1
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Le S, Yu M, Fu C, Heier JA, Martin S, Hardin J, Yan J. Single-molecule force spectroscopy reveals intra- and intermolecular interactions of Caenorhabditis elegans HMP-1 during mechanotransduction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2400654121. [PMID: 39236238 PMCID: PMC11406289 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400654121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans HMP-2/HMP-1 complex, akin to the mammalian [Formula: see text]-catenin-[Formula: see text]-catenin complex, serves as a critical mechanosensor at cell-cell adherens junctions, transducing tension between HMR-1 (also known as cadherin in mammals) and the actin cytoskeleton. Essential for embryonic development and tissue integrity in C. elegans, this complex experiences tension from both internal actomyosin contractility and external mechanical microenvironmental perturbations. While offering a valuable evolutionary comparison to its mammalian counterpart, the impact of tension on the mechanical stability of HMP-1 and HMP-2/HMP-1 interactions remains unexplored. In this study, we directly quantified the mechanical stability of full-length HMP-1 and its force-bearing modulation domains (M1-M3), as well as the HMP-2/HMP-1 interface. Notably, the M1 domain in HMP-1 exhibits significantly higher mechanical stability than its mammalian analog, attributable to interdomain interactions with M2-M3. Introducing salt bridge mutations in the M3 domain weakens the mechanical stability of the M1 domain. Moreover, the intermolecular HMP-2/HMP-1 interface surpasses its mammalian counterpart in mechanical stability, enabling it to support the mechanical activation of the autoinhibited M1 domain for mechanotransduction. Additionally, the phosphomimetic mutation Y69E in HMP-2 weakens the mechanical stability of the HMP-2/HMP-1 interface, compromising the force-transmission molecular linkage and its associated mechanosensing functions. Collectively, these findings provide mechanobiological insights into the C. elegans HMP-2/HMP-1 complex, highlighting the impact of salt bridges on mechanical stability in [Formula: see text]-catenin and demonstrating the evolutionary conservation of the mechanical switch mechanism activating the HMP-1 modulation domain for protein binding at the single-molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimin Le
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
- Department of Physics, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Miao Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Division of Orthopaedic Surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Chaoyu Fu
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore
| | - Jonathon A Heier
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Sterling Martin
- Biophysics Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Jeff Hardin
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
- Biophysics Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Jie Yan
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore
- Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
- Joint School of National University of Singapore and Tianjin University, International Campus of Tianjin University, Binhai New City, Fuzhou 350207, China
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2
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Quinn JM, Wang Y, Wood M, Flozak AS, Le PM, Yemelyanov A, Oakes PW, Gottardi CJ. α-catenin middle- and actin-binding domain unfolding mutants differentially impact epithelial strength and sheet migration. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar65. [PMID: 38507238 PMCID: PMC11151094 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-01-0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
α-catenin (α-cat) displays force-dependent unfolding and binding to actin filaments through direct and indirect means, but features of adherens junction structure and function most vulnerable to loss of these allosteric mechanisms have not been directly compared. By reconstituting an α-cat F-actin-binding domain unfolding mutant known to exhibit enhanced binding to actin (α-cat-H0-FABD+) into α-cat knockout Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells, we show that partial loss of the α-cat catch bond mechanism (via an altered H0 α-helix) leads to stronger epithelial sheet integrity with greater colocalization between the α-cat-H0-FABD+ mutant and actin. α-cat-H0-FABD+ -expressing cells are less efficient at closing scratch-wounds, suggesting reduced capacity for more dynamic cell-cell coordination. Evidence that α-cat-H0-FABD+ is equally accessible to the conformationally sensitive α18 antibody epitope as WT α-cat and shows similar vinculin recruitment suggests this mutant engages lower tension cortical actin networks, as its M-domain is not persistently open. Conversely, α-cat-M-domain salt-bridge mutants with persistent recruitment of vinculin and phosphorylated myosin light chain show only intermediate monolayer adhesive strengths, but display less directionally coordinated and thereby slower migration speeds during wound-repair. These data show α-cat M- and FABD-unfolding mutants differentially impact cell-cell cohesion and migration properties, and suggest signals favoring α-cat-cortical actin interaction without persistent M-domain opening may improve epithelial monolayer strength through enhanced coupling to lower tension actin networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne M. Quinn
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Yuou Wang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Megan Wood
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Annette S. Flozak
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Phuong M. Le
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Alex Yemelyanov
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Patrick W. Oakes
- Department of Cell & Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 60153
| | - Cara J. Gottardi
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
- Cell & Developmental Biology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
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3
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Guo Y, Yan J, Goult BT. Mechanotransduction through protein stretching. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2024; 87:102327. [PMID: 38301379 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2024.102327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Cells sense and respond to subtle changes in their physicality, and via a myriad of different mechanosensitive processes, convert these physical cues into chemical and biochemical signals. This process, called mechanotransduction, is possible due to a highly sophisticated machinery within cells. One mechanism by which this can occur is via the stretching of mechanosensitive proteins. Stretching proteins that contain force-dependent regions results in altered geometry and dimensions of the connections, as well as differential spatial organization of signals bound to the stretched protein. The purpose of this mini-review is to discuss some of the intense recent activity in this area of mechanobiology that strives to understand how protein stretching can influence signaling outputs and cellular responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyu Guo
- Department of Physics, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore 117542, Singapore
| | - Jie Yan
- Department of Physics, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore 117542, Singapore.
| | - Benjamin T Goult
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NJ, UK; Department of Biochemistry, Cell & Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK.
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4
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Wang Y, Yemelyanov A, Go CD, Kim S, Quinn JM, Flozak AS, Le PM, Liang S, Claude-Gingras A, Ikura M, Ishiyama N, Gottardi CJ. α-catenin mechanosensitivity as a route to cytokinesis failure through sequestration of LZTS2. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.25.554884. [PMID: 37662204 PMCID: PMC10473746 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.25.554884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial cells can become polyploid upon tissue injury, but mechanosensitive cues that trigger this state are poorly understood. Using α-catenin (α-cat) knock-out Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells reconstituted with wild-type and mutant forms of α-cat as a model system, we find that an established α-cat actin-binding domain unfolding mutant designed to reduce force-sensitive binding to F-actin (α-cat-H0-FABD+) can promote cytokinesis failure, particularly along epithelial wound-fronts. Enhanced α-cat coupling to cortical actin is neither sufficient nor mitotic cell-autonomous for cytokinesis failure, but critically requires the mechanosensitive Middle-domain (M1-M2-M3) and neighboring cells. Disease relevant α-cat M-domain missense mutations known to cause a form of retinal pattern dystrophy (α-cat E307K or L436P) are associated with elevated binucleation rates via cytokinesis failure. Similar binucleation rates are seen in cells expressing an α-cat salt-bridge destabilizing mutant (R551A) designed to promote M2-M3 domain unfurling at lower force thresholds. Since binucleation is strongly enhanced by removal of the M1 as opposed to M2-M3 domains, cytokinetic fidelity is most sensitive to α-cat M2-M3 domain opening. To identify α-cat conformation-dependent proximity partners that contribute to cytokinesis, we used a biotin-ligase approach to distinguished proximity partners that show enhanced recruitment upon α-cat M-domain unfurling (R551A). We identified Leucine Zipper Tumor Suppressor 2 (LZTS2), an abscission factor previously implicated in cytokinesis. We confirm that LZTS2 enriches at the midbody, but discover it also localizes to tight and tricellular junctions. LZTS2 knock-down promotes binucleation in both MDCK and Retinal Pigmented Epithelial (RPE) cells. α-cat mutants with persistent M2-M3 domain opening showed elevated junctional enrichment of LZTS2 from the cytosol compared α-cat wild-type cells. These data implicate LZTS2 as a mechanosensitive effector of α-cat that is critical for cytokinetic fidelity. This model rationalizes how persistent mechano-activation of α-cat may drive tension-induced polyploidization of epithelia post-injury and suggests an underlying mechanism for how pathogenic α-cat mutations drive macular dystrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuou Wang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Alex Yemelyanov
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Christopher D. Go
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Sun Kim
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Jeanne M. Quinn
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Annette S. Flozak
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Phuong M. Le
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Shannon Liang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Anne Claude-Gingras
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Mitsu Ikura
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Noboru Ishiyama
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cara J. Gottardi
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
- Cell & Developmental Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
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5
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Serre JM, Slabodnick MM, Goldstein B, Hardin J. SRGP-1/srGAP and AFD-1/afadin stabilize HMP-1/⍺-catenin at rosettes to seal internalization sites following gastrulation in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010507. [PMID: 36867663 PMCID: PMC10016700 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of gastrulation is the establishment of germ layers by internalization of cells initially on the exterior. In C. elegans the end of gastrulation is marked by the closure of the ventral cleft, a structure formed as cells internalize during gastrulation, and the subsequent rearrangement of adjacent neuroblasts that remain on the surface. We found that a nonsense allele of srgp-1/srGAP leads to 10-15% cleft closure failure. Deletion of the SRGP-1/srGAP C-terminal domain led to a comparable rate of cleft closure failure, whereas deletion of the N-terminal F-BAR region resulted in milder defects. Loss of the SRGP-1/srGAP C-terminus or F-BAR domain results in defects in rosette formation and defective clustering of HMP-1/⍺-catenin in surface cells during cleft closure. A mutant form of HMP-1/⍺-catenin with an open M domain can suppress cleft closure defects in srgp-1 mutant backgrounds, suggesting that this mutation acts as a gain-of-function allele. Since SRGP-1 binding to HMP-1/⍺-catenin is not favored in this case, we sought another HMP-1 interactor that might be recruited when HMP-1/⍺-catenin is constitutively open. A good candidate is AFD-1/afadin, which genetically interacts with cadherin-based adhesion later during embryonic elongation. AFD-1/afadin is prominently expressed at the vertex of neuroblast rosettes in wildtype, and depletion of AFD-1/afadin increases cleft closure defects in srgp-1/srGAP and hmp-1R551/554A/⍺-catenin backgrounds. We propose that SRGP-1/srGAP promotes nascent junction formation in rosettes; as junctions mature and sustain higher levels of tension, the M domain of HMP-1/⍺-catenin opens, allowing maturing junctions to transition from recruitment of SRGP-1/srGAP to AFD-1/afadin. Our work identifies new roles for ⍺-catenin interactors during a process crucial to metazoan development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel M. Serre
- Program in Genetics University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Mark M. Slabodnick
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Knox University, Galesburg, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Bob Goldstein
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jeff Hardin
- Program in Genetics University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
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6
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Sheppard L, Green DG, Lerchbaumer G, Rothenberg KE, Fernandez-Gonzalez R, Tepass U. The α-Catenin mechanosensing M region is required for cell adhesion during tissue morphogenesis. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:e202108091. [PMID: 36520419 PMCID: PMC9757846 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202108091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Catenin couples the cadherin-catenin complex to the actin cytoskeleton. The mechanosensitive α-Catenin M region undergoes conformational changes upon application of force to recruit interaction partners. Here, we took advantage of the tension landscape in the Drosophila embryo to define three different states of α-Catenin mechanosensing in support of cell adhesion. Low-, medium-, and high-tension contacts showed a corresponding recruitment of Vinculin and Ajuba, which was dependent on the α-Catenin M region. In contrast, the Afadin homolog Canoe acts in parallel to α-Catenin at bicellular low- and medium-tension junctions but requires an interaction with α-Catenin for its tension-sensitive enrichment at high-tension tricellular junctions. Individual M region domains make complex contributions to cell adhesion through their impact on interaction partner recruitment, and redundancies with the function of Canoe. Our data argue that α-Catenin and its interaction partners are part of a cooperative and partially redundant mechanoresponsive network that supports AJs remodeling during morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luka Sheppard
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - David G. Green
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Gerald Lerchbaumer
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Katheryn E. Rothenberg
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ulrich Tepass
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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7
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Serre JM, Lucas B, Martin SCT, Heier JA, Shao X, Hardin J. C. elegans srGAP is an α-catenin M domain-binding protein that strengthens cadherin-dependent adhesion during morphogenesis. Development 2022; 149:dev200775. [PMID: 36125129 PMCID: PMC10655919 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The cadherin-catenin complex (CCC) is central to embryonic development and tissue repair, yet how CCC binding partners function alongside core CCC components remains poorly understood. Here, we establish a previously unappreciated role for an evolutionarily conserved protein, the slit-robo GTPase-activating protein SRGP-1/srGAP, in cadherin-dependent morphogenetic processes in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo. SRGP-1 binds to the M domain of the core CCC component, HMP-1/α-catenin, via its C terminus. The SRGP-1 C terminus is sufficient to target it to adherens junctions, but only during later embryonic morphogenesis, when junctional tension is known to increase. Surprisingly, mutations that disrupt stabilizing salt bridges in the M domain block this recruitment. Loss of SRGP-1 leads to an increase in mobility and decrease of junctional HMP-1. In sensitized genetic backgrounds with weakened adherens junctions, loss of SRGP-1 leads to late embryonic failure. Rescue of these phenotypes requires the C terminus of SRGP-1 but also other domains of the protein. Taken together, these data establish a role for an srGAP in stabilizing and organizing the CCC during epithelial morphogenesis by binding to a partially closed conformation of α-catenin at junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel M. Serre
- Program in Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Bethany Lucas
- Department of Biology, Regis University, 3333 Regis Blvd., Denver, CO 80221, USA
| | - Sterling C. T. Martin
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jonathon A. Heier
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Xiangqiang Shao
- Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jeff Hardin
- Program in Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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8
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Nishimura R, Kato K, Saida M, Kamei Y, Takeda M, Miyoshi H, Yamagata Y, Amano Y, Yonemura S. Appropriate tension sensitivity of α-catenin ensures rounding morphogenesis of epithelial spheroids. Cell Struct Funct 2022; 47:55-73. [PMID: 35732428 PMCID: PMC10511042 DOI: 10.1247/csf.22014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The adherens junction (AJ) is an actin filament-anchoring junction. It plays a central role in epithelial morphogenesis through cadherin-based recognition and adhesion among cells. The stability and plasticity of AJs are required for the morphogenesis. An actin-binding α-catenin is an essential component of the cadherin-catenin complex and functions as a tension transducer that changes its conformation and induces AJ development in response to tension. Despite much progress in understanding molecular mechanisms of tension sensitivity of α-catenin, its significance on epithelial morphogenesis is still unknown. Here we show that the tension sensitivity of α-catenin is essential for epithelial cells to form round spheroids through proper multicellular rearrangement. Using a novel in vitro suspension culture model, we found that epithelial cells form round spheroids even from rectangular-shaped cell masses with high aspect ratios without using high tension and that increased tension sensitivity of α-catenin affected this morphogenesis. Analyses of AJ formation and cellular tracking during rounding morphogenesis showed cellular rearrangement, probably through AJ remodeling. The rearrangement occurs at the cell mass level, but not single-cell level. Hypersensitive α-catenin mutant-expressing cells did not show cellular rearrangement at the cell mass level, suggesting that the appropriate tension sensitivity of α-catenin is crucial for the coordinated round morphogenesis.Key words: α-catenin, vinculin, adherens junction, morphogenesis, mechanotransduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Nishimura
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Kagayaki Kato
- Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Misako Saida
- Spectrography and Bioimaging Facility, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kamei
- Spectrography and Bioimaging Facility, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
- Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Masahiro Takeda
- Ultra High Precision Optics Technology Team/Advanced Manufacturing Support Team, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan
- Center for Advanced Photonics, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hiromi Miyoshi
- Ultra High Precision Optics Technology Team/Advanced Manufacturing Support Team, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan
- Center for Advanced Photonics, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan
- Applied Mechanobiology Laboratory, Faculty of Systems Design, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yutaka Yamagata
- Ultra High Precision Optics Technology Team/Advanced Manufacturing Support Team, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan
- Center for Advanced Photonics, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yu Amano
- Department of Bioscience, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Shigenobu Yonemura
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan
- Ultrastructural Research Team, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
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9
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Menta PLR, Andrade MER, de Castro LF, Trindade LM, Dias MTS, Miyamoto JÉ, Dos Santos RM, Cassali GD, Leal RF, Ribeiro APB, Grimaldi R, Ignacio-Souza LM, Torsoni MA, Torsoni AS, Cardoso VN, Milanski M. Interesterified palm oil increases intestinal permeability, promotes bacterial translocation, alters inflammatory parameters and tight-junction protein genic expression in Swiss mice. Food Res Int 2022; 151:110897. [PMID: 34980418 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2021.110897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
High-fat diets seem to have a negative influence on the development of obesity and the processes associated with low-grade chronic systemic inflammation. In recent years, partial hydrogenated oil, rich in trans isomers, has been associated with deleterious health effects. It has been replaced by interesterified fat (IF). However, there is no evidence whether IF ingestion can exert adverse effects on the intestinal mucosa. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of IF on the intestinal mucosa of male Swiss mice fed a normal or high-fat diet, focusing on its effects on intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation and its possible damage to the intestinal epithelium. The animals were divided into 4 groups: Control (C) and Interesterified Control (IC) groups (10 En% lipids from unmodified fat or interesterified fat, respectively) and High Fat (HF) and Interesterified High Fat (IHF) groups (45 En% lipids from unmodified fat or interesterified fat, respectively). Compare to C, the IC, HF, and IHF groups presented flattened epithelium, a shorter villi length and a lower percentage of goblet cells, less mucin 2, an increased oxidative stress and more inflammatory cells, higher IL-1β, IL-17, and IL-23 levels. These groups also presented increased intestinal permeability and gene expression of the protein claudin 2, while JAM-A and claudin 1 gene expression was reduced. IC and IHF increased IL-6 levels while reducing occludin expression. In addition, the IC group also presented a mucosa with lesions of low intensity in the ileum, an increased mucin 5ac, TNF-α levels, and reduced occludin expression in the distal jejunum. Moreover, there was a significant increase in bacterial translocation in the IC group to blood, liver, and lungs, while HF and IHF groups presented bacterial translocation which was restricted to the mesenteric lymph nodes. In summary, our results supported the hypothesis that IF added to a normolipidic diet can be considered harmful or even worse when compared to a HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penélope Lacrísio Reis Menta
- School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Limeira, SP, Brazil; Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
| | - Maria Emília Rabelo Andrade
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Lívia Furquim de Castro
- School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Limeira, SP, Brazil; Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Luísa Martins Trindade
- Department of Food, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Melissa Tainan Silva Dias
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Josiane Érica Miyamoto
- School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Limeira, SP, Brazil; Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Raisa Magno Dos Santos
- School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Limeira, SP, Brazil; Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Geovanni Dantas Cassali
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Raquel Franco Leal
- Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil; IBD Research Laboratory, Colorectal Surgery Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Renato Grimaldi
- School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Letícia Martins Ignacio-Souza
- School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Limeira, SP, Brazil; Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcio Alberto Torsoni
- School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Limeira, SP, Brazil; Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Adriana Souza Torsoni
- School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Limeira, SP, Brazil; Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Valbert Nascimento Cardoso
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Marciane Milanski
- School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Limeira, SP, Brazil; Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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10
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Heier JA, Pokutta S, Dale IW, Kim SK, Hinck AP, Weis WI, Kwiatkowski AV. Distinct intramolecular interactions regulate autoinhibition of vinculin binding in αT-catenin and αE-catenin. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100582. [PMID: 33771561 PMCID: PMC8091058 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Catenin binds directly to β-catenin and connects the cadherin–catenin complex to the actin cytoskeleton. Tension regulates α-catenin conformation. Actomyosin-generated force stretches the middle (M)-region to relieve autoinhibition and reveal a binding site for the actin-binding protein vinculin. It is not known whether the intramolecular interactions that regulate epithelial (αE)-catenin binding are conserved across the α-catenin family. Here, we describe the biochemical properties of testes (αT)-catenin, an α-catenin isoform critical for cardiac function and how intramolecular interactions regulate vinculin-binding autoinhibition. Isothermal titration calorimetry showed that αT-catenin binds the β-catenin–N-cadherin complex with a similar low nanomolar affinity to that of αE-catenin. Limited proteolysis revealed that the αT-catenin M-region adopts a more open conformation than αE-catenin. The αT-catenin M-region binds the vinculin N-terminus with low nanomolar affinity, indicating that the isolated αT-catenin M-region is not autoinhibited and thereby distinct from αE-catenin. However, the αT-catenin head (N- and M-regions) binds vinculin 1000-fold more weakly (low micromolar affinity), indicating that the N-terminus regulates the M-region binding to vinculin. In cells, αT-catenin recruitment of vinculin to cell–cell contacts requires the actin-binding domain and actomyosin-generated tension, indicating that force regulates vinculin binding. Together, our results show that the αT-catenin N-terminus is required to maintain M-region autoinhibition and modulate vinculin binding. We postulate that the unique molecular properties of αT-catenin allow it to function as a scaffold for building specific adhesion complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathon A Heier
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sabine Pokutta
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Ian W Dale
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sun Kyung Kim
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrew P Hinck
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, USA
| | - William I Weis
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Adam V Kwiatkowski
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
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11
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Xu XP, Pokutta S, Torres M, Swift MF, Hanein D, Volkmann N, Weis WI. Structural basis of αE-catenin-F-actin catch bond behavior. eLife 2020; 9:e60878. [PMID: 32915141 PMCID: PMC7588230 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-cell and cell-matrix junctions transmit mechanical forces during tissue morphogenesis and homeostasis. α-Catenin links cell-cell adhesion complexes to the actin cytoskeleton, and mechanical load strengthens its binding to F-actin in a direction-sensitive manner. Specifically, optical trap experiments revealed that force promotes a transition between weak and strong actin-bound states. Here, we describe the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the F-actin-bound αE-catenin actin-binding domain, which in solution forms a five-helix bundle. In the actin-bound structure, the first helix of the bundle dissociates and the remaining four helices and connecting loops rearrange to form the interface with actin. Deletion of the first helix produces strong actin binding in the absence of force, suggesting that the actin-bound structure corresponds to the strong state. Our analysis explains how mechanical force applied to αE-catenin or its homolog vinculin favors the strongly bound state, and the dependence of catch bond strength on the direction of applied force.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sabine Pokutta
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Megan Torres
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | | | - Dorit Hanein
- Scintillon InstituteSan DiegoUnited States
- Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Pasteur InstituteParisFrance
| | - Niels Volkmann
- Scintillon InstituteSan DiegoUnited States
- Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Pasteur InstituteParisFrance
| | - William I Weis
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
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12
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Angulo-Urarte A, van der Wal T, Huveneers S. Cell-cell junctions as sensors and transducers of mechanical forces. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183316. [PMID: 32360073 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial and endothelial monolayers are multicellular sheets that form barriers between the 'outside' and 'inside' of tissues. Cell-cell junctions, made by adherens junctions, tight junctions and desmosomes, hold together these monolayers. They form intercellular contacts by binding their receptor counterparts on neighboring cells and anchoring these structures intracellularly to the cytoskeleton. During tissue development, maintenance and pathogenesis, monolayers encounter a range of mechanical forces from the cells themselves and from external systemic forces, such as blood pressure or tissue stiffness. The molecular landscape of cell-cell junctions is diverse, containing transmembrane proteins that form intercellular bonds and a variety of cytoplasmic proteins that remodel the junctional connection to the cytoskeleton. Many junction-associated proteins participate in mechanotransduction cascades to confer mechanical cues into cellular responses that allow monolayers to maintain their structural integrity. We will discuss force-dependent junctional molecular events and their role in cell-cell contact organization and remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Angulo-Urarte
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Location AMC, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tanne van der Wal
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Location AMC, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Stephan Huveneers
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Location AMC, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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13
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Kluger C, Braun L, Sedlak SM, Pippig DA, Bauer MS, Miller K, Milles LF, Gaub HE, Vogel V. Different Vinculin Binding Sites Use the Same Mechanism to Regulate Directional Force Transduction. Biophys J 2020; 118:1344-1356. [PMID: 32109366 PMCID: PMC7091509 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.12.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Vinculin is a universal adaptor protein that transiently reinforces the mechanical stability of adhesion complexes. It stabilizes mechanical connections that cells establish between the actomyosin cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix via integrins or to neighboring cells via cadherins, yet little is known regarding its mechanical design. Vinculin binding sites (VBSs) from different nonhomologous actin-binding proteins use conserved helical motifs to associate with the vinculin head domain. We studied the mechanical stability of such complexes by pulling VBS peptides derived from talin, α-actinin, and Shigella IpaA out of the vinculin head domain. Experimental data from atomic force microscopy single-molecule force spectroscopy and steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations both revealed greater mechanical stability of the complex for shear-like than for zipper-like pulling configurations. This suggests that reinforcement occurs along preferential force directions, thus stabilizing those cytoskeletal filament architectures that result in shear-like pulling geometries. Large force-induced conformational changes in the vinculin head domain, as well as protein-specific fine-tuning of the VBS sequence, including sequence inversion, allow for an even more nuanced force response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carleen Kluger
- Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Physik and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Lukas Braun
- Laboratory of Applied Mechanobiology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Steffen M Sedlak
- Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Physik and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Diana A Pippig
- Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Physik and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Magnus S Bauer
- Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Physik and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Ken Miller
- Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Physik and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Lukas F Milles
- Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Physik and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Hermann E Gaub
- Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Physik and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Viola Vogel
- Laboratory of Applied Mechanobiology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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14
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Wheat gluten intake increases the severity of experimental colitis and bacterial translocation by weakening of the proteins of the junctional complex. Br J Nutr 2019; 121:361-373. [PMID: 30554574 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114518003422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Gluten is only partially digested by intestinal enzymes and can generate peptides that can alter intestinal permeability, facilitating bacterial translocation, thus affecting the immune system. Few studies addressed the role of diet with gluten in the development of colitis. Therefore, we investigate the effects of wheat gluten-containing diet on the evolution of sodium dextran sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis. Mice were fed a standard diet without (colitis group) or with 4·5 % wheat gluten (colitis + gluten) for 15 d and received DSS solution (1·5 %, w/v) instead of water during the last 7 d. Compared with the colitis group, colitis + gluten mice presented a worse clinical score, a larger extension of colonic injury area, and increased mucosal inflammation. Both intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation were increased, propitiating bacteria migration for peripheral organs. The mechanism by which diet with gluten exacerbates colitis appears to be related to changes in protein production and organisation in adhesion junctions and desmosomes. The protein α-E-catenin was especially reduced in mice fed gluten, which compromised the localisation of E-cadherin and β-catenin proteins, weakening the structure of desmosomes. The epithelial damage caused by gluten included shortening of microvilli, a high number of digestive vacuoles, and changes in the endosome/lysosome system. In conclusion, our results show that wheat gluten-containing diet exacerbates the mucosal damage caused by colitis, reducing intestinal barrier function and increasing bacterial translocation. These effects are related to the induction of weakness and disorganisation of adhesion junctions and desmosomes as well as shortening of microvilli and modification of the endocytic vesicle route.
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15
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Terekhova K, Pokutta S, Kee YS, Li J, Tajkhorshid E, Fuller G, Dunn AR, Weis WI. Binding partner- and force-promoted changes in αE-catenin conformation probed by native cysteine labeling. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15375. [PMID: 31653927 PMCID: PMC6814714 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51816-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Adherens Junctions (AJs) are cell-cell adhesion complexes that sense and propagate mechanical forces by coupling cadherins to the actin cytoskeleton via β-catenin and the F-actin binding protein αE-catenin. When subjected to mechanical force, the cadherin•catenin complex can tightly link to F-actin through αE-catenin, and also recruits the F-actin-binding protein vinculin. In this study, labeling of native cysteines combined with mass spectrometry revealed conformational changes in αE-catenin upon binding to the E-cadherin•β-catenin complex, vinculin and F-actin. A method to apply physiologically meaningful forces in solution revealed force-induced conformational changes in αE-catenin when bound to F-actin. Comparisons of wild-type αE-catenin and a mutant with enhanced vinculin affinity using cysteine labeling and isothermal titration calorimetry provide evidence for allosteric coupling of the N-terminal β-catenin-binding and the middle (M) vinculin-binding domain of αE-catenin. Cysteine labeling also revealed possible crosstalk between the actin-binding domain and the rest of the protein. The data provide insight into how binding partners and mechanical stress can regulate the conformation of full-length αE-catenin, and identify the M domain as a key transmitter of conformational changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ksenia Terekhova
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Sabine Pokutta
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Yee S Kee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080 (Y.S.K.); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637 (J.L.), USA
| | - Jing Li
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA.,Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080 (Y.S.K.); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637 (J.L.), USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Gerald Fuller
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alexander R Dunn
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - William I Weis
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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16
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Pang SM, Le S, Kwiatkowski AV, Yan J. Mechanical stability of αT-catenin and its activation by force for vinculin binding. Mol Biol Cell 2019; 30:1930-1937. [PMID: 31318313 PMCID: PMC6727763 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e19-02-0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
αT (Testes)-catenin, a critical factor regulating cell-cell adhesion in the heart, directly couples the cadherin-catenin complex to the actin cytoskeleton at the intercalated disk (ICD), a unique cell-cell junction that couples cardiomyocytes. Loss of αT-catenin in mice reduces plakophilin2 and connexin 43 recruitment to the ICD. Since αT-catenin is subjected to mechanical stretch during actomyosin contraction in cardiomyocytes, its activity could be regulated by mechanical force. To provide insight in how force regulates αT-catenin function, we investigated the mechanical stability of the putative, force-sensing middle (M) domain of αT-catenin and determined how force impacts vinculin binding to αT-catenin. We show that 1) physiological levels of force, <15 pN, are sufficient to unfold the three M domains; 2) the M1 domain that harbors the vinculin-binding site is unfolded at ∼6 pN; and 3) unfolding of the M1 domain is necessary for high-affinity vinculin binding. In addition, we quantified the binding kinetics and affinity of vinculin to the mechanically exposed binding site in M1 and observed that αT-catenin binds vinculin with low nanomolar affinity. These results provide important new insights into the mechanosensing properties of αT-catenin and how αT-catenin regulates cell-cell adhesion at the cardiomyocyte ICD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Ming Pang
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
| | - Shimin Le
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542
| | - Adam V. Kwiatkowski
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| | - Jie Yan
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542
- Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546
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17
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Adhikari S, Moran J, Weddle C, Hinczewski M. Unraveling the mechanism of the cadherin-catenin-actin catch bond. PLoS Comput Biol 2018; 14:e1006399. [PMID: 30118477 PMCID: PMC6114904 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The adherens junctions between epithelial cells involve a protein complex formed by E-cadherin, β-catenin, α-catenin and F-actin. The stability of this complex was a puzzle for many years, since in vitro studies could reconstitute various stable subsets of the individual proteins, but never the entirety. The missing ingredient turned out to be mechanical tension: a recent experiment that applied physiological forces to the complex with an optical tweezer dramatically increased its lifetime, a phenomenon known as catch bonding. However, in the absence of a crystal structure for the full complex, the microscopic details of the catch bond mechanism remain mysterious. Building on structural clues that point to α-catenin as the force transducer, we present a quantitative theoretical model for how the catch bond arises, fully accounting for the experimental lifetime distributions. The underlying hypothesis is that force induces a rotational transition between two conformations of α-catenin, overcoming a significant energy barrier due to a network of salt bridges. This transition allosterically regulates the energies at the interface between α-catenin and F-actin. The model allows us to predict these energetic changes, as well as highlighting the importance of the salt bridge rotational barrier. By stabilizing one of the α-catenin states, this barrier could play a role in how the complex responds to additional in vivo binding partners like vinculin. Since significant conformational energy barriers are a common feature of other adhesion systems that exhibit catch bonds, our model can be adapted into a general theoretical framework for integrating structure and function in a variety of force-regulated protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shishir Adhikari
- Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Jacob Moran
- Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Christopher Weddle
- Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Michael Hinczewski
- Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
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18
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Maki K, Han SW, Hirano Y, Yonemura S, Hakoshima T, Adachi T. Real-time TIRF observation of vinculin recruitment to stretched α-catenin by AFM. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1575. [PMID: 29371682 PMCID: PMC5785519 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20115-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Adherens junctions (AJs) adaptively change their intensities in response to intercellular tension; therefore, they integrate tension generated by individual cells to drive multicellular dynamics, such as morphogenetic change in embryos. Under intercellular tension, α-catenin, which is a component protein of AJs, acts as a mechano-chemical transducer to recruit vinculin to promote actin remodeling. Although in vivo and in vitro studies have suggested that α-catenin-mediated mechanotransduction is a dynamic molecular process, which involves a conformational change of α-catenin under tension to expose a cryptic vinculin binding site, there are no suitable experimental methods to directly explore the process. Therefore, in this study, we developed a novel system by combining atomic force microscopy (AFM) and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF). In this system, α-catenin molecules (residues 276-634; the mechano-sensitive M1-M3 domain), modified on coverslips, were stretched by AFM and their recruitment of Alexa-labeled full-length vinculin molecules, dissolved in solution, were observed simultaneously, in real time, using TIRF. We applied a physiologically possible range of tensions and extensions to α-catenin and directly observed its vinculin recruitment. Our new system could be used in the fields of mechanobiology and biophysics to explore functions of proteins under tension by coupling biomechanical and biochemical information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichiro Maki
- Laboratory of Biomechanics, Department of Biosystems Science, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.,Department of Micro Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Sung-Woong Han
- National Institute for Nanomaterials Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 790-784, Korea
| | - Yoshinori Hirano
- Structural Biology Laboratory, Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Shigenobu Yonemura
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Toshio Hakoshima
- Structural Biology Laboratory, Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Taiji Adachi
- Laboratory of Biomechanics, Department of Biosystems Science, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan. .,Department of Micro Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.
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19
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Barrick S, Li J, Kong X, Ray A, Tajkhorshid E, Leckband D. Salt bridges gate α-catenin activation at intercellular junctions. Mol Biol Cell 2017; 29:111-122. [PMID: 29142072 PMCID: PMC5909925 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e17-03-0168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations, equilibrium binding measurements, and fluorescence imaging reveal the influence of a key salt bridge in the mechanical activation of α-catenin at intercellular adhesions. Simulations reveal possible α-catenin conformational changes underlying experimental fluorescence and equilibrium binding data. Cadherin complexes transduce force fluctuations at junctions to activate signals that reinforce stressed intercellular contacts. α-Catenin is an identified force transducer within cadherin complexes that is autoinhibited under low tension. Increased force triggers a conformational change that exposes a cryptic site for the actin-binding protein vinculin. This study tested predictions that salt bridges within the force-sensing core modulate α-catenin activation. Studies with a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based α-catenin conformation sensor demonstrated that each of the salt-bridge mutations R551A and D503N enhances α-catenin activation in live cells, but R551A has a greater impact. Under dynamic force loading at reannealing cell–cell junctions, the R551A mutant bound more vinculin than wild-type α-catenin. In vitro binding measurements quantified the impact of the R551A mutation on the free-energy difference between the active and autoinhibited α-catenin conformers. A 2-μs constant-force, steered molecular dynamics simulation of the core force-sensing region suggested how the salt-bridge mutants alter the α-catenin conformation, and identified a novel load-bearing salt bridge. These results reveal key structural features that determine the force-transduction mechanism and the force sensitivity of this crucial nanomachine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Barrick
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Jing Li
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Xinyu Kong
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Alokananda Ray
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Deborah Leckband
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801 .,Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
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20
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Shashikanth N, Yeruva S, Ong MLDM, Odenwald MA, Pavlyuk R, Turner JR. Epithelial Organization: The Gut and Beyond. Compr Physiol 2017; 7:1497-1518. [DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c170003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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21
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Kang H, Bang I, Jin KS, Lee B, Lee J, Shao X, Heier JA, Kwiatkowski AV, Nelson WJ, Hardin J, Weis WI, Choi HJ. Structural and functional characterization of Caenorhabditis elegans α-catenin reveals constitutive binding to β-catenin and F-actin. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:7077-7086. [PMID: 28298447 PMCID: PMC5409474 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.769778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Intercellular epithelial junctions formed by classical cadherins, β-catenin, and the actin-binding protein α-catenin link the actin cytoskeletons of adjacent cells into a structural continuum. These assemblies transmit forces through the tissue and respond to intracellular and extracellular signals. However, the mechanisms of junctional assembly and regulation are poorly understood. Studies of cadherin-catenin assembly in a number of metazoans have revealed both similarities and unexpected differences in the biochemical properties of the cadherin·catenin complex that likely reflect the developmental and environmental requirements of different tissues and organisms. Here, we report the structural and biochemical characterization of HMP-1, the Caenorhabditis elegans α-catenin homolog, and compare it with mammalian α-catenin. HMP-1 shares overall similarity in structure and actin-binding properties, but displayed differences in conformational flexibility and allosteric regulation from mammalian α-catenin. HMP-1 bound filamentous actin with an affinity in the single micromolar range, even when complexed with the β-catenin homolog HMP-2 or when present in a complex of HMP-2 and the cadherin homolog HMR-1, indicating that HMP-1 binding to F-actin is not allosterically regulated by the HMP-2·HMR-1 complex. The middle (i.e. M) domain of HMP-1 appeared to be less conformationally flexible than mammalian α-catenin, which may underlie the dampened effect of HMP-2 binding on HMP-1 actin-binding activity compared with that of the mammalian homolog. In conclusion, our data indicate that HMP-1 constitutively binds β-catenin and F-actin, and although the overall structure and function of HMP-1 and related α-catenins are similar, the vertebrate proteins appear to be under more complex conformational regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunook Kang
- From the School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Injin Bang
- From the School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Kyeong Sik Jin
- the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, South Korea
| | - Boyun Lee
- the Department of Biophysics and Chemical Biology and
| | - Junho Lee
- From the School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
- the Department of Biophysics and Chemical Biology and
- the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Xiangqiang Shao
- the Department of Zoology and Program in Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Jonathon A Heier
- the Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, and
| | - Adam V Kwiatkowski
- the Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, and
| | - W James Nelson
- the Departments of Biology
- Molecular and Cellular Physiology, and
| | - Jeff Hardin
- the Department of Zoology and Program in Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - William I Weis
- Molecular and Cellular Physiology, and
- Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305
| | - Hee-Jung Choi
- From the School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea,
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22
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Wickline ED, Dale IW, Merkel CD, Heier JA, Stolz DB, Kwiatkowski AV. αT-Catenin Is a Constitutive Actin-binding α-Catenin That Directly Couples the Cadherin·Catenin Complex to Actin Filaments. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:15687-99. [PMID: 27231342 PMCID: PMC4957052 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.735423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Catenin is the primary link between the cadherin·catenin complex and the actin cytoskeleton. Mammalian αE-catenin is allosterically regulated: the monomer binds the β-catenin·cadherin complex, whereas the homodimer does not bind β-catenin but interacts with F-actin. As part of the cadherin·catenin complex, αE-catenin requires force to bind F-actin strongly. It is not known whether these properties are conserved across the mammalian α-catenin family. Here we show that αT (testes)-catenin, a protein unique to amniotes that is expressed predominantly in the heart, is a constitutive actin-binding α-catenin. We demonstrate that αT-catenin is primarily a monomer in solution and that αT-catenin monomer binds F-actin in cosedimentation assays as strongly as αE-catenin homodimer. The β-catenin·αT-catenin heterocomplex also binds F-actin with high affinity unlike the β-catenin·αE-catenin complex, indicating that αT-catenin can directly link the cadherin·catenin complex to the actin cytoskeleton. Finally, we show that a mutation in αT-catenin linked to arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, V94D, promotes homodimerization, blocks β-catenin binding, and in cardiomyocytes disrupts localization at cell-cell contacts. Together, our data demonstrate that αT-catenin is a constitutively active actin-binding protein that can physically couple the cadherin·catenin complex to F-actin in the absence of tension. We speculate that these properties are optimized to meet the demands of cardiomyocyte adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily D Wickline
- From the Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
| | - Ian W Dale
- From the Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
| | - Chelsea D Merkel
- From the Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
| | - Jonathon A Heier
- From the Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
| | - Donna B Stolz
- From the Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
| | - Adam V Kwiatkowski
- From the Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
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23
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Mechano-adaptive sensory mechanism of α-catenin under tension. Sci Rep 2016; 6:24878. [PMID: 27109499 PMCID: PMC4843013 DOI: 10.1038/srep24878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The contractile forces in individual cells drive the tissue processes, such as morphogenesis and wound healing, and maintain tissue integrity. In these processes, α-catenin molecule acts as a tension sensor at cadherin-based adherens junctions (AJs), accelerating the positive feedback of intercellular tension. Under tension, α-catenin is activated to recruit vinculin, which recruits actin filaments to AJs. In this study, we revealed how α-catenin retains its activated state while avoiding unfolding under tension. Using single-molecule force spectroscopy employing atomic force microscopy (AFM), we found that mechanically activated α-catenin fragment had higher mechanical stability than a non-activated fragment. The results of our experiments using mutated and segmented fragments showed that the key intramolecular interactions acted as a conformational switch. We also found that the conformation of α-catenin was reinforced by vinculin binding. We demonstrate that α-catenin adaptively changes its conformation under tension to a stable intermediate state, binds to vinculin, and finally settles into a more stable state reinforced by vinculin binding. Our data suggest that the plastic characteristics of α-catenin, revealed in response to both mechanical and biochemical cues, enable the functional-structural dynamics at the cellular and tissue levels.
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