Acidic phospholipids inhibit the intramolecular association between the N- and C-terminal regions of vinculin, exposing actin-binding and protein kinase C phosphorylation sites

Bottom-up reconstitution of focal adhesion complexes

Focal adhesions (FA) are large macromolecular assemblies relevant for various cellular and pathological events such as migration, polarization, and metastatic cancer formation. At FA sites at the migrating periphery of a cell, hundreds of players gather and form a network to respond to extra cellular stimuli transmitted by the integrin receptor, the most upstream component within a cell, initiating the FA signaling pathway. Numerous cellular experiments have been performed to understand the FA architecture and functions; however, their intricate network formation hampers unraveling the precise molecular actions of individual players. Here, in vitro bottom‐up reconstitution presents an advantageous approach for elucidating the FA machinery and the hierarchical crosstalk of involved cellular players.

Activated Protein Kinase C (PKC) Is Persistently Trafficked with Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) Receptor

Protein kinase Cs (PKCs) are activated by lipids in the plasma membrane and bind to a scaffold assembled on the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR). Understanding how this complex is routed is important, because this determines whether EGFR is degraded, terminating signaling. Here, cells were preincubated in EGF-tagged gold nanoparticles, then allowed to internalize them in the presence or absence of a phorbol ester PKC activator. PKC colocalized with EGF-tagged nanoparticles within 5 min and migrated with EGFR-bearing vesicles into the cell. Two conformations of PKC-epsilon were distinguished by different primary antibodies. One, thought to be enzymatically active, was on endosomes and displayed a binding site for antibody RR (R&D). The other, recognized by Genetex green (GG), was soluble, on actin-rich structures, and loosely bound to vesicles. During a 15-min chase, EGF-tagged nanoparticles entered large, perinuclear structures. In phorbol ester-treated cells, vesicles bearing EGF-tagged nanoparticles tended to enter this endocytic recycling compartment (ERC) without the GG form. The correlation coefficient between the GG (inactive) and RR conformations on vesicles was also lower. Thus, active PKC has a Charon-like function, ferrying vesicles to the ERC, and inactivation counteracts this function. The advantage conferred on cells by aggregating vesicles in the ERC is unclear.

Phosphoinositides regulate force-independent interactions between talin, vinculin, and actin

Focal adhesions (FA) are large macromolecular assemblies which help transmit mechanical forces and regulatory signals between the extracellular matrix and an interacting cell. Two key proteins talin and vinculin connecting integrin to actomyosin networks in the cell. Both proteins bind to F-actin and each other, providing a foundation for network formation within FAs. However, the underlying mechanisms regulating their engagement remain unclear. Here, we report on the results of in vitro reconstitution of talin-vinculin-actin assemblies using synthetic membrane systems. We find that neither talin nor vinculin alone recruit actin filaments to the membrane. In contrast, phosphoinositide-rich membranes recruit and activate talin, and the membrane-bound talin then activates vinculin. Together, the two proteins then link actin to the membrane. Encapsulation of these components within vesicles reorganized actin into higher-order networks. Notably, these observations were made in the absence of applied force, whereby we infer that the initial assembly stage of FAs is force independent. Our findings demonstrate that the local membrane composition plays a key role in controlling the stepwise recruitment, activation, and engagement of proteins within FAs.

The membrane environment of cadherin adhesion receptors: a working hypothesis

Classical cadherin cell adhesion receptors are integral membrane proteins that mediate cell–cell interactions, tissue integrity and morphogenesis. Cadherins are best understood to function as membrane-spanning molecular composites that couple adhesion to the cytoskeleton. On the other hand, the membrane lipid environment of the cadherins is an under-investigated aspect of their cell biology. In this review, we discuss two lines of research that show how the membrane can directly or indirectly contribute to cadherin function. Firstly, we consider how modification of its local lipid environment can potentially influence cadherin signalling, adhesion and dynamics, focusing on a role for phosphoinositide-4,5-bisphosphate. Secondly, we discuss how caveolae may indirectly regulate cadherins by modifying either the lipid composition and/or mechanical tension of the plasma membrane. Thus, we suggest that the membrane is a frontier of cadherin biology that is ripe for re-exploration.

α-Catenin homodimers are recruited to phosphoinositide-activated membranes to promote adhesion

A unique feature of α-catenin localized outside the cadherin-catenin complex is its capacity to form homodimers, but the subcellular localization and functions of this form of α-catenin remain incompletely understood. We identified a cadherin-free form of α-catenin that is recruited to the leading edge of migrating cells in a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent manner. Surface plasmon resonance analysis shows that α-catenin homodimers, but not monomers, selectively bind phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate-containing lipid vesicles with high affinity, where three basic residues, K488, K493, and R496, contribute to binding. Chemical-induced dimerization of α-catenin containing a synthetic dimerization domain promotes its accumulation within lamellipodia and elaboration of protrusions with extended filopodia, which are attenuated in the α-cateninKKR<3A mutant. Cells restored with a full-length, natively homodimerizing form of α-cateninKKR<3A display reduced membrane recruitment, altered epithelial sheet migrations, and weaker cell-cell adhesion compared with WT α-catenin. These findings show that α-catenin homodimers are recruited to phosphoinositide-activated membranes to promote adhesion and migration, suggesting that phosphoinositide binding may be a defining feature of α-catenin function outside the cadherin-catenin complex.

Mechanosensitive Conformation of Vinculin Regulates Its Binding to MAPK1

Extracellular matrix stiffness sensing by living cells is known to play a major role in a variety of cell mechanobiological processes, such as migration and differentiation. Various membrane and cytoplasmic proteins are involved in transmitting and transducing environmental signals to biochemical cascades. Protein kinases play a key role in regulating the activity of focal adhesion proteins. Recently, an interaction between mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK1) and vinculin was experimentally shown to mediate this process. Here, we adopt a molecular modeling approach to further investigate this interaction and its possible regulatory effects. Using a combination of data-driven flexible docking and molecular dynamics simulations guided by previous experimental studies, we predict the structure of the MAPK1-vinculin complex. Furthermore, by comparing the association of MAPK1 with open versus closed vinculin, we demonstrate that MAPK1 exhibits preferential binding toward the open conformation of vinculin, suggesting that the MAPK1-vinculin interaction is conformationally selective. Finally, we demonstrate that changes in the size of the D3-D4 cleft provide a structural basis for the conformational selectivity of the interaction.

Binding of Vinculin to Lipid Membranes in Its Inhibited and Activated States

Phosphoinositols are an important class of phospholipids that are involved in a myriad of cellular processes, from cell signaling to motility and adhesion. Vinculin (Vn) is a major adaptor protein that regulates focal adhesions in conjunction with PIP₂ in lipid membranes and other cytoskeletal components. The binding and unbinding transitions of Vn at the membrane interface are an important link to understanding the coordination of cell signaling and motility. Using different biophysical tools, including atomic force microscopy combined with confocal fluorescence microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, we studied the nanoscopic interactions of activated and autoinhibited states of Vn with lipid membranes. We hypothesize that a weak interaction occurs between Vn and lipid membranes, which leads to binding of autoinhibited Vn to supported lipid bilayers, and to unbinding in freestanding lipid vesicles. Likely driving forces may include tethering of the C-terminus to the lipid membrane, as well as hydrophobic helix-membrane interactions. Conversely, activated Vn binds strongly to membranes through specific interactions with clusters of PIP₂ embedded in lipid membranes. Activated Vn harbored on PIP₂ clusters may form small oligomeric interaction platforms for further interaction partners, which is necessary for the proper function of focal adhesion points.

Vinculin in cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions

Vinculin was identified as a component of focal adhesions and adherens junctions nearly 40 years ago. Since that time, remarkable progress has been made in understanding its activation, regulation and function. Here we discuss the current understanding of the roles of vinculin in cell–cell and cell–matrix adhesions. Emphasis is placed on the how vinculin is recruited, activated and regulated. We also highlight the recent understanding of how vinculin responds to and transmits force at integrin- and cadherin-containing adhesion complexes to the cytoskeleton. Furthermore, we discuss roles of vinculin in binding to and rearranging the actin cytoskeleton.

A Structural Model for Vinculin Insertion into PIP2-Containing Membranes and the Effect of Insertion on Vinculin Activation and Localization

Vinculin, a scaffolding protein that localizes to focal adhesions (FAs) and adherens junctions, links the actin cytoskeleton to the adhesive super-structure. While vinculin binds to a number of cytoskeletal proteins, it can also associate with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP₂) to drive membrane association. To generate a structural model for PIP₂-dependent interaction of vinculin with the lipid bilayer, we conducted lipid-association, nuclear magnetic resonance, and computational modeling experiments. We find that two basic patches on the vinculin tail drive membrane association: the basic collar specifically recognizes PIP₂, while the basic ladder drives association with the lipid bilayer. Vinculin mutants with defects in PIP₂-dependent liposome association were then expressed in vinculin knockout murine embryonic fibroblasts. Results from these analyses indicate that PIP₂ binding is not required for localization of vinculin to FAs or FA strengthening, but is required for vinculin activation and turnover at FAs to promote its association with the force transduction FA nanodomain.

Revealing the three dimensional architecture of focal adhesion components to explain Ca2+-mediated turnover of focal adhesions

BACKGROUND

Focal adhesions (FAs) are large, dynamic protein complexes located close to the plasma membrane, which serve as the mechanical linkages and a biochemical signaling hub of cells. The coordinated and dynamic regulation of focal adhesion is required for cell migration. Degradation, or turnover, of FAs is a major event at the trailing edge of a migratory cell, and is mediated by Ca²⁺/calpain-dependent proteolysis and disassembly. Here, we investigated how Ca²⁺ influx induces cascades of FA turnover in living cells.

METHODS

Images obtained with a total internal reflection fluorescence microscope (TIRFM) showed that Ca²⁺ ions induce different processes in the FA molecules focal adhesion kinase (FAK), paxillin, vinculin, and talin. Three mutated calpain-resistant FA molecules, FAK-V744G, paxillin-S95G, and talin-L432G, were used to clarify the role of each FA molecule in FA turnover.

RESULTS

Vinculin was resistant to degradation and was not significantly affected by the presence of mutated calpain-resistant FA molecules. In contrast, talin was more sensitive to calpain-mediated turnover than the other molecules. Three-dimensional (3D) fluorescence imaging and immunoblotting demonstrated that outer FA molecules were more sensitive to calpain-mediated proteolysis than internal FA molecules. Furthermore, cell contraction is not involved in degradation of FA.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that Ca²⁺-mediated degradation of FAs was mediated by both proteolysis and disassembly. The 3D architecture of FAs is related to the different dynamics of FA molecule degradation during Ca²⁺-mediated FA turnover.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

This study will help us to clearly understand the underlying mechanism of focal adhesion turnover by Ca²⁺.

Differential lipid binding of vinculin isoforms promotes quasi-equivalent dimerization

The main cause of death globally remains debilitating heart conditions, such as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which are often due to mutations of specific components of adhesion complexes. Vinculin regulates these complexes and plays essential roles in intercalated discs that are necessary for muscle cell function and coordinated movement and in the development and function of the heart. Humans bearing familial or sporadic mutations in vinculin suffer from chronic, progressively debilitating DCM that ultimately leads to cardiac failure and death, whereas autosomal dominant mutations in vinculin can also provoke HCM, causing acute cardiac failure. The DCM/HCM-associated mutants of vinculin occur in the 68-residue insert unique to the muscle-specific, alternatively spliced isoform of vinculin, termed metavinculin (MV). Contrary to studies that suggested that phosphoinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) only induces vinculin homodimers, which are asymmetric, we show that phospholipid binding results in a domain-swapped symmetric MV dimer via a quasi-equivalent interface compared with vinculin involving R975. Although one of the two PIP2 binding sites is preserved, the symmetric MV dimer that bridges two PIP2 molecules differs from the asymmetric vinculin dimer that bridges only one PIP2 Unlike vinculin, wild-type MV and the DCM/HCM-associated R975W mutant bind PIP2 in their inactive conformations, and R975W MV fails to dimerize. Mutating selective vinculin residues to their corresponding MV residues, or vice versa, switches the isoform's dimeric constellation and lipid binding site. Collectively, our data suggest that MV homodimerization modulates microfilament attachment at muscular adhesion sites and furthers our understanding of MV-mediated cardiac remodeling.

Mechanisms and Functions of Vinculin Interactions with Phospholipids at Cell Adhesion Sites

The cytoskeletal protein vinculin is a major regulator of cell adhesion and attaches to the cell surface by binding to specific phospholipids. Structural, biochemical, and biological studies provided much insight into how vinculin binds to membranes, what components it recognizes, and how lipid binding is regulated. Here we discuss the roles and mechanisms of phospholipids in regulating the structure and function of vinculin and of its muscle-specific metavinculin splice variant. A full appreciation of these processes is necessary for understanding how vinculin regulates cell motility, migration, and wound healing, and for understanding of its role in cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Lipid-directed vinculin dimerization

Vinculin localizes to cellular adhesions where it regulates motility, migration, development, wound healing, and response to force. Importantly, vinculin loss results in cancer phenotypes, cardiovascular disease, and embryonic lethality. At the plasma cell membrane, the most abundant phosphoinositide, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), binds the vinculin tail domain, Vt, and triggers homotypic and heterotypic interactions that amplify binding of vinculin to the actin network. Binding of PIP2 to Vt is necessary for maintaining optimal focal adhesions, for organizing stress fibers, for cell migration and spreading, and for the control of vinculin dynamics and turnover of focal adhesions. While the recently determined Vt/PIP2 crystal structure revealed the conformational changes occurring upon lipid binding and oligomerization, characterization of PIP2-induced vinculin oligomerization has been challenging in the adhesion biology field. Here, via a series of novel biochemical assays not performed in previous studies that relied on chemical cross-linking, we characterize the PIP2-induced vinculin oligomerization. Our results show that Vt/PIP2 forms a tight dimer with Vt or with the muscle-specific vinculin isoform, metavinculin, at sites of adhesion at the cell membrane. Insight into how PIP2 regulates clustering and into mechanisms that regulate cell adhesion allows the development for a more definite sensor for PIP2, and our developed techniques can be applied generally and thus open the door for the characterization of many other protein/PIP2 complexes under physiological conditions.

Lipid binding promotes oligomerization and focal adhesion activity of vinculin

PIP₂ binds vinculin and directs its oligomerization, which promotes proper focal adhesion structure and function.

Adherens junctions (AJs) and focal adhesion (FA) complexes are necessary for cell migration and morphogenesis, and for the development, growth, and survival of all metazoans. Vinculin is an essential regulator of both AJs and FAs, where it provides links to the actin cytoskeleton. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP₂) affects the functions of many targets, including vinculin. Here we report the crystal structure of vinculin in complex with PIP₂, which revealed that PIP₂ binding alters vinculin structure to direct higher-order oligomerization and suggests that PIP₂ and F-actin binding to vinculin are mutually permissive. Forced expression of PIP₂-binding–deficient mutants of vinculin in vinculin-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts revealed that PIP₂ binding is necessary for maintaining optimal FAs, for organization of actin stress fibers, and for cell migration and spreading. Finally, photobleaching experiments indicated that PIP₂ binding is required for the control of vinculin dynamics and turnover in FAs. Thus, through oligomerization, PIP₂ directs a transient vinculin sequestration at FAs that is necessary for proper FA function.

Phosphorylation at Y1065 in vinculin mediates actin bundling, cell spreading, and mechanical responses to force

Vinculin is an essential structural adaptor protein that localizes to sites of adhesion and is involved in a number of cell processes including adhesion, spreading, motility, force transduction, and cell survival. The C-terminal vinculin tail domain (Vt) contains the necessary structural components to bind and cross-link actin filaments. Actin binding to Vt induces a conformational change that promotes dimerization through the C-terminal hairpin of Vt and enables actin filament cross-linking. Here we show that Src phosphorylation of Y1065 within the C-terminal hairpin regulates Vt-mediated actin bundling and provide a detailed characterization of Y1065 mutations. Furthermore, we show that phosphorylation at Y1065 plays a role in cell spreading and the response to the application of mechanical force.

HAb18G/CD147 regulates vinculin-mediated focal adhesion and cytoskeleton organization in cultured human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Focal adhesions (FAs), integrin-mediated macromolecular complexes located at the cell membrane extracellular interface, have been shown to regulate cell adhesion and migration. Our previous studies have indicated that HAb18G/CD147 (CD147) is involved in cytoskeleton reorganization and FA formation in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. However, the precise mechanisms underlying these processes remain unclear. In the current study, we determined that CD147 was involved in vinculin-mediated FA focal adhesion formation in HCC cells. We also found that deletion of CD147 led to reduced vinculin-mediated FA areas (P<0.0001), length/width ratios (P<0.0001), and mean intensities (P<0.0001). CD147 promoted lamellipodia formation by localizing Arp2/3 to the leading edge of the cell. Deletion of CD147 significantly reduced the fluorescence (t_1/2) recovery times (22.7±3.3 s) of vinculin-mediated focal adhesions (P<0.0001). In cell-spreading assays, CD147 was found to be essential for dynamic focal adhesion enlargement and disassembly. Furthermore, the current data showed that CD147 reduced tyrosine phosphorylation in vinculin-mediated focal adhesions, and enhanced the accumulation of the acidic phospholipid phosphatidylinositol-4, 5-bisphosphate (PIP2). Together, these results revealed that CD147 is involved in vinculin-mediated focal adhesion formation, which subsequently promotes cytoskeleton reorganization to facilitate invasion and migration of human HCC cells.

Vinculin directly binds zonula occludens-1 and is essential for stabilizing connexin-43-containing gap junctions in cardiac myocytes

Vinculin (Vcl) links actin filaments to integrin- and cadherin-based cellular junctions. Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1, also known as TJP1) binds connexin-43 (Cx43, also known as GJA1), cadherin and actin. Vcl and ZO-1 anchor the actin cytoskeleton to the sarcolemma. Given that loss of Vcl from cardiomyocytes causes maldistribution of Cx43 and predisposes cardiomyocyte-specific Vcl-knockout mice with preserved heart function to arrhythmia and sudden death, we hypothesized that Vcl and ZO-1 interact and that loss of this interaction destabilizes gap junctions. We found that Vcl, Cx43 and ZO-1 colocalized at the intercalated disc. Loss of cardiomyocyte Vcl caused parallel loss of ZO-1 from intercalated dics. Vcl co-immunoprecipitated Cx43 and ZO-1, and directly bound ZO-1 in yeast two-hybrid studies. Excision of the Vcl gene in neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes caused a reduction in the amount of Vcl mRNA transcript and protein expression leading to (1) decreased protein expression of Cx43, ZO-1, talin, and β1D-integrin, (2) reduced PI3K activation, (3) increased activation of Akt, Erk1 and Erk2, and (4) cardiomyocyte necrosis. In summary, this is the first study showing a direct interaction between Vcl and ZO-1 and illustrates how Vcl plays a crucial role in stabilizing gap junctions and myocyte integrity.

Vinculin phosphorylation at Tyr1065 regulates vinculin conformation and tension development in airway smooth muscle tissues

Vinculin localizes to membrane adhesion junctions in smooth muscle tissues, where its head domain binds to talin and its tail domain binds to filamentous actin, thus linking actin filaments to the extracellular matrix. Vinculin can assume a closed conformation, in which the head and tail domains bind to each other and mask the binding sites for actin and talin, and an open activated conformation that exposes the binding sites for talin and actin. Acetylcholine stimulation of tracheal smooth muscle tissues induces the recruitment of vinculin to the cell membrane and its interaction with talin and actin, which is required for active tension development. Vinculin phosphorylation at Tyr(1065) on its C terminus increases concurrently with tension development in tracheal smooth muscle tissues. In the present study, the role of vinculin phosphorylation at Tyr(1065) in regulating the conformation and function of vinculin during airway smooth muscle contraction was evaluated. Vinculin constructs with point mutations at Tyr(1065) (vinculin Y1065F and vinculin Y1065E) and vinculin conformation-sensitive FRET probes were expressed in smooth muscle tissues to determine how Tyr(1065) phosphorylation affects smooth muscle contraction and the conformation and cellular functions of vinculin. The results show that vinculin phosphorylation at tyrosine 1065 is required for normal tension generation in airway smooth muscle during contractile stimulation and that Tyr(1065) phosphorylation regulates the conformation and scaffolding activity of the vinculin molecule. We conclude that the phosphorylation of vinculin at tyrosine 1065 provides a mechanism for regulating the function of vinculin in airway smooth muscle in response to contractile stimulation.

Vinculin, cadherin mechanotransduction and homeostasis of cell-cell junctions

Cell adhesion junctions characteristically arise from the cooperative integration of adhesion receptors, cell signalling pathways and the cytoskeleton. This is exemplified by cell-cell interactions mediated by classical cadherin adhesion receptors. These junctions are sites where cadherin adhesion systems functionally couple to the dynamic actin cytoskeleton, a process that entails physical interactions with many actin regulators and regulation by cell signalling pathways. Such integration implies a potential role for molecules that may stand at the interface between adhesion, signalling and the cytoskeleton. One such candidate is the cortical scaffolding protein, vinculin, which is a component of both cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions. While its contribution to integrin-based adhesions has been extensively studied, less is known about how vinculin contributes to cell-cell adhesions. A major recent advance has come with the realisation that cadherin adhesions are active mechanical structures, where cadherin serves as part of a mechanotransduction pathway by which junctions sense and elicit cellular responses to mechanical stimuli. Vinculin has emerged as an important element in cadherin mechanotransduction, a perspective that illuminates its role in cell-cell interactions. We now review its role as a cortical scaffold and its role in cadherin mechanotransduction.

Dimer asymmetry defines α-catenin interactions

The F-actin binding cytoskeletal protein α-catenin interacts with β-catenin-cadherin complexes and stabilizes cell-cell junctions. The β-catenin–α-catenin complex cannot bind to F-actin, whereas interactions of α-catenin with the cytoskeletal protein vinculin appear necessary to stabilize adherens junctions. Here we report the crystal structure of nearly full-length human α-catenin at 3.7 Å resolution. α-Catenin forms an asymmetric dimer, where the four-helix bundle domains of each subunit engage in distinct intermolecular interactions. This results in a left handshake-like dimer, where the two subunits have remarkably different conformations. The crystal structure explains why dimeric α-catenin has a higher affinity for F-actin than monomeric α-catenin, why the β-catenin–α-catenin complex does not bind to F-actin, how activated vinculin links the cadherin-catenin complex to the cytoskeleton, and why α-catenin but not inactive vinculin can bind to F-actin.

Control of actin dynamics by allosteric regulation of actin binding proteins

The regulated assembly and organization of actin filaments allows the cell to construct a large diversity of actin-based structures specifically suited to a range of cellular processes. A vast array of actin regulatory proteins must work in concert to form specific actin networks within cells, and spatial and temporal requirements for actin assembly necessitate rapid regulation of protein activity. This chapter explores a common mechanism of controlling the activity of actin binding proteins: allosteric autoinhibition by interdomain head-tail interactions. Intramolecular interactions maintain these proteins in a closed conformation that masks protein domains needed to regulate actin dynamics. Autoinhibition is typically relieved by two or more ligand binding and/or posttranslational modification events that expose key protein domains. Regulation through multiple inputs permits precise temporal and spatial control of protein activity to guide actin network formation.

The C-terminal tail domain of metavinculin, vinculin's splice variant, severs actin filaments

Relative to vinculin, a unique 68-residue insert in the C-terminal tail of metavinculin results in a loss of actin filament-bundling activity but gain of actin filament-severing activity.

Vinculin and its splice variant, metavinculin (MV), are key elements of multiple protein assemblies linking the extracellular matrix to the actin cytoskeleton. Vinculin is expressed ubiquitously, whereas MV is mainly expressed in smooth and cardiac muscle tissue. The only difference in amino acid sequence between the isoforms is a 68-residue insert in the C-terminal tail domain of MV (MVt). Although the functional role of this insert remains elusive, its importance is exemplified by point mutations that are associated with dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In vinculin, the actin binding site resides in the tail domain. In this paper, we show that MVt binds actin filaments similarly to the vinculin tail domain. Unlike its splice variant, MVt did not bundle actin filaments. Instead, MVt promoted severing of actin filaments, most efficiently at substoichiometric concentrations. This surprising and seemingly contradictory alteration of vinculin function by the 68-residue insert may be essential for modulating compliance of vinculin-induced actin bundles when exposed to rapidly increasing external forces.

Phosphatidylinositol 4, 5 bisphosphate and the actin cytoskeleton

Dynamic changes in PM PIP(2) have been implicated in the regulation of many processes that are dependent on actin polymerization and remodeling. PIP(2) is synthesized primarily by the type I phosphatidylinositol 4 phosphate 5 kinases (PIP5Ks), and there are three major isoforms, called a, b and g. There is emerging evidence that these PIP5Ks have unique as well as overlapping functions. This review will focus on the isoform-specific roles of individual PIP5K as they relate to the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. We will review recent advances that establish PIP(2) as a critical regulator of actin polymerization and cytoskeleton/membrane linkages, and show how binding of cytoskeletal proteins to membrane PIP(2) might alter lateral or transverse movement of lipids to affect raft formation or lipid asymmetry. The mechanisms for specifying localized increase in PIP(2) to regulate dynamic actin remodeling will also be discussed.

The vinculin C-terminal hairpin mediates F-actin bundle formation, focal adhesion, and cell mechanical properties

Vinculin is an essential and highly conserved cell adhesion protein, found at both focal adhesions and adherens junctions, where it couples integrins or cadherins to the actin cytoskeleton. Vinculin is involved in controlling cell shape, motility, and cell survival, and has more recently been shown to play a role in force transduction. The tail domain of vinculin (Vt) contains determinants necessary for binding and bundling of actin filaments. Actin binding to Vt has been proposed to induce formation of a Vt dimer that is necessary for cross-linking actin filaments. Results from this study provide additional support for actin-induced Vt self-association. Moreover, the actin-induced Vt dimer appears distinct from the dimer formed in the absence of actin. To better characterize the role of the Vt strap and carboxyl terminus (CT) in actin binding, Vt self-association, and actin bundling, we employed smaller amino-terminal (NT) and CT deletions that do not perturb the structural integrity of Vt. Although both NT and CT deletions retain actin binding, removal of the CT hairpin (1061-1066) selectively impairs actin bundling in vitro. Moreover, expression of vinculin lacking the CT hairpin in vinculin knock-out murine embryonic fibroblasts affects the number of focal adhesions formed, cell spreading as well as cellular stiffening in response to mechanical force.

Myosin II activity dependent and independent vinculin recruitment to the sites of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion

Background

Maintaining proper adhesion between neighboring cells depends on the ability of cells to mechanically respond to tension at cell-cell junctions through the actin cytoskeleton. Thus, identifying the molecules involved in responding to cell tension would provide insight into the maintenance, regulation, and breakdown of cell-cell junctions during various biological processes. Vinculin, an actin-binding protein that associates with the cadherin complex, is recruited to cell-cell contacts under increased tension in a myosin II-dependent manner. However, the precise role of vinculin at force-bearing cell-cell junctions and how myosin II activity alters the recruitment of vinculin at quiescent cell-cell contacts have not been demonstrated.

Results

We generated vinculin knockdown cells using shRNA specific to vinculin and MDCK epithelial cells. These vinculin-deficient MDCK cells form smaller cell clusters in a suspension than wild-type cells. In wound healing assays, GFP-vinculin accumulated at cell-cell junctions along the wound edge while vinculin-deficient cells displayed a slower wound closure rate compared to vinculin-expressing cells. In the presence of blebbistatin (myosin II inhibitor), vinculin localization at quiescent cell-cell contacts was unaffected while in the presence of jasplakinolide (F-actin stabilizer), vinculin recruitment increased in mature MDCK cell monolayers.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate that vinculin plays an active role at adherens junctions under increased tension at cell-cell contacts where vinculin recruitment occurs in a myosin II activity-dependent manner, whereas vinculin recruitment to the quiescent cell-cell junctions depends on F-actin stabilization.

Vinculin and talin: focus on the myocardium

Cardiomyopathy is a heart muscle disease caused by decreased contractility of the ventricles leading to heart failure and premature death. Multiple conditions like ischemic heart disease (atherosclerosis), hypertension, diabetes, viral infection, alcohol abuse, obesity and genetic mutations can lead to cardiomyopathy. Single gene mutations in sarcomeric proteins, Z-disk-associated proteins, membrane/associated proteins, intermediate filaments, calcium cycle proteins as well as in modifier genes have been linked to cardiomyopathy. Clinical practice guidelines have been formulated by the American Heart Association and the Heart Failure Association of America on how to genetically evaluate patients with cardiomyopathy. To illustrate the concept that alterations in genes cause cardiovascular disease, this review will focus on two membrane-associated proteins, vinculin and talin. We will discuss the general function of vinculin/metavinulin as well as talin1 and talin2, with emphasis on what is understood about their role in the cardiac myocyte and in whole heart.

New insights into vinculin function and regulation

Vinculin is a cytoplasmic actin-binding protein enriched in focal adhesions and adherens junctions that is essential for embryonic development. Much is now known regarding the role of vinculin in governing cell-matrix adhesion. In the past decade that the crystal structure of vinculin and the molecular details for how vinculin regulates adhesion events have emerged. The recent data suggests a critical function for vinculin in regulating integrin clustering, force generation, and strength of adhesion. In addition to an important role in cell-matrix adhesion, vinculin is also emerging as a regulator of apoptosis, Shigella entry into host cells, and cadherin-based cell-cell adhesion. A close inspection of this work reveals that there are similarities between vinculin's role in focal adhesions and these processes and also some intriguing differences.

Zyxin phosphorylation at serine 142 modulates the zyxin head-tail interaction to alter cell-cell adhesion

Zyxin is an actin regulatory protein that is concentrated at sites of actin-membrane association, particularly cell junctions. Zyxin participates in actin dynamics by binding VASP, an interaction that occurs via proline-rich N-terminal ActA repeats. An intramolecular association of the N-terminal LIM domains at or near the ActA repeats can prevent VASP and other binding partners from binding full-length zyxin. Such a head-tail interaction likely accounts for how zyxin function in actin dynamics, cell adhesion, and cell migration can be regulated by the cell. Since zyxin binding to several partners, via the LIM domains, requires phosphorylation, it seems likely that zyxin phosphorylation might alter the head-tail interaction and, thus, zyxin activity. Here we show that zyxin point mutants at a known phosphorylation site, serine 142, alter the ability of a zyxin fragment to directly bind a separate zyxin LIM domains fragment protein. Further, expression of the zyxin phosphomimetic mutant results in increased localization to cell-cell contacts of MDCK cells and generates a cellular phenotype, namely inability to disassemble cell-cell contacts, precisely like that produced by expression of zyxin mutants that lack the entire regulatory LIM domain region. These data suggest that zyxin phosphorylation at serine 142 results in release of the head-tail interaction, changing zyxin activity at cell-cell contacts.

Tyrosine phosphorylation of vinculin at position 1065 modifies focal adhesion dynamics and cell tractions

Focal adhesions (FAs) connect the cellular actin cytoskeleton via integrin with the extracellular matrix. They comprise of many structural and signaling proteins which are highly dynamic, well regulated, and responsible for the sensing of physical properties from the environment. Vinculin is a protein that incorporates all these functions. Here, we investigated the phosphorylation of Y1065 in the activation/regulation of vinculin. We used different vinculin mutants mimicking either a permanently activated or inhibited phosphorylation site at position 1065. Using these mutants, we determined their influence on the exchange dynamics and cell forces using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and traction microscopy. The results indicate that phosphorylation at Y1065 significantly increases the amount of freely exchanging vinculin within FAs whereas inhibition of this phosphorylation site leads to an uncontrolled exchange of vinculin and reduced adhesive cell forces. In conclusion, we show that phosphorylation on position Y1065 is essential for accurate incorporation of vinculin into FAs and mechanical behavior of cells.

Vinculin, an adapter protein in control of cell adhesion signalling

Vinculin, discovered in 1979 (Geiger, 1979), is an adapter protein with binding sites for more than 15 proteins. Biochemical and structural analyses have contributed to detailed knowledge about potential binding partners and the understanding of how their binding may be regulated. Despite all this information the molecular basis of how vinculin acts in cells and controls a wide variety of signals remains elusive. This review aims to highlight recent discoveries with an emphasis on how vinculin is involved in the coordination of a network of signals.

Serine 34 phosphorylation of rho guanine dissociation inhibitor (RhoGDIalpha) links signaling from conventional protein kinase C to RhoGTPase in cell adhesion

Conventional protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms are essential serine/threonine kinases regulating many signaling networks. At cell adhesion sites, PKCα can impact the actin cytoskeleton through its influence on RhoGTPases, but the intermediate steps are not well known. One important regulator of RhoGTPase function is the multifunctional guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor RhoGDIα that sequesters several related RhoGTPases in an inactive form, but it may also target them through interactions with actin-associated proteins. Here, it is demonstrated that conventional PKC phosphorylates RhoGDIα on serine 34, resulting in a specific decrease in affinity for RhoA but not Rac1 or Cdc42. The mechanism of RhoGDIα phosphorylation is distinct, requiring the kinase and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, consistent with recent evidence that the inositide can activate, localize, and orient PKCα in membranes. Phosphospecific antibodies reveal endogenous phosphorylation in several cell types that is sensitive to adhesion events triggered, for example, by hepatocyte growth factor. Phosphorylation is also sensitive to PKC inhibition. Together with fluorescence resonance energy transfer microscopy sensing GTP-RhoA levels, the data reveal a common pathway in cell adhesion linking two essential mediators, conventional PKC and RhoA.

Vinculin nucleates actin polymerization and modifies actin filament structure

Vinculin links integrins to the actin cytoskeleton by binding F-actin. Little is known with respect to how this interaction occurs or affects actin dynamics. Here we assess the consequence of the vinculin tail (VT) on actin dynamics by examining its binding to monomeric and filamentous yeast actins. VT causes pyrene-labeled G-actin to polymerize in low ionic strength buffer (G-buffer), conditions that normally do not promote actin polymerization. Analysis by electron microscopy shows that, under these conditions, the filaments form small bundles at low VT concentrations, which gradually increase in size until saturation occurs at a ratio of 2 VT:1 actin. Addition of VT to pyrene-labeled mutant yeast G-actin (S265C) produced a fluorescence excimer band, which requires a relatively normal filament geometry. In higher ionic strength polymerization-promoting F-buffer, substoichiometric amounts of VT accelerate the polymerization of pyrene-labeled WT actin. However, the amplitude of the pyrene fluorescence caused by actin polymerization is quenched as the VT concentration increases without an effect on net actin polymerization as determined by centrifugation assays. Finally, addition of VT to preformed pyrene-labeled S265C F-actin causes a concentration-dependent decrease in the maximum amplitude of the pyrene fluorescence band demonstrating the ability of VT to remodel the conformation of the actin filament. These observations support the idea that vinculin can link adhesion plaques to the cytoskeleton by initiating the formation of bundled actin filaments or by remodeling existing filaments.

Multiplexed quantitative high content screening reveals that cigarette smoke condensate induces changes in cell structure and function through alterations in cell signaling pathways in human bronchial cells

Human bronchial cells are one of the first cell types exposed to environmental toxins. Toxins often activate nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and protein kinase C (PKC). We evaluated the hypothesis that cigarette smoke condensate (CSC), the particulate fraction of cigarette smoke, activates PKC-alpha and NF-kappaB, and concomitantly disrupts the F-actin cytoskeleton, induces apoptosis and alters cell function in BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells. Compared to controls, exposure of BEAS-2B cells to doses of 30mug/ml CSC significantly activated PKC-alpha, while CSC doses above 20mug/ml CSC significantly activated NF-kappaB. As NF-kappaB was activated, cell number decreased. CSC treatment of BEAS-2B cells induced a decrease in cell size and an increase in cell surface extensions including filopodia and lamellipodia. CSC treatment of BEAS-2B cells induced F-actin rearrangement such that stress fibers were no longer prominent at the cell periphery and throughout the cells, but relocalized to perinuclear regions. Concurrently, CSC induced an increase in the focal adhesion protein vinculin at the cell periphery. CSC doses above 30mug/ml induced a significant increase in apoptosis in BEAS-2B cells evidenced by an increase in activated caspase 3, an increase in mitochondrial mass and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. As caspase 3 increased, cell number decreased. CSC doses above 30mug/ml also induced significant concurrent changes in cell function including decreased cell spreading and motility. CSC initiates a signaling cascade in human bronchial epithelial cells involving PKC-alpha, NF-kappaB and caspase 3, and consequently decreases cell spreading and motility. These CSC-induced alterations in cell structure likely prevent cells from performing their normal function thereby contributing to smoke-induced diseases.

Lipid binding to the tail domain of vinculin: specificity and the role of the N and C termini

Vinculin is a highly conserved and abundant cytoskeletal protein involved in linking the actin cytoskeleton to the cell membrane at sites of cellular adhesion. At these sites of adhesion, vinculin plays a role in physiological processes such as cell motility, migration, development, and wound healing. Loss of normal vinculin function has been associated with cancer phenotypes, cardiovascular disease, and lethal errors in embryogenesis. The tail domain of vinculin (Vt) binds to acidic phospholipids and has been proposed to play a role in vinculin activation and focal adhesion turnover. To better characterize Vt-lipid specificity, we conducted a series of lipid co-sedimentation experiments and find that Vt shows specific association with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), compared with phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylserine (PS), or phosphatidylinositol (PI) in the context of mixed lipid vesicles. The C terminus of Vt has been proposed to be important for PIP2 association, as various mutations and deletions within the C-terminal reduce PIP2 association. Lipid co-sedimentation and NMR analyses indicate that removal of the hydrophobic hairpin does not alter Vt structure or PIP2 association. However, more extensive deletions within the C-terminal introduce Vt structural perturbations and reduce PIP2 binding. Intriguingly, a significant increase in PIP2 binding was observed for multiple Vt variants that perturb interactions between the N-terminal strap and helix bundle, suggesting that a rearrangement of this N-terminal strap may be required for PIP2 binding.

A novel 2D-based approach to the discovery of candidate substrates for the metalloendopeptidase meprin

In the past, protease-substrate finding proved to be rather haphazard and was executed by in vitro cleavage assays using singly selected targets. In the present study, we report the first protease proteomic approach applied to meprin, an astacin-like metalloendopeptidase, to determine physiological substrates in a cell-based system of Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells. A simple 2D IEF/SDS/PAGE-based image analysis procedure was designed to find candidate substrates in conditioned media of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells expressing meprin in zymogen or in active form. The method enabled the discovery of hitherto unknown meprin substrates with shortened (non-trypsin-generated) N- and C-terminally truncated cleavage products in peptide fragments upon LC-MS/MS analysis. Of 22 (17 nonredundant) candidate substrates identified, the proteolytic processing of vinculin, lysyl oxidase, collagen type V and annexin A1 was analysed by means of immunoblotting validation experiments. The classification of substrates into functional groups may propose new functions for meprins in the regulation of cell homeostasis and the extracellular environment, and in innate immunity, respectively.

Is DRM lipid composition relevant in cell-extracellular matrix adhesion structures?

Focal adhesions mediate cell-extracellular matrix adhesion. They are inserted in detergent-resistant membrane microdomains enriched in phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate. In spite of the relevance that membrane lipids appear to have on cell adhesion structures, to our knowledge, there are no previous reports on the membrane lipid composition where focal adhesions are located in vivo or on how changes in local membrane composition contribute to focal adhesion maintenance. This may be due to the fact that the explosion of information in the fields of genomics and proteomics has not been matched by a corresponding advancement of knowledge in the field of lipids. The physiological importance of lipids is illustrated by the numerous diseases to which lipid abnormalities contribute. To gain insight into the role of membrane lipid composition in the preservation of epithelial cell adhesion to the substratum, how specific changes in the membrane lipid composition in vivo affect the maintenance of focal adhesions in renal papillae collecting duct cells has been previously studied. It is currently considered that phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate plays a crucial role in the maintenance of assembled focal adhesion. However, such pool of polyphosphoinositides has to be part of a domain of a specific lipid composition to serve as a membrane lipid stabilizing the focal adhesion plaque.

Human alpha-synemin interacts directly with vinculin and metavinculin

Synemin is a very large, unique member of the IF (intermediate filament) protein superfamily. Association of synemin with the major IF proteins, desmin and/or vimentin, within muscle cells forms heteropolymeric IFs. We have previously identified interactions of avian synemin with alpha-actinin and vinculin. Avian synemin, however, is expressed as only one form, whereas human synemin is expressed as two major splice variants, namely alpha- and beta-synemins. The larger alpha-synemin contains an additional 312-amino-acid insert (termed SNTIII) located near the end of the long C-terminal tail domain. Whether alpha- and beta-synemins have different cellular functions is unclear. In the present study we show, by in vitro protein-protein interaction assays, that SNTIII interacts directly with both vinculin and metavinculin. Furthermore, SNTIII interacts with vinculin in vivo, and this association is promoted by PtdIns(4,5)P(2). SNTIII also specifically co-localizes with vinculin within focal adhesions when transiently expressed in mammalian cells. In contrast, other regions of synemin show distinct localization patterns in comparison with those of SNTIII, without labelling focal adhesions. Our results indicate that alpha-synemin, but not beta-synemin, interacts with both vinculin and metavinculin, thereby linking the heteropolymeric IFs to adhesion-type junctions, such as the costameres located within human striated muscle cells.

Mechano-coupling and regulation of contractility by the vinculin tail domain

Vinculin binds to multiple focal adhesion and cytoskeletal proteins and has been implicated in transmitting mechanical forces between the actin cytoskeleton and integrins or cadherins. It remains unclear to what extent the mechano-coupling function of vinculin also involves signaling mechanisms. We report the effect of vinculin and its head and tail domains on force transfer across cell adhesions and the generation of contractile forces. The creep modulus and the adhesion forces of F9 mouse embryonic carcinoma cells (wild-type), vinculin knock-out cells (vinculin −/−), and vinculin −/− cells expressing either the vinculin head domain, tail domain, or full-length vinculin (rescue) were measured using magnetic tweezers on fibronectin-coated super-paramagnetic beads. Forces of up to 10 nN were applied to the beads. Vinculin −/− cells and tail cells showed a slightly higher incidence of bead detachment at large forces. Compared to wild-type, cell stiffness was reduced in vinculin −/− and head cells and was restored in tail and rescue cells. In all cell lines, the cell stiffness increased by a factor of 1.3 for each doubling in force. The power-law exponent of the creep modulus was force-independent and did not differ between cell lines. Importantly, cell tractions due to contractile forces were suppressed markedly in vinculin −/− and head cells, whereas tail cells generated tractions similar to the wild-type and rescue cells. These data demonstrate that vinculin contributes to the mechanical stability under large external forces by regulating contractile stress generation. Furthermore, the regulatory function resides in the tail domain of vinculin containing the paxillin-binding site.

Solution structure of the first SH3 domain of human vinexin and its interaction with vinculin peptides

Solution structure of the first Src homology (SH) 3 domain of human vinexin (V_SH3_1) was determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method and revealed that it was a canonical SH3 domain, which has a typical beta-beta-beta-beta-alpha-beta fold. Using chemical shift perturbation and surface plasmon resonance experiments, we studied the binding properties of the SH3 domain with two different peptides from vinculin hinge regions: P856 and P868. The observations illustrated slightly different affinities of the two peptides binding to V_SH3_1. The interaction between P868 and V_SH3_1 belonged to intermediate exchange with a modest binding affinity, while the interaction between P856 and V_SH3_1 had a low binding affinity. The structure and ligand-binding interface of V_SH3_1 provide a structural basis for the further functional study of this important molecule.

The Helicobacter pylori CagA protein disrupts matrix adhesion of gastric epithelial cells by dephosphorylation of vinculin

Helicobacter pylori colonizes the human stomach, contributing to or causing several diseases. Translocation of the CagA bacterial protein into gastric epithelial cells has been linked to an increased risk of peptic ulcer disease and gastric carcinoma. Upon translocation, CagA is tyrosine phosphorylated by Src family kinases (SFKs), which themselves become inactivated via a negative feedback loop. Here, we show that tyrosine-phosphorylated CagA disrupts adhesion of AGS cells to the extracellular matrix. Owing to the inactivation of c-Src via CagA interaction, vinculin is dephosphorylated at tyrosine residues, 100 and 1065, by corresponding phosphatases. Vinculin dephosphorylation disturbs the interaction and recruitment of the actin-related protein 2/3 (Arp2/3) complex by p34Arc, resulting in a reduction of focal adhesion complexes. These defects can be mimicked by downregulating vinculin using RNA interference in non-infected cells. Tyrosine dephosphorylation of vinculin results in severe cellular deficiencies in cell-matrix adhesion, cell spreading and wound repair. We hypothesize that CagA-mediated inactivation of vinculin is a key step in the mechanism by which H. pylori induces damage to the gastric epithelium and represents an important step in disease development.

Biochemical characterization of distinct regions of SPEC molecules and their role in phagocytosis

Cdc42 signaling pathways play important roles in immune cell polarization and cytoskeletal changes. Although the small Cdc42-binding proteins SPEC1 and SPEC2 play a role in F-actin accumulation in activated T lymphocytes, little is known about their precise activities in other cell types. Here, we mapped the Cdc42-binding activity of SPEC1 to the CRIB sequence and a downstream alpha helical region. Biochemical studies revealed that SPEC1 did not interact with a Rac1 switch-of-function mutant capable of inducing Cdc42-like filopodia, potentially eliminating a role for SPECs in this process. A phosphoinositide-binding region was identified within a basic region N-terminal to the CRIB sequence of SPEC1. Using an anti-SPEC2 antibody, we found that endogenous SPEC2 colocalized with Cdc42 at the phagocytic cup of macrophages internalizing zymosan A particles prior to significant F-actin accumulation. Overexpression studies of the related SPEC1 protein induced marked macrophage contraction and prevented particle binding and phagocytosis. Although a Cdc42-binding mutant of SPEC1 still caused macrophage contraction, mutations within the N-terminal cysteines and phosphoinositide-binding region reversed macrophage contraction but still resulted in impaired phagocytosis. These results identify three distinct structural and functional regions within SPECs and demonstrate their likely role in early contractile events in phagocytosis.

Coincidence of actin filaments and talin is required to activate vinculin

Vinculin regulates cell adhesion by strengthening contacts between extracellular matrix and the cytoskeleton. Binding of the integrin ligand, talin, to the head domain of vinculin and F-actin to its tail domain is a potential mechanism for this function, but vinculin is autoinhibited by intramolecular interactions between its head and tail domain and must be activated to bind talin and actin. Because autoinhibition of vinculin occurs by synergism between two head and tail interfaces, one hypothesis is that activation could occur by two ligands that coordinately disrupt both interfaces. To test this idea we use a fluorescence resonance energy transfer probe that reports directly on activation of vinculin. Neither talin rod, VBS3 (a talin peptide that mimics a postulated activated state of talin), nor F-actin alone can activate vinculin. But in the presence of F-actin either talin rod or VBS3 induces dose-dependent activation of vinculin. The activation data are supported by solution phase binding studies, which show that talin rod or VBS3 fails to bind vinculin, whereas the same two ligands bind tightly to vinculin head domain (K(d) approximately 100 nM). These data strongly support a combinatorial mechanism of vinculin activation; moreover, they are inconsistent with a model in which talin or activated talin is sufficient to activate vinculin. Combinatorial activation implies that at cell adhesion sites vinculin is a coincidence detector awaiting simultaneous signals from talin and actin polymerization to unleash its scaffolding activity.