induce aneuploidy and tumorigenesis. Plk4 (Polo-like kinase 4) activity initiates centriole duplication and is regulated by ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. Throughout interphase, Plk4 autophosphorylation triggers its degradation, thus preventing centriole amplification. However, Plk4 activity is required during mitosis for proper centriole duplication, but the mechanism stabilizing mitotic Plk4 is unknown. In this paper, we show that PP2A (Protein Phosphatase 2A^Twins) counteracts Plk4 autophosphorylation, thus stabilizing Plk4 and promoting centriole duplication. Like Plk4, the protein level of PP2A’s regulatory subunit, Twins (Tws), peaks during mitosis and is required for centriole duplication. However, untimely Tws expression stabilizes Plk4 inappropriately, inducing centriole amplification. Paradoxically, expression of tumor-promoting simian virus 40 small tumor antigen (ST), a reported PP2A inhibitor, promotes centrosome amplification by an unknown mechanism. We demonstrate that ST actually mimics Tws function in stabilizing Plk4 and inducing centriole amplification.

PP2A-twins is antagonized by greatwall and collaborates with polo for cell cycle progression and centrosome attachment to nuclei in drosophila embryos

Cell division and development are regulated by networks of kinases and phosphatases. In early Drosophila embryogenesis, 13 rapid nuclear divisions take place in a syncytium, requiring fine coordination between cell cycle regulators. The Polo kinase is a conserved, crucial regulator of M-phase. We have recently reported an antagonism between Polo and Greatwall (Gwl), another mitotic kinase, in Drosophila embryos. However, the nature of the pathways linking them remained elusive. We have conducted a comprehensive screen for additional genes functioning with polo and gwl. We uncovered a strong interdependence between Polo and Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) with its B-type subunit Twins (Tws). Reducing the maternal contribution of Polo and PP2A-Tws together is embryonic lethal. We found that Polo and PP2A-Tws collaborate to ensure centrosome attachment to nuclei. While a reduction in Polo activity leads to centrosome detachments observable mostly around prophase, a reduction in PP2A-Tws activity leads to centrosome detachments at mitotic exit, and a reduction in both Polo and PP2A-Tws enhances the frequency of detachments at all stages. Moreover, we show that Gwl antagonizes PP2A-Tws function in both meiosis and mitosis. Our study highlights how proper coordination of mitotic entry and exit is required during embryonic cell cycles and defines important roles for Polo and the Gwl-PP2A-Tws pathway in this process.

The development and survival of all living organisms relies on the fine regulation of cell division at the molecular level. This coordination depends on kinases and phosphatases, enzymes that catalyze the addition and removal of phosphate groups on specific target proteins. The genes encoding these enzymes have been largely conserved between species during evolution. In a previous paper published in PLoS Genetics, we found an antagonism between the Polo and Greatwall mitotic kinases in the fruit fly model. In this study, we have used fly genetics to identify additional genes that function with polo and greatwall during early embryogenesis. We have found a specific form of the Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A-Tws) that collaborates with the Polo kinase at a stage when multiple nuclei rapidly divide in a large, single-cell early embryo. We found that Polo and PP2A-Tws are both required for the proper cohesion between nuclei and the centrosomes, which are essential structures for mitosis and embryonic development. We also found that the Greatwall kinase antagonizes the PP2A-Tws phosphatase to promote mitosis and meiosis. Our genetic study sheds new light on cell cycle regulation and is consistent with recent results from biochemical studies using frog cell extracts.

PP2A phosphatase acts upon SAS-5 to ensure centriole formation in C. elegans embryos

Centrosome duplication occurs once per cell cycle and ensures that the two resulting centrosomes assemble a bipolar mitotic spindle. Centriole formation is fundamental for centrosome duplication. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the evolutionarily conserved proteins SPD-2, ZYG-1, SAS-6, SAS-5, and SAS-4 are essential for centriole formation, but how they function is not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is also critical for centriole formation in C. elegans embryos. We find that PP2A subunits genetically and physically interact with the SAS-5/SAS-6 complex. Furthermore, we show that PP2A-mediated dephosphorylation promotes centriolar targeting of SAS-5 and ensures SAS-6 delivery to the site of centriole assembly. We find that PP2A is similarly needed for the presence of HsSAS-6 at centrioles and for centriole formation in human cells. These findings lead us to propose that PP2A-mediated loading of SAS-6 proteins is critical at the onset of centriole formation.

Modeling cancers in Drosophila

The basic cellular processes deregulated during carcinogenesis and the vast majority of the genes implicated in cancer appear conserved from humans to flies. This conservation, together with an ever-expanding fly genetic toolbox, has made of Drosophila melanogaster a remarkably profitable model to study many fundamental aspects of carcinogenesis. In particular, Drosophila has played a major role in the identification of genes and pathways implicated in cancer and in disclosing novel functional relationships between cancer genes. It has also proved to be a genetically tractable system where to mimic cancer-like situations and characterize the mode of action of human oncogenes. Here, we outline some advances in the study of cancer, both at the basic and more translational levels, which have benefited from research carried out in flies.

From zero to many: control of centriole number in development and disease

Centrioles are essential for the formation of microtubule-derived structures, including cilia, flagella and centrosomes. These structures are involved in a variety of functions, from cell motility to division. In most dividing animal cells, centriole formation is coupled to the chromosome cycle. However, this is not the case in certain specialized divisions, such as meiosis, and in some differentiating cells. For example, oocytes loose their centrioles upon differentiation, whereas multiciliated epithelial cells make several of those structures after they exit the cell cycle. Aberrations of centriole number are seen in many cancer cells. Recent studies began to shed light on the molecular control of centriole number, its variations in development, and how centriole number changes in human disease. Here we review the recent developments in this field.