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Sun S, Zhou J, Liu P. Liquid-liquid phase separation of microtubule-binding proteins in the regulation of spindle assembly. Cell Prolif 2024:e13649. [PMID: 38736355 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell division is a highly regulated process essential for the accurate segregation of chromosomes. Central to this process is the assembly of a bipolar mitotic spindle, a highly dynamic microtubule (MT)-based structure responsible for chromosome movement. The nucleation and dynamics of MTs are intricately regulated by MT-binding proteins. Over the recent years, various MT-binding proteins have been reported to undergo liquid-liquid phase separation, forming either single- or multi-component condensates on MTs. Herein, we provide a comprehensive summary of the phase separation characteristics of these proteins. We underscore their critical roles in MT nucleation, spindle assembly and kinetochore-MT attachment during the cell division process. Furthermore, we discuss the current challenges and various remaining unsolved problems, highlights the ongoing research efforts aimed at a deeper understanding of the role of the phase separation process during spindle assembly and orientation. Our review aims to contribute to the collective knowledge in this area and stimulate further investigations that will enhance our comprehension of the intricate mechanisms governing cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Sun
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Peiwei Liu
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
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Islam A, Manjarrez-González JC, Song X, Gore T, Draviam VM. Search for chromosomal instability aiding variants reveal naturally occurring kinetochore gene variants that perturb chromosome segregation. iScience 2024; 27:109007. [PMID: 38361632 PMCID: PMC10867425 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Chromosomal instability (CIN) is a hallmark of cancers, and CIN-promoting mutations are not fully understood. Here, we report 141 chromosomal instability aiding variant (CIVa) candidates by assessing the prevalence of loss-of-function (LoF) variants in 135 chromosome segregation genes from over 150,000 humans. Unexpectedly, we observe both heterozygous and homozygous CIVa in Astrin and SKA3, two evolutionarily conserved kinetochore and microtubule-associated proteins essential for chromosome segregation. To stratify harmful versus harmless variants, we combine live-cell microscopy and controlled protein expression. We find the naturally occurring Astrin p.Q1012∗ variant is harmful as it fails to localize normally and induces chromosome misalignment and missegregation, in a dominant negative manner. In contrast, the Astrin p.L7Qfs∗21 variant generates a shorter isoform that localizes and functions normally, and the SKA3 p.Q70Kfs∗7 variant allows wild-type SKA complex localisation and function, revealing distinct resilience mechanisms that render these variants harmless. Thus, we present a scalable framework to predict and stratify naturally occurring CIVa, and provide insight into resilience mechanisms that compensate for naturally occurring CIVa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asifa Islam
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | | | - Xinhong Song
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Trupti Gore
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- London Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program, University College London, London, UK
| | - Viji M. Draviam
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
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Ying Z, Wang K, Wu J, Wang M, Yang J, Wang X, Zhou G, Chen H, Xu H, Sze SCW, Gao F, Li C, Sha O. CCHCR1-astrin interaction promotes centriole duplication through recruitment of CEP72. BMC Biol 2022; 20:240. [PMID: 36280838 PMCID: PMC9590400 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01437-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The centrosome is one of the most important non-membranous organelles regulating microtubule organization and progression of cell mitosis. The coiled-coil alpha-helical rod protein 1 (CCHCR1, also known as HCR) gene is considered to be a psoriasis susceptibility gene, and the protein is suggested to be localized to the P-bodies and centrosomes in mammalian cells. However, the exact cellular function of HCR and its potential regulatory role in the centrosomes remain unexplored. RESULTS We found that HCR interacts directly with astrin, a key factor in centrosome maturation and mitosis. Immunoprecipitation assays showed that the coiled-coil region present in the C-terminus of HCR and astrin respectively mediated the interaction between them. Astrin not only recruits HCR to the centrosome, but also protects HCR from ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated degradation. In addition, depletion of either HCR or astrin significantly reduced centrosome localization of CEP72 and subsequent MCPH proteins, including CEP152, CDK5RAP2, and CEP63. The absence of HCR also caused centriole duplication defects and mitotic errors, resulting in multipolar spindle formation, genomic instability, and DNA damage. CONCLUSION We conclude that HCR is localized and stabilized at the centrosome by directly binding to astrin. HCR are required for the centrosomal recruitment of MCPH proteins and centriolar duplication. Both HCR and astrin play key roles in keeping normal microtubule assembly and maintaining genomic stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenguang Ying
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Developmental Biology, Shenzhen University Health Science Centre, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Kaifang Wang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Developmental Biology, Shenzhen University Health Science Centre, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Junfeng Wu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Developmental Biology, Shenzhen University Health Science Centre, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Mingyu Wang
- Medical AI Laboratory, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Centre, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Developmental Biology, Shenzhen University Health Science Centre, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Xia Wang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Developmental Biology, Shenzhen University Health Science Centre, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Guowei Zhou
- Shenzhen University Health Science Centre, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Haibin Chen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515000, China
| | - Hongwu Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515000, China
- Department of Clinically Oriented Anatomy, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515000, China
| | - Stephen Cho Wing Sze
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hongkong, 999077, China
- Golden Meditech Centre for NeuroRegeneration Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hongkong, 999077, China
| | - Feng Gao
- School of Dentistry, Shenzhen University Health Science Centre, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Chunman Li
- Department of Anatomy, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515000, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515000, China.
| | - Ou Sha
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Developmental Biology, Shenzhen University Health Science Centre, Shenzhen, 518000, China.
- School of Dentistry, Shenzhen University Health Science Centre, Shenzhen, 518000, China.
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Vukušić K, Tolić IM. Polar Chromosomes-Challenges of a Risky Path. Cells 2022; 11:1531. [PMID: 35563837 PMCID: PMC9101661 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The process of chromosome congression and alignment is at the core of mitotic fidelity. In this review, we discuss distinct spatial routes that the chromosomes take to align during prometaphase, which are characterized by distinct biomolecular requirements. Peripheral polar chromosomes are an intriguing case as their alignment depends on the activity of kinetochore motors, polar ejection forces, and a transition from lateral to end-on attachments to microtubules, all of which can result in the delayed alignment of these chromosomes. Due to their undesirable position close to and often behind the spindle pole, these chromosomes may be particularly prone to the formation of erroneous kinetochore-microtubule interactions, such as merotelic attachments. To prevent such errors, the cell employs intricate mechanisms to preposition the spindle poles with respect to chromosomes, ensure the formation of end-on attachments in restricted spindle regions, repair faulty attachments by error correction mechanisms, and delay segregation by the spindle assembly checkpoint. Despite this protective machinery, there are several ways in which polar chromosomes can fail in alignment, mis-segregate, and lead to aneuploidy. In agreement with this, polar chromosomes are present in certain tumors and may even be involved in the process of tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kruno Vukušić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
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