1
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Zhang Y, Sung HH, Ziegler AB, Wu YC, Viais R, Sánchez-Huertas C, Kilo L, Agircan FG, Cheng YJ, Mouri K, Uemura T, Lüders J, Chien CT, Tavosanis G. Augmin complex activity finetunes dendrite morphology through non-centrosomal microtubule nucleation in vivo. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261512. [PMID: 38587100 PMCID: PMC11128282 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261512] [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: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
During development, neurons achieve a stereotyped neuron type-specific morphology, which relies on dynamic support by microtubules (MTs). An important player is the augmin complex (hereafter augmin), which binds to existing MT filaments and recruits the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), to form branched MTs. In cultured neurons, augmin is important for neurite formation. However, little is known about the role of augmin during neurite formation in vivo. Here, we have revisited the role of mammalian augmin in culture and then turned towards the class four Drosophila dendritic arborization (c4da) neurons. We show that MT density is maintained through augmin in cooperation with the γ-TuRC in vivo. Mutant c4da neurons show a reduction of newly emerging higher-order dendritic branches and in turn also a reduced number of their characteristic space-filling higher-order branchlets. Taken together, our data reveal a cooperative function for augmin with the γ-TuRC in forming enough MTs needed for the appropriate differentiation of morphologically complex dendrites in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhang
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dynamics of Neuronal Circuits Group, Venusberg Campus 1 Building 99, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Hsin-Ho Sung
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 11529 Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Anna B. Ziegler
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dynamics of Neuronal Circuits Group, Venusberg Campus 1 Building 99, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ying-Chieh Wu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 11529 Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ricardo Viais
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Sánchez-Huertas
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lukas Kilo
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dynamics of Neuronal Circuits Group, Venusberg Campus 1 Building 99, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Fikret Gürkan Agircan
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dynamics of Neuronal Circuits Group, Venusberg Campus 1 Building 99, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ying-Ju Cheng
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 11529 Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kousuke Mouri
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Tadashi Uemura
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Center for Living Systems Information Science, Kyoto University
| | - Jens Lüders
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cheng-Ting Chien
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 11529 Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Gaia Tavosanis
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dynamics of Neuronal Circuits Group, Venusberg Campus 1 Building 99, 53127 Bonn, Germany
- LIMES Institute, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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2
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Haruta N, Sumiyoshi E, Honda Y, Terasawa M, Uchiyama C, Toya M, Kubota Y, Sugimoto A. A germline-specific role for unconventional components of the γ-tubulin complex in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:jcs260922. [PMID: 37313686 PMCID: PMC10657210 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The γ-tubulin complex (γTuC) is a widely conserved microtubule nucleator, but some of its components, namely GCP4, GCP5 and GCP6 (also known as TUBGCP4, TUBGCP5 and TUBGCP6, respectively), have not been detected in Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, we identified two γTuC-associated proteins in C. elegans, GTAP-1 and GTAP-2, for which apparent orthologs were detected only in the genus Caenorhabditis. GTAP-1 and GTAP-2 were found to localize at centrosomes and the plasma membrane of the germline, and their centrosomal localization was interdependent. In early C. elegans embryos, whereas the conserved γTuC component MZT-1 (also known as MOZART1 and MZT1) was essential for the localization of centrosomal γ-tubulin, depletion of GTAP-1 and/or GTAP-2 caused up to 50% reduction of centrosomal γ-tubulin and precocious disassembly of spindle poles during mitotic telophase. In the adult germline, GTAP-1 and GTAP-2 contributed to efficient recruitment of the γTuC to the plasma membrane. Depletion of GTAP-1, but not of GTAP-2, severely disrupted both the microtubule array and the honeycomb-like structure of the adult germline. We propose that GTAP-1 and GTAP-2 are unconventional components of the γTuC that contribute to the organization of both centrosomal and non-centrosomal microtubules by targeting the γTuC to specific subcellular sites in a tissue-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nami Haruta
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Eisuke Sumiyoshi
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Yu Honda
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Masahiro Terasawa
- Laboratory for Developmental Genomics, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Chihiro Uchiyama
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Mika Toya
- Laboratory for Developmental Genomics, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Yukihiko Kubota
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Asako Sugimoto
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
- Laboratory for Developmental Genomics, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
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3
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Sulimenko V, Dráberová E, Dráber P. γ-Tubulin in microtubule nucleation and beyond. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:880761. [PMID: 36158181 PMCID: PMC9503634 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.880761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubules composed of αβ-tubulin dimers are dynamic cytoskeletal polymers that play key roles in essential cellular processes such as cell division, organelle positioning, intracellular transport, and cell migration. γ-Tubulin is a highly conserved member of the tubulin family that is required for microtubule nucleation. γ-Tubulin, together with its associated proteins, forms the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), that templates microtubules. Here we review recent advances in the structure of γ-TuRC, its activation, and centrosomal recruitment. This provides new mechanistic insights into the molecular mechanism of microtubule nucleation. Accumulating data suggest that γ-tubulin also has other, less well understood functions. We discuss emerging evidence that γ-tubulin can form oligomers and filaments, has specific nuclear functions, and might be involved in centrosomal cross-talk between microtubules and microfilaments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pavel Dráber
- *Correspondence: Vadym Sulimenko, ; Pavel Dráber,
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4
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Microtubule and Actin Cytoskeletal Dynamics in Male Meiotic Cells of Drosophila melanogaster. Cells 2022; 11:cells11040695. [PMID: 35203341 PMCID: PMC8870657 DOI: 10.3390/cells11040695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila dividing spermatocytes offer a highly suitable cell system in which to investigate the coordinated reorganization of microtubule and actin cytoskeleton systems during cell division of animal cells. Like male germ cells of mammals, Drosophila spermatogonia and spermatocytes undergo cleavage furrow ingression during cytokinesis, but abscission does not take place. Thus, clusters of primary and secondary spermatocytes undergo meiotic divisions in synchrony, resulting in cysts of 32 secondary spermatocytes and then 64 spermatids connected by specialized structures called ring canals. The meiotic spindles in Drosophila males are substantially larger than the spindles of mammalian somatic cells and exhibit prominent central spindles and contractile rings during cytokinesis. These characteristics make male meiotic cells particularly amenable to immunofluorescence and live imaging analysis of the spindle microtubules and the actomyosin apparatus during meiotic divisions. Moreover, because the spindle assembly checkpoint is not robust in spermatocytes, Drosophila male meiosis allows investigating of whether gene products required for chromosome segregation play additional roles during cytokinesis. Here, we will review how the research studies on Drosophila male meiotic cells have contributed to our knowledge of the conserved molecular pathways that regulate spindle microtubules and cytokinesis with important implications for the comprehension of cancer and other diseases.
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5
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Dráber P, Dráberová E. Dysregulation of Microtubule Nucleating Proteins in Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13225638. [PMID: 34830792 PMCID: PMC8616210 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The dysfunction of microtubule nucleation in cancer cells changes the overall cytoskeleton organization and cellular physiology. This review focuses on the dysregulation of the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) proteins that are essential for microtubule nucleation. Recent research on the high-resolution structure of γ-TuRC has brought new insight into the microtubule nucleation mechanism. We discuss the effect of γ-TuRC protein overexpression on cancer cell behavior and new drugs directed to γ-tubulin that may offer a viable alternative to microtubule-targeting agents currently used in cancer chemotherapy. Abstract In cells, microtubules typically nucleate from microtubule organizing centers, such as centrosomes. γ-Tubulin, which forms multiprotein complexes, is essential for nucleation. The γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) is an efficient microtubule nucleator that requires additional centrosomal proteins for its activation and targeting. Evidence suggests that there is a dysfunction of centrosomal microtubule nucleation in cancer cells. Despite decades of molecular analysis of γ-TuRC and its interacting factors, the mechanisms of microtubule nucleation in normal and cancer cells remains obscure. Here, we review recent work on the high-resolution structure of γ-TuRC, which brings new insight into the mechanism of microtubule nucleation. We discuss the effects of γ-TuRC protein dysregulation on cancer cell behavior and new compounds targeting γ-tubulin. Drugs inhibiting γ-TuRC functions could represent an alternative to microtubule targeting agents in cancer chemotherapy.
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6
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Alzyoud E, Vedelek V, Réthi-Nagy Z, Lipinszki Z, Sinka R. Microtubule Organizing Centers Contain Testis-Specific γ-TuRC Proteins in Spermatids of Drosophila. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:727264. [PMID: 34660584 PMCID: PMC8511327 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.727264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubule nucleation in eukaryotes is primarily promoted by γ-tubulin and the evolutionary conserved protein complex, γ-Tubulin Ring Complex (γ-TuRC). γ-TuRC is part of the centrosome and basal body, which are the best-known microtubule-organizing centers. Centrosomes undergo intensive and dynamic changes during spermatogenesis, as they turn into basal bodies, a prerequisite for axoneme formation during spermatogenesis. Here we describe the existence of a novel, tissue-specific γ-TuRC in Drosophila. We characterize three genes encoding testis-specific components of γ-TuRC (t-γ-TuRC) and find that presence of t-γ-TuRC is essential to male fertility. We show the diverse subcellular distribution of the t-γ-TuRC proteins during post-meiotic development, at first at the centriole adjunct and then also on the anterior tip of the nucleus, and finally, they appear in the tail region, close to the mitochondria. We also prove the physical interactions between the t-γ-TuRC members, γ-tubulin and Mozart1. Our results further indicate heterogeneity in γ-TuRC composition during spermatogenesis and suggest that the different post-meiotic microtubule organizing centers are orchestrated by testis-specific gene products, including t-γ-TuRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Alzyoud
- Department of Genetics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- Faculty of Science and Informatics, Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Viktor Vedelek
- Department of Genetics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsánna Réthi-Nagy
- Faculty of Science and Informatics, Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Biochemistry, MTA SZBK Lendület Laboratory of Cell Cycle Regulation, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Lipinszki
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Biochemistry, MTA SZBK Lendület Laboratory of Cell Cycle Regulation, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Szeged, Hungary
| | - Rita Sinka
- Department of Genetics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
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7
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Wieczorek M, Ti SC, Urnavicius L, Molloy KR, Aher A, Chait BT, Kapoor TM. Biochemical reconstitutions reveal principles of human γ-TuRC assembly and function. J Cell Biol 2021; 220:211719. [PMID: 33496729 PMCID: PMC7844428 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202009146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation of cellular microtubule networks is regulated by the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC). This ∼2.3 MD assembly of >31 proteins includes γ-tubulin and GCP2-6, as well as MZT1 and an actin-like protein in a “lumenal bridge” (LB). The challenge of reconstituting the γ-TuRC has limited dissections of its assembly and function. Here, we report a biochemical reconstitution of the human γ-TuRC (γ-TuRC-GFP) as a ∼35 S complex that nucleates microtubules in vitro. In addition, we generate a subcomplex, γ-TuRCΔLB-GFP, which lacks MZT1 and actin. We show that γ-TuRCΔLB-GFP nucleates microtubules in a guanine nucleotide–dependent manner and with similar efficiency as the holocomplex. Electron microscopy reveals that γ-TuRC-GFP resembles the native γ-TuRC architecture, while γ-TuRCΔLB-GFP adopts a partial cone shape presenting only 8–10 γ-tubulin subunits and lacks a well-ordered lumenal bridge. Our results show that the γ-TuRC can be reconstituted using a limited set of proteins and suggest that the LB facilitates the self-assembly of regulatory interfaces around a microtubule-nucleating “core” in the holocomplex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Wieczorek
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Shih-Chieh Ti
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Linas Urnavicius
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY.,Laboratory of Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Kelly R Molloy
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Amol Aher
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Brian T Chait
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Tarun M Kapoor
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
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8
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Abstract
As one of four filament types, microtubules are a core component of the cytoskeleton and are essential for cell function. Yet how microtubules are nucleated from their building blocks, the αβ-tubulin heterodimer, has remained a fundamental open question since the discovery of tubulin 50 years ago. Recent structural studies have shed light on how γ-tubulin and the γ-tubulin complex proteins (GCPs) GCP2 to GCP6 form the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC). In parallel, functional and single-molecule studies have informed on how the γ-TuRC nucleates microtubules in real time, how this process is regulated in the cell and how it compares to other modes of nucleation. Another recent surprise has been the identification of a second essential nucleation factor, which turns out to be the well-characterized microtubule polymerase XMAP215 (also known as CKAP5, a homolog of chTOG, Stu2 and Alp14). This discovery helps to explain why the observed nucleation activity of the γ-TuRC in vitro is relatively low. Taken together, research in recent years has afforded important insight into how microtubules are made in the cell and provides a basis for an exciting era in the cytoskeleton field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Thawani
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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9
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Ma D, Han R. Microtubule organization defects in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2020; 22:971-980. [PMID: 32215997 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Microtubules (MT) are critical cytoskeletal filaments that have several functions in cell morphogenesis, cell division, vesicle transport and cytoplasmic separation in the spatiotemporal regulation of eukaryotic cells. Formation of MT requires the co-interaction of MT nucleation and α-β-tubulins, as well as MT-associated proteins (MAP). Many key MAP contributing to MT nucleation and elongation are essential for MT nucleation and regulation of MT dynamics, and are conserved in the plant kingdom. Therefore, the deletion or decrease of γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) components and related MAP, such as the augmin complex, NEDD1, MZT1, EB1, MAP65, etc., in Arabidopsis thaliana results in MT organizational defects in the spindle and phragmoplast MT, as well as in chromosome defects. In addition, similar defects in MT organization and chromosome structure have been observed in plants under abiotic stress conditions, such as under high UV-B radiation. The MT can sense the signal from UV-B radiation, resulting in abnormal MT arrangement. Further studies are required to determine whether the abnormal chromosomes induced by UV-B radiation can be attributed to the involvement of abnormal MT arrays in chromosome migration after DNA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Ma
- College of Life Science, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, China
- Higher Education Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular and Environmental Stress Response (Shanxi Normal University) in Shanxi Province, Linfen, China
| | - R Han
- College of Life Science, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, China
- Higher Education Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular and Environmental Stress Response (Shanxi Normal University) in Shanxi Province, Linfen, China
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10
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Consolati T, Locke J, Roostalu J, Chen ZA, Gannon J, Asthana J, Lim WM, Martino F, Cvetkovic MA, Rappsilber J, Costa A, Surrey T. Microtubule Nucleation Properties of Single Human γTuRCs Explained by Their Cryo-EM Structure. Dev Cell 2020; 53:603-617.e8. [PMID: 32433913 PMCID: PMC7280788 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) is the major microtubule nucleator in cells. The mechanism of its regulation is not understood. We purified human γTuRC and measured its nucleation properties in a total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy-based real-time nucleation assay. We find that γTuRC stably caps the minus ends of microtubules that it nucleates stochastically. Nucleation is inefficient compared with microtubule elongation. The 4 Å resolution cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of γTuRC, combined with crosslinking mass spectrometry analysis, reveals an asymmetric conformation with only part of the complex in a "closed" conformation matching the microtubule geometry. Actin in the core of the complex, and MZT2 at the outer perimeter of the closed part of γTuRC appear to stabilize the closed conformation. The opposite side of γTuRC is in an "open," nucleation-incompetent conformation, leading to a structural asymmetry explaining the low nucleation efficiency of purified human γTuRC. Our data suggest possible regulatory mechanisms for microtubule nucleation by γTuRC closure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Consolati
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Dr Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julia Locke
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | - Zhuo Angel Chen
- Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Julian Gannon
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Jayant Asthana
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Dr Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wei Ming Lim
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Dr Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Juri Rappsilber
- Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alessandro Costa
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK.
| | - Thomas Surrey
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Dr Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; ICREA, Passeig de Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
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11
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Wieczorek M, Urnavicius L, Ti SC, Molloy KR, Chait BT, Kapoor TM. Asymmetric Molecular Architecture of the Human γ-Tubulin Ring Complex. Cell 2020; 180:165-175.e16. [PMID: 31862189 PMCID: PMC7027161 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) is an essential regulator of centrosomal and acentrosomal microtubule formation, yet its structure is not known. Here, we present a cryo-EM reconstruction of the native human γ-TuRC at ∼3.8 Å resolution, revealing an asymmetric, cone-shaped structure. Pseudo-atomic models indicate that GCP4, GCP5, and GCP6 form distinct Y-shaped assemblies that structurally mimic GCP2/GCP3 subcomplexes distal to the γ-TuRC "seam." We also identify an unanticipated structural bridge that includes an actin-like protein and spans the γ-TuRC lumen. Despite its asymmetric architecture, the γ-TuRC arranges γ-tubulins into a helical geometry poised to nucleate microtubules. Diversity in the γ-TuRC subunits introduces large (>100,000 Å2) surfaces in the complex that allow for interactions with different regulatory factors. The observed compositional complexity of the γ-TuRC could self-regulate its assembly into a cone-shaped structure to control microtubule formation across diverse contexts, e.g., within biological condensates or alongside existing filaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Wieczorek
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Linas Urnavicius
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Laboratory of Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shih-Chieh Ti
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kelly R Molloy
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Brian T Chait
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Tarun M Kapoor
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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12
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Haren L, Farache D, Emorine L, Merdes A. A stable core of GCPs 4, 5 and 6 promotes the assembly of γ-tubulin ring complexes. J Cell Sci 2020; 133:jcs.244368. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.244368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
γ-tubulin is a major protein involved in the nucleation of microtubules in all eukaryotes. It forms two different complexes with proteins of the GCP family (gamma-tubulin complex proteins): γ-tubulin small complexes (γTuSCs), containing γ-tubulin and GCPs 2 and 3, and γ-tubulin ring complexes (γTuRCs), containing multiple γTuSCs, in addition to GCPs 4, 5, and 6. Whereas the structure and assembly properties of γTuSCs have been intensively studied, little is known about the assembly of γTuRCs, and about the specific roles of GCPs 4, 5, and 6. Here, we demonstrate that two copies of GCP4 and one copy each of GCP5 and GCP6 form a salt-resistant sub-complex within the γTuRC that assembles independently of the presence of γTuSCs. Incubation of this sub-complex with cytoplasmic extracts containing γTuSCs leads to the reconstitution of γTuRCs that are competent to nucleate microtubules. In addition, we investigate sequence extensions and insertions that are specifically found at the amino-terminus of GCP6, and between the GCP6 grip1 and grip2 motifs, and we demonstrate that these are involved in the assembly or stabilization of the γTuRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Haren
- Centre de Biologie du Développement, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Dorian Farache
- Centre de Biologie du Développement, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Laurent Emorine
- Centre de Biologie du Développement, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Andreas Merdes
- Centre de Biologie du Développement, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France
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13
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Mitani T, Punetha J, Akalin I, Pehlivan D, Dawidziuk M, Coban Akdemir Z, Yilmaz S, Aslan E, Hunter JV, Hijazi H, Grochowski CM, Jhangiani SN, Karaca E, Fatih JM, Iwanowski P, Gambin T, Wlasienko P, Goszczanska-Ciuchta A, Bekiesinska-Figatowska M, Hosseini M, Arzhangi S, Najmabadi H, Rosenfeld JA, Du H, Marafi D, Blaser S, Teitelbaum R, Silver R, Posey JE, Ropers HH, Gibbs RA, Wiszniewski W, Lupski JR, Chitayat D, Kahrizi K, Gawlinski P, Gawlinski P. Bi-allelic Pathogenic Variants in TUBGCP2 Cause Microcephaly and Lissencephaly Spectrum Disorders. Am J Hum Genet 2019; 105:1005-1015. [PMID: 31630790 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Lissencephaly comprises a spectrum of malformations of cortical development. This spectrum includes agyria, pachygyria, and subcortical band heterotopia; each represents anatomical malformations of brain cortical development caused by neuronal migration defects. The molecular etiologies of neuronal migration anomalies are highly enriched for genes encoding microtubules and microtubule-associated proteins, and this enrichment highlights the critical role for these genes in cortical growth and gyrification. Using exome sequencing and family based rare variant analyses, we identified a homozygous variant (c.997C>T [p.Arg333Cys]) in TUBGCP2, encoding gamma-tubulin complex protein 2 (GCP2), in two individuals from a consanguineous family; both individuals presented with microcephaly and developmental delay. GCP2 forms the multiprotein γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) together with γ-tubulin and other GCPs to regulate the assembly of microtubules. By querying clinical exome sequencing cases and through GeneMatcher-facilitated collaborations, we found three additional families with bi-allelic variation and similarly affected phenotypes including a homozygous variant (c.1843G>C [p.Ala615Pro]) in two families and compound heterozygous variants consisting of one missense variant (c.889C>T [p.Arg297Cys]) and one splice variant (c.2025-2A>G) in another family. Brain imaging from all five affected individuals revealed varying degrees of cortical malformations including pachygyria and subcortical band heterotopia, presumably caused by disruption of neuronal migration. Our data demonstrate that pathogenic variants in TUBGCP2 cause an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental trait consisting of a neuronal migration disorder, and our data implicate GCP2 as a core component of γ-TuRC in neuronal migrating cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Pawel Gawlinski
- Department of Medical Genetics, Institute of Mother and Child, Warsaw, 01-211, Poland.
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14
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Leong SL, Lynch EM, Zou J, Tay YD, Borek WE, Tuijtel MW, Rappsilber J, Sawin KE. Reconstitution of Microtubule Nucleation In Vitro Reveals Novel Roles for Mzt1. Curr Biol 2019; 29:2199-2207.e10. [PMID: 31287970 PMCID: PMC6616311 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.05.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Microtubule (MT) nucleation depends on the γ-tubulin complex (γ-TuC), in which multiple copies of the heterotetrameric γ-tubulin small complex (γ-TuSC) associate to form a ring-like structure (in metazoans, γ-tubulin ring complex; γ-TuRC) [1-7]. Additional conserved regulators of the γ-TuC include the small protein Mzt1 (MOZART1 in human; GIP1/1B and GIP2/1A in plants) [8-13] and proteins containing a Centrosomin Motif 1 (CM1) domain [10, 14-19]. Many insights into γ-TuC regulators have come from in vivo analysis in fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The S. pombe CM1 protein Mto1 recruits the γ-TuC to microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) [14, 20-22], and analysis of Mto1[bonsai], a truncated version of Mto1 that cannot localize to MTOCs, has shown that Mto1 also has a role in γ-TuC activation [23]. S. pombe Mzt1 interacts with γ-TuSC and is essential for γ-TuC function and localization to MTOCs [11, 12]. However, the mechanisms by which Mzt1 functions remain unclear. Here we describe reconstitution of MT nucleation using purified recombinant Mto1[bonsai], the Mto1 partner protein Mto2, γ-TuSC, and Mzt1. Multiple copies of the six proteins involved coassemble to form a 34-40S ring-like "MGM" holocomplex that is a potent MT nucleator in vitro. Using purified MGM and subcomplexes, we investigate the role of Mzt1 in MT nucleation. Our results suggest that Mzt1 is critical to stabilize Alp6, the S. pombe homolog of human γ-TuSC protein GCP3, in an "interaction-competent" form within the γ-TuSC. This is essential for MGM to become a functional nucleator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Ling Leong
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Eric M Lynch
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Juan Zou
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Ye Dee Tay
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Weronika E Borek
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Maarten W Tuijtel
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Juri Rappsilber
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK; Chair of Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin 13355, Germany
| | - Kenneth E Sawin
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
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15
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Sreeja JS, Nellikka RK, John R, Sivakumar KC, Sreekumar E, Sengupta S. Binding of alpha-fodrin to gamma-tubulin accounts for its role in the inhibition of microtubule nucleation. FEBS Lett 2019; 593:1154-1165. [PMID: 31062342 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Non-erythroid spectrin or fodrin is present as part of the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) in brain tissue and brain derived cells. Here, we show that fodrin, which is otherwise known for providing structural support to the cell membrane, interacts directly with γ-tubulin within the γ-TuRC through a GRIP2-like motif. Turbidometric analysis of microtubule polymerization with nucleation-potent γ-TuRC isolated from HEK-293 cells that lack fodrin and the γ-TuRC from goat brain that contains fodrin shows inefficiency of the latter to promote nucleation. The involvement of fodrin was confirmed by the reduction in the microtubule polymerization efficiency of HEK-293 derived γ-TuRCs upon addition of purified brain fodrin. Thus, the interaction of fodrin with gamma-tubulin is responsible for its inhibitory effect on γ-tubulin mediated microtubule nucleation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamuna S Sreeja
- Cancer Research Programme, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Trivandrum, India
| | | | - Rince John
- Cancer Research Programme, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Trivandrum, India
| | | | - Easwaran Sreekumar
- Viral Disease Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Trivandrum, India
| | - Suparna Sengupta
- Cancer Research Programme, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Trivandrum, India
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16
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Microtubule nucleation by γ-tubulin complexes and beyond. Essays Biochem 2018; 62:765-780. [PMID: 30315097 PMCID: PMC6281477 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20180028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In this short review, we give an overview of microtubule nucleation within cells. It is nearly 30 years since the discovery of γ-tubulin, a member of the tubulin superfamily essential for proper microtubule nucleation in all eukaryotes. γ-tubulin associates with other proteins to form multiprotein γ-tubulin ring complexes (γ-TuRCs) that template and catalyse the otherwise kinetically unfavourable assembly of microtubule filaments. These filaments can be dynamic or stable and they perform diverse functions, such as chromosome separation during mitosis and intracellular transport in neurons. The field has come a long way in understanding γ-TuRC biology but several important and unanswered questions remain, and we are still far from understanding the regulation of microtubule nucleation in a multicellular context. Here, we review the current literature on γ-TuRC assembly, recruitment, and activation and discuss the potential importance of γ-TuRC heterogeneity, the role of non-γ-TuRC proteins in microtubule nucleation, and whether γ-TuRCs could serve as good drug targets for cancer therapy.
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17
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γ-Tubulin small complex formation is essential for early zebrafish embryogenesis. Mech Dev 2018; 154:145-152. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2018.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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18
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Tillery MML, Blake-Hedges C, Zheng Y, Buchwalter RA, Megraw TL. Centrosomal and Non-Centrosomal Microtubule-Organizing Centers (MTOCs) in Drosophila melanogaster. Cells 2018; 7:E121. [PMID: 30154378 PMCID: PMC6162459 DOI: 10.3390/cells7090121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 08/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The centrosome is the best-understood microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) and is essential in particular cell types and at specific stages during Drosophila development. The centrosome is not required zygotically for mitosis or to achieve full animal development. Nevertheless, centrosomes are essential maternally during cleavage cycles in the early embryo, for male meiotic divisions, for efficient division of epithelial cells in the imaginal wing disc, and for cilium/flagellum assembly in sensory neurons and spermatozoa. Importantly, asymmetric and polarized division of stem cells is regulated by centrosomes and by the asymmetric regulation of their microtubule (MT) assembly activity. More recently, the components and functions of a variety of non-centrosomal microtubule-organizing centers (ncMTOCs) have begun to be elucidated. Throughout Drosophila development, a wide variety of unique ncMTOCs form in epithelial and non-epithelial cell types at an assortment of subcellular locations. Some of these cell types also utilize the centrosomal MTOC, while others rely exclusively on ncMTOCs. The impressive variety of ncMTOCs being discovered provides novel insight into the diverse functions of MTOCs in cells and tissues. This review highlights our current knowledge of the composition, assembly, and functional roles of centrosomal and non-centrosomal MTOCs in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa M L Tillery
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, 1115 West Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA.
| | - Caitlyn Blake-Hedges
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, 1115 West Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA.
| | - Yiming Zheng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, 1115 West Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA.
| | - Rebecca A Buchwalter
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, 1115 West Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA.
| | - Timothy L Megraw
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, 1115 West Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA.
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19
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Lin TC, Neuner A, Flemming D, Liu P, Chinen T, Jäkle U, Arkowitz R, Schiebel E. MOZART1 and γ-tubulin complex receptors are both required to turn γ-TuSC into an active microtubule nucleation template. J Cell Biol 2016; 215:823-840. [PMID: 27920216 PMCID: PMC5166503 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201606092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells use γ-tubulin complex to nucleate microtubules. The assembly of active microtubule nucleator is spatially and temporally regulated through the cell cycle. Lin et al. show that the protein Mzt1/MOZART1 and γ-tubulin complex receptors directly interact and act together to assemble the γ-tubulin small complex into an active microtubule nucleation template and that such interaction is conserved between Candida albicans and human cells. MOZART1/Mzt1 is required for the localization of γ-tubulin complexes to microtubule (MT)–organizing centers from yeast to human cells. Nevertheless, the molecular function of MOZART1/Mzt1 is largely unknown. Taking advantage of the minimal MT nucleation system of Candida albicans, we reconstituted the interactions of Mzt1, γ-tubulin small complex (γ-TuSC), and γ-tubulin complex receptors (γ-TuCRs) Spc72 and Spc110 in vitro. With affinity measurements, domain deletion, and swapping, we show that Spc110 and Mzt1 bind to distinct regions of the γ-TuSC. In contrast, both Mzt1 and γ-TuSC interact with the conserved CM1 motif of Spc110/Spc72. Spc110/Spc72 and Mzt1 constitute “oligomerization chaperones,” cooperatively promoting and directing γ-TuSC oligomerization into MT nucleation-competent rings. Consistent with the functions of Mzt1, human MOZART1 directly interacts with the CM1-containing region of the γ-TuCR CEP215. MOZART1 depletion in human cells destabilizes the large γ-tubulin ring complex and abolishes CEP215CM1-induced ectopic MT nucleation. Together, we reveal conserved functions of MOZART1/Mzt1 through interactions with γ-tubulin complex subunits and γ-TuCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tien-Chen Lin
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH-Allianz, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annett Neuner
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH-Allianz, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Peng Liu
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH-Allianz, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Takumi Chinen
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH-Allianz, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ursula Jäkle
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH-Allianz, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robert Arkowitz
- Université Côte d'Azur, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Institut de Biologie Valrose, 06108 Nice, France
| | - Elmar Schiebel
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH-Allianz, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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20
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Farache D, Jauneau A, Chemin C, Chartrain M, Rémy MH, Merdes A, Haren L. Functional Analysis of γ-Tubulin Complex Proteins Indicates Specific Lateral Association via Their N-terminal Domains. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:23112-23125. [PMID: 27660388 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.744862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are nucleated from multiprotein complexes containing γ-tubulin and associated γ-tubulin complex proteins (GCPs). Small complexes (γTuSCs) comprise two molecules of γ-tubulin bound to the C-terminal domains of GCP2 and GCP3. γTuSCs associate laterally into helical structures, providing a structural template for microtubule nucleation. In most eukaryotes γTuSCs associate with additional GCPs (4, 5, and 6) to form the core of the so-called γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC). GCPs 2-6 constitute a family of homologous proteins. Previous structural analysis and modeling of GCPs suggest that all family members can potentially integrate into the helical structure. Here we provide experimental evidence for this model. Using chimeric proteins in which the N- and C-terminal domains of different GCPs are swapped, we show that the N-terminal domains define the functional identity of GCPs, whereas the C-terminal domains are exchangeable. FLIM-FRET experiments indicate that GCP4 and GCP5 associate laterally within the complex, and their interaction is mediated by their N-terminal domains as previously shown for γTuSCs. Our results suggest that all GCPs are incorporated into the helix via lateral interactions between their N-terminal domains, whereas the C-terminal domains mediate longitudinal interactions with γ-tubulin. Moreover, we show that binding to γ-tubulin is not essential for integrating into the helical complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorian Farache
- From the Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France and
| | - Alain Jauneau
- Plateforme Imagerie-Microscopie, FR 3450 Pôle de Biotechnologie Végétale, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Cécile Chemin
- From the Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France and
| | - Marine Chartrain
- From the Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France and
| | - Marie-Hélène Rémy
- From the Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France and
| | - Andreas Merdes
- From the Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France and
| | - Laurence Haren
- From the Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS-Université Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, France and
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21
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Cota RR, Teixidó-Travesa N, Ezquerra A, Eibes S, Lacasa C, Roig J, Lüders J. MZT1 regulates microtubule nucleation by linking γTuRC assembly to adapter-mediated targeting and activation. J Cell Sci 2016; 130:406-419. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.195321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) through targeting and activation restricts nucleation of microtubules to microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs), aiding in the assembly of ordered microtubule arrays. However, the mechanistic basis of this important regulation remains poorly understood. Here we show that in human cells γTuRC integrity, determined by the presence of γ-tubulin complex proteins (GCPs) 2-6, is a prerequisite for interaction with the targeting factor NEDD1, impacting on essentially all γ-tubulin dependent functions. Recognition of γTuRC integrity is mediated by MZT1, which binds not only to the GCP3 subunit as previously shown, but cooperatively also to other GCPs through a conserved hydrophobic motif present in the N-termini of GCP2, GCP3, GCP5, and GCP6. MZT1 knockdown causes severe cellular defects under conditions that leave γTuRC intact, suggesting that the essential function of MZT1 is not in γTuRC assembly. Instead, MZT1 specifically binds fully assembled γTuRC to enable interaction with NEDD1 for targeting, and with the CM1 domain of CDK5RAP2 for stimulating nucleation activity. Thus, MZT1 is a ‘priming factor’ for the γTuRC that allows spatial regulation of nucleation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Ramírez Cota
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Artur Ezquerra
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susana Eibes
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Lacasa
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Roig
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Molecular Biology Institute of Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jens Lüders
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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22
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Oakley BR, Paolillo V, Zheng Y. γ-Tubulin complexes in microtubule nucleation and beyond. Mol Biol Cell 2015; 26:2957-62. [PMID: 26316498 PMCID: PMC4551311 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e14-11-1514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Revised: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tremendous progress has been made in understanding the functions of γ-tubulin and, in particular, its role in microtubule nucleation since the publication of its discovery in 1989. The structure of γ-tubulin has been determined, and the components of γ-tubulin complexes have been identified. Significant progress in understanding the structure of the γ-tubulin ring complex and its components has led to a persuasive model for how these complexes nucleate microtubule assembly. At the same time, data have accumulated that γ-tubulin has important but less well understood functions that are not simply a consequence of its function in microtubule nucleation. These include roles in the regulation of plus-end microtubule dynamics, gene regulation, and mitotic and cell cycle regulation. Finally, evidence is emerging that γ-tubulin mutations or alterations of γ-tubulin expression play an important role in certain types of cancer and in other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berl R Oakley
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045
| | - Vitoria Paolillo
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045
| | - Yixian Zheng
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD 21218
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23
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Targeting of γ-tubulin complexes to microtubule organizing centers: conservation and divergence. Trends Cell Biol 2015; 25:296-307. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2014.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Revised: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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24
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Lin TC, Neuner A, Schlosser YT, Scharf AND, Weber L, Schiebel E. Cell-cycle dependent phosphorylation of yeast pericentrin regulates γ-TuSC-mediated microtubule nucleation. eLife 2014; 3:e02208. [PMID: 24842996 PMCID: PMC4034690 DOI: 10.7554/elife.02208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Budding yeast Spc110, a member of γ-tubulin complex receptor family (γ-TuCR), recruits γ-tubulin complexes to microtubule (MT) organizing centers (MTOCs). Biochemical studies suggest that Spc110 facilitates higher-order γ-tubulin complex assembly (Kollman et al., 2010). Nevertheless the molecular basis for this activity and the regulation are unclear. Here we show that Spc110 phosphorylated by Mps1 and Cdk1 activates γ-TuSC oligomerization and MT nucleation in a cell cycle dependent manner. Interaction between the N-terminus of the γ-TuSC subunit Spc98 and Spc110 is important for this activity. Besides the conserved CM1 motif in γ-TuCRs (Sawin et al., 2004), a second motif that we named Spc110/Pcp1 motif (SPM) is also important for MT nucleation. The activating Mps1 and Cdk1 sites lie between SPM and CM1 motifs. Most organisms have both SPM-CM1 (Spc110/Pcp1/PCNT) and CM1-only (Spc72/Mto1/Cnn/CDK5RAP2/myomegalin) types of γ-TuCRs. The two types of γ-TuCRs contain distinct but conserved C-terminal MTOC targeting domains. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02208.001 Microtubules are hollow structures made of proteins that have a central role in cell division and a variety of other important processes within cells. For a cell to divide successfully, the chromosomes containing the genetic information of the cell must be duplicated and then separated so that one copy of each chromosome ends up in each daughter cell. To separate the chromosomes, microtubules extend out from two structures called spindle pole bodies, which are found at either end of the cell, and pull one copy of each chromosome to opposite sides of the cell. Although the individual proteins that make up a microtubule can self-assemble into tubes, this occurs very slowly, so cells employ other molecules to speed up this process. In yeast cells, a protein called gamma-tubulin is recruited to the spindle pole body by the protein Spc110, where it combines with two other proteins to form a complex called the gamma-tubulin small complex. Several of these complexes then join together to form a ring, which probably acts as the platform that microtubules grow from. Recent observations suggested that Spc110 may help to construct this ring, but without revealing how. Now, Lin et al. reveal that Spc110 can regulate microtubule formation by controlling how several gamma-tubulin small complexes bind together, and have identified the exact section of Spc110 that interacts with the complexes. However, the Spc110 must become active before it can perform this role, and it is only activated during certain stages of cell division, through phosphorylation. The structures in Spc110 that bind to the gamma-tubulin small complex in yeast are also found in gamma-tubulin binding receptor proteins in human cells. The work of Lin et al. demonstrates that proteins that are assumed to have passive roles within cells, such as Spc110, often play more active roles instead. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02208.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Tien-Chen Lin
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie (ZMBH), Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany The Hartmut Hoffmann-Berling International Graduate School, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annett Neuner
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie (ZMBH), Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yvonne T Schlosser
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie (ZMBH), Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annette N D Scharf
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie (ZMBH), Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lisa Weber
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie (ZMBH), Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elmar Schiebel
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie (ZMBH), Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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25
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Tracking the biogenesis and inheritance of subpellicular microtubule in Trypanosoma brucei with inducible YFP-α-tubulin. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:893272. [PMID: 24800253 PMCID: PMC3988969 DOI: 10.1155/2014/893272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2013] [Accepted: 02/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The microtubule cytoskeleton forms the most prominent structural system in Trypanosoma brucei, undergoing extensive modifications during the cell cycle. Visualization of tyrosinated microtubules leads to a semiconservative mode of inheritance, whereas recent studies employing microtubule plus end tracking proteins have hinted at an asymmetric pattern of cytoskeletal inheritance. To further the knowledge of microtubule synthesis and inheritance during T. brucei cell cycle, the dynamics of the microtubule cytoskeleton was visualized by inducible YFP-α-tubulin expression. During new flagellum/flagellum attachment zone (FAZ) biogenesis and cell growth, YFP-α-tubulin was incorporated mainly between the old and new flagellum/FAZ complexes. Cytoskeletal modifications at the posterior end of the cells were observed with EB1, a microtubule plus end binding protein, particularly during mitosis. Additionally, the newly formed microtubules segregated asymmetrically, with the daughter cell inheriting the new flagellum/FAZ complex retaining most of the new microtubules. Together, our results suggest an intimate connection between new microtubule formation and new FAZ assembly, consequently leading to asymmetric microtubule inheritance and cell division.
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Abstract
Microtubule organization by microtubule-organizing centers such as the centrosome requires γ-tubulin, which exists in the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) that nucleates microtubules. The γTuRC is a ring-shaped, macromolecular complex whose core components are γ-tubulin and the γ-tubulin complex proteins. Despite the recent identification of additional γTuRC components, the molecular composition and regulatory properties of the complex remain poorly understood. The ability to purify the γTuRC at a large scale for characterization may hold a key to understanding the mechanism by which the γTuRC nucleates microtubules. In this chapter, we describe methods to isolate the γTuRC from human cell cultures and to perform assays on the purified γTuRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuk-Kwan Choi
- Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Robert Z Qi
- Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
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Pihan GA. Centrosome dysfunction contributes to chromosome instability, chromoanagenesis, and genome reprograming in cancer. Front Oncol 2013; 3:277. [PMID: 24282781 PMCID: PMC3824400 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2013.00277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique ability of centrosomes to nucleate and organize microtubules makes them unrivaled conductors of important interphase processes, such as intracellular payload traffic, cell polarity, cell locomotion, and organization of the immunologic synapse. But it is in mitosis that centrosomes loom large, for they orchestrate, with clockmaker's precision, the assembly and functioning of the mitotic spindle, ensuring the equal partitioning of the replicated genome into daughter cells. Centrosome dysfunction is inextricably linked to aneuploidy and chromosome instability, both hallmarks of cancer cells. Several aspects of centrosome function in normal and cancer cells have been molecularly characterized during the last two decades, greatly enhancing our mechanistic understanding of this tiny organelle. Whether centrosome defects alone can cause cancer, remains unanswered. Until recently, the aggregate of the evidence had suggested that centrosome dysfunction, by deregulating the fidelity of chromosome segregation, promotes and accelerates the characteristic Darwinian evolution of the cancer genome enabled by increased mutational load and/or decreased DNA repair. Very recent experimental work has shown that missegregated chromosomes resulting from centrosome dysfunction may experience extensive DNA damage, suggesting additional dimensions to the role of centrosomes in cancer. Centrosome dysfunction is particularly prevalent in tumors in which the genome has undergone extensive structural rearrangements and chromosome domain reshuffling. Ongoing gene reshuffling reprograms the genome for continuous growth, survival, and evasion of the immune system. Manipulation of molecular networks controlling centrosome function may soon become a viable target for specific therapeutic intervention in cancer, particularly since normal cells, which lack centrosome alterations, may be spared the toxicity of such therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- German A Pihan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA , USA
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28
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Fodrin in centrosomes: implication of a role of fodrin in the transport of gamma-tubulin complex in brain. PLoS One 2013; 8:e76613. [PMID: 24098540 PMCID: PMC3788121 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2013] [Accepted: 08/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Gamma-tubulin is the major protein involved in the nucleation of microtubules from centrosomes in eukaryotic cells. It is present in both cytoplasm and centrosome. However, before centrosome maturation prior to mitosis, gamma-tubulin concentration increases dramatically in the centrosome, the mechanism of which is not known. Earlier it was reported that cytoplasmic gamma-tubulin complex isolated from goat brain contains non-erythroid spectrin/fodrin. The major role of erythroid spectrin is to help in the membrane organisation and integrity. However, fodrin or non-erythroid spectrin has a distinct pattern of localisation in brain cells and evidently some special functions over its erythroid counterpart. In this study, we show that fodrin and γ-tubulin are present together in both the cytoplasm and centrosomes in all brain cells except differentiated neurons and astrocytes. Immunoprecipitation studies in purified centrosomes from brain tissue and brain cell lines confirm that fodrin and γ-tubulin interact with each other in centrosomes. Fodrin dissociates from centrosome just after the onset of mitosis, when the concentration of γ-tubulin attains a maximum at centrosomes. Further it is observed that the interaction between fodrin and γ-tubulin in the centrosome is dependent on actin as depolymerisation of microfilaments stops fodrin localization. Image analysis revealed that γ-tubulin concentration also decreased drastically in the centrosome under this condition. This indicates towards a role of fodrin as a regulatory transporter of γ-tubulin to the centrosomes for normal progression of mitosis.
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Masuda H, Mori R, Yukawa M, Toda T. Fission yeast MOZART1/Mzt1 is an essential γ-tubulin complex component required for complex recruitment to the microtubule organizing center, but not its assembly. Mol Biol Cell 2013; 24:2894-906. [PMID: 23885124 PMCID: PMC3771951 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e13-05-0235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Revised: 07/05/2013] [Accepted: 07/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
γ-Tubulin plays a universal role in microtubule nucleation from microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) such as the animal centrosome and fungal spindle pole body (SPB). γ-Tubulin functions as a multiprotein complex called the γ-tubulin complex (γ-TuC), consisting of GCP1-6 (GCP1 is γ-tubulin). In fungi and flies, it has been shown that GCP1-3 are core components, as they are indispensable for γ-TuC complex assembly and cell division, whereas the other three GCPs are not. Recently a novel conserved component, MOZART1, was identified in humans and plants, but its precise functions remain to be determined. In this paper, we characterize the fission yeast homologue Mzt1, showing that it is essential for cell viability. Mzt1 is present in approximately equal stoichiometry with Alp4/GCP2 and localizes to all the MTOCs, including the SPB and interphase and equatorial MTOCs. Temperature-sensitive mzt1 mutants display varying degrees of compromised microtubule organization, exhibiting multiple defects during both interphase and mitosis. Mzt1 is required for γ-TuC recruitment, but not sufficient to localize to the SPB, which depends on γ-TuC integrity. Intriguingly, the core γ-TuC assembles in the absence of Mzt1. Mzt1 therefore plays a unique role within the γ-TuC components in attachment of this complex to the major MTOC site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirohisa Masuda
- Laboratory of Cell Regulation, Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratories, London WC2A 3LY, United Kingdom
| | - Risa Mori
- Laboratory of Cell Regulation, Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratories, London WC2A 3LY, United Kingdom
| | - Masashi Yukawa
- Laboratory of Cell Regulation, Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratories, London WC2A 3LY, United Kingdom
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8530, Japan
| | - Takashi Toda
- Laboratory of Cell Regulation, Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratories, London WC2A 3LY, United Kingdom
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30
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Virtual and biophysical screening targeting the γ-tubulin complex--a new target for the inhibition of microtubule nucleation. PLoS One 2013; 8:e63908. [PMID: 23691113 PMCID: PMC3655011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0063908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2012] [Accepted: 04/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are the main constituents of mitotic spindles. They are nucleated in large amounts during spindle assembly, from multiprotein complexes containing γ-tubulin and associated γ-tubulin complex proteins (GCPs). With the aim of developing anti-cancer drugs targeting these nucleating complexes, we analyzed the interface between GCP4 and γ-tubulin proteins usually located in a multiprotein complex named γ-TuRC (γ-Tubulin Ring Complex). 10 ns molecular dynamics simulations were performed on the heterodimers to obtain a stable complex in silico and to analyze the residues involved in persistent protein-protein contacts, responsible for the stability of the complex. We demonstrated in silico the existence of a binding pocket at the interface between the two proteins upon complex formation. By combining virtual screening using a fragment-based approach and biophysical screening, we found several small molecules that bind specifically to this pocket. Sub-millimolar fragments have been experimentally characterized on recombinant proteins using differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) for validation of these compounds as inhibitors. These results open a new avenue for drug development against microtubule-nucleating γ-tubulin complexes.
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Remy MH, Merdes A, Gregory-Pauron L. Assembly of Gamma-Tubulin Ring Complexes. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2013; 117:511-30. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-386931-9.00019-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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32
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Centrosomes in the zebrafish (Danio rerio): a review including the related basal body. Cilia 2012; 1:9. [PMID: 23351173 PMCID: PMC3555702 DOI: 10.1186/2046-2530-1-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2012] [Accepted: 06/07/2012] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ever since Edouard Van Beneden and Theodor Boveri first formally described the centrosome in the late 1800s, it has captivated cell biologists. The name clearly indicated its central importance to cell functioning, even to these early investigators. We now know of its role as a major microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) and of its dynamic roles in cell division, vesicle trafficking and for its relative, the basal body, ciliogenesis. While centrosomes are found in most animal cells, notably it is absent in most oocytes and higher plant cells. Nevertheless, it appears that critical components of the centrosome act as MTOCs in these cells as well. The zebrafish has emerged as an exciting and promising new model organism, primarily due to the pioneering efforts of George Streisinger to use zebrafish in genetic studies and due to Christiane Nusslein-Volhard, Wolfgang Driever and their teams of collaborators, who applied forward genetics to elicit a large number of mutant lines. The transparency and rapid external development of the embryo allow for experiments not easily done in other vertebrates. The ease of producing transgenic lines, often with the use of fluorescent reporters, and gene knockdowns with antisense morpholinos further contributes to the appeal of the model as an experimental system. The added advantage of high-throughput screening of small-molecule libraries, as well as the ease of mass rearing together with low cost, makes the zebrafish a true frontrunner as a model vertebrate organism. The zebrafish has a body plan shared by all vertebrates, including humans. This conservation of body plan provides added significance to the existing lines of zebrafish as human disease models and adds an impetus to the ongoing efforts to develop new models. In this review, the current state of knowledge about the centrosome in the zebrafish model is explored. Also, studies on the related basal body in zebrafish and their relationship to ciliogenesis are reviewed.
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33
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O'Toole E, Greenan G, Lange KI, Srayko M, Müller-Reichert T. The role of γ-tubulin in centrosomal microtubule organization. PLoS One 2012; 7:e29795. [PMID: 22253783 PMCID: PMC3254605 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2011] [Accepted: 12/03/2011] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
As part of a multi-subunit ring complex, γ-tubulin has been shown to promote microtubule nucleation both in vitro and in vivo, and the structural properties of the complex suggest that it also seals the minus ends of the polymers with a conical cap. Cells depleted of γ-tubulin, however, still display many microtubules that participate in mitotic spindle assembly, suggesting that γ-tubulin is not absolutely required for microtubule nucleation in vivo, and raising questions about the function of the minus end cap. Here, we assessed the role of γ-tubulin in centrosomal microtubule organisation using three-dimensional reconstructions of γ-tubulin-depleted C. elegans embryos. We found that microtubule minus-end capping and the PCM component SPD-5 are both essential for the proper placement of microtubules in the centrosome. Our results further suggest that γ-tubulin and SPD-5 limit microtubule polymerization within the centrosome core, and we propose a model for how abnormal microtubule organization at the centrosome could indirectly affect centriole structure and daughter centriole replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen O'Toole
- Boulder Laboratory for 3-D Electron Microscopy of Cells, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Garrett Greenan
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Karen I. Lange
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Martin Srayko
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Teixidó-Travesa N, Roig J, Lüders J. The where, when and how of microtubule nucleation – one ring to rule them all. J Cell Sci 2012; 125:4445-56. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.106971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The function of microtubules depends on their arrangement into highly ordered arrays. Spatio-temporal control over the formation of new microtubules and regulation of their properties are central to the organization of these arrays. The nucleation of new microtubules requires γ-tubulin, an essential protein that assembles into multi-subunit complexes and is found in all eukaryotic organisms. However, the way in which γ-tubulin complexes are regulated and how this affects nucleation and, potentially, microtubule behavior, is poorly understood. γ-tubulin has been found in complexes of various sizes but several lines of evidence suggest that only large, ring-shaped complexes function as efficient microtubule nucleators. Human γ-tubulin ring complexes (γTuRCs) are composed of γ-tubulin and the γ-tubulin complex components (GCPs) 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, which are members of a conserved protein family. Recent work has identified additional unrelated γTuRC subunits, as well as a large number of more transient γTuRC interactors. In this Commentary, we discuss the regulation of γTuRC-dependent microtubule nucleation as a key mechanism of microtubule organization. Specifically, we focus on the regulatory roles of the γTuRC subunits and interactors and present an overview of other mechanisms that regulate γTuRC-dependent microtubule nucleation and organization.
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35
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Abstract
Microtubule nucleation is regulated by the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) and related γ-tubulin complexes, providing spatial and temporal control over the initiation of microtubule growth. Recent structural work has shed light on the mechanism of γTuRC-based microtubule nucleation, confirming the long-standing hypothesis that the γTuRC functions as a microtubule template. The first crystallographic analysis of a non-γ-tubulin γTuRC component (γ-tubulin complex protein 4 (GCP4)) has resulted in a new appreciation of the relationships among all γTuRC proteins, leading to a refined model of their organization and function. The structures have also suggested an unexpected mechanism for regulating γTuRC activity via conformational modulation of the complex component GCP3. New experiments on γTuRC localization extend these insights, suggesting a direct link between its attachment at specific cellular sites and its activation.
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36
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Crystal structure of γ-tubulin complex protein GCP4 provides insight into microtubule nucleation. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2011; 18:915-9. [PMID: 21725292 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.2083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2011] [Accepted: 05/03/2011] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Microtubule nucleation in all eukaryotes involves γ-tubulin small complexes (γTuSCs) that comprise two molecules of γ-tubulin bound to γ-tubulin complex proteins (GCPs) GCP2 and GCP3. In many eukaryotes, multiple γTuSCs associate with GCP4, GCP5 and GCP6 into large γ-tubulin ring complexes (γTuRCs). Recent cryo-EM studies indicate that a scaffold similar to γTuRCs is formed by lateral association of γTuSCs, with the C-terminal regions of GCP2 and GCP3 binding γ-tubulin molecules. However, the exact role of GCPs in microtubule nucleation remains unknown. Here we report the crystal structure of human GCP4 and show that its C-terminal domain binds directly to γ-tubulin. The human GCP4 structure is the prototype for all GCPs, as it can be precisely positioned within the γTuSC envelope, revealing the nature of protein-protein interactions and conformational changes regulating nucleation activity.
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37
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Lin TC, Gombos L, Neuner A, Sebastian D, Olsen JV, Hrle A, Benda C, Schiebel E. Phosphorylation of the yeast γ-tubulin Tub4 regulates microtubule function. PLoS One 2011; 6:e19700. [PMID: 21573187 PMCID: PMC3088709 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2010] [Accepted: 04/11/2011] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The yeast γ-tubulin Tub4 is assembled with Spc97 and Spc98 into the small Tub4 complex. The Tub4 complex binds via the receptor proteins Spc72 and Spc110 to the spindle pole body (SPB), the functional equivalent of the mammalian centrosome, where the Tub4 complex organizes cytoplasmic and nuclear microtubules. Little is known about the regulation of the Tub4 complex. Here, we isolated the Tub4 complex with the bound receptors from yeast cells. Analysis of the purified Tub4 complex by mass spectrometry identified more than 50 phosphorylation sites in Spc72, Spc97, Spc98, Spc110 and Tub4. To examine the functional relevance of the phosphorylation sites, phospho-mimicking and non-phosphorylatable mutations in Tub4, Spc97 and Spc98 were analyzed. Three phosphorylation sites in Tub4 were found to be critical for Tub4 stability and microtubule organization. One of the sites is highly conserved in γ-tubulins from yeast to human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tien-chen Lin
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Linda Gombos
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annett Neuner
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dominik Sebastian
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Ajla Hrle
- MPI Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | | | - Elmar Schiebel
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz, Heidelberg, Germany
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38
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Guan Z, Buhl LK, Quinn WG, Littleton JT. Altered gene regulation and synaptic morphology in Drosophila learning and memory mutants. Learn Mem 2011; 18:191-206. [PMID: 21422168 DOI: 10.1101/lm.2027111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Genetic studies in Drosophila have revealed two separable long-term memory pathways defined as anesthesia-resistant memory (ARM) and long-lasting long-term memory (LLTM). ARM is disrupted in radish (rsh) mutants, whereas LLTM requires CREB-dependent protein synthesis. Although the downstream effectors of ARM and LLTM are distinct, pathways leading to these forms of memory may share the cAMP cascade critical for associative learning. Dunce, which encodes a cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase, and rutabaga, which encodes an adenylyl cyclase, both disrupt short-term memory. Amnesiac encodes a pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating peptide homolog and is required for middle-term memory. Here, we demonstrate that the Radish protein localizes to the cytoplasm and nucleus and is a PKA phosphorylation target in vitro. To characterize how these plasticity pathways may manifest at the synaptic level, we assayed synaptic connectivity and performed an expression analysis to detect altered transcriptional networks in rutabaga, dunce, amnesiac, and radish mutants. All four mutants disrupt specific aspects of synaptic connectivity at larval neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Genome-wide DNA microarray analysis revealed ∼375 transcripts that are altered in these mutants, suggesting defects in multiple neuronal signaling pathways. In particular, the transcriptional target Lapsyn, which encodes a leucine-rich repeat cell adhesion protein, localizes to synapses and regulates synaptic growth. This analysis provides insights into the Radish-dependent ARM pathway and novel transcriptional targets that may contribute to memory processing in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Guan
- Department of Biology, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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39
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Microtubule nucleating gamma-TuSC assembles structures with 13-fold microtubule-like symmetry. Nature 2010; 466:879-82. [PMID: 20631709 PMCID: PMC2921000 DOI: 10.1038/nature09207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2010] [Accepted: 05/27/2010] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Microtubules are nucleated in vivo by gamma-tubulin complexes. The 300-kDa gamma-tubulin small complex (gamma-TuSC), consisting of two molecules of gamma-tubulin and one copy each of the accessory proteins Spc97 and Spc98, is the conserved, essential core of the microtubule nucleating machinery. In metazoa multiple gamma-TuSCs assemble with other proteins into gamma-tubulin ring complexes (gamma-TuRCs). The structure of gamma-TuRC indicated that it functions as a microtubule template. Because each gamma-TuSC contains two molecules of gamma-tubulin, it was assumed that the gamma-TuRC-specific proteins are required to organize gamma-TuSCs to match 13-fold microtubule symmetry. Here we show that Saccharomyces cerevisiae gamma-TuSC forms rings even in the absence of other gamma-TuRC components. The yeast adaptor protein Spc110 stabilizes the rings into extended filaments and is required for oligomer formation under physiological buffer conditions. The 8-A cryo-electron microscopic reconstruction of the filament reveals 13 gamma-tubulins per turn, matching microtubule symmetry, with plus ends exposed for interaction with microtubules, implying that one turn of the filament constitutes a microtubule template. The domain structures of Spc97 and Spc98 suggest functions for conserved sequence motifs, with implications for the gamma-TuRC-specific proteins. The gamma-TuSC filaments nucleate microtubules at a low level, and the structure provides a strong hypothesis for how nucleation is regulated, converting this less active form to a potent nucleator.
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40
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A developmentally regulated two-step process generates a noncentrosomal microtubule network in Drosophila tracheal cells. Dev Cell 2010; 18:790-801. [PMID: 20493812 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2010.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2009] [Revised: 01/22/2010] [Accepted: 03/12/2010] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Microtubules (MTs) are essential for many cell features, such as polarity, motility, shape, and vesicle trafficking. Therefore, in a multicellular organism, their organization differs between cell types and during development; however, the control of this process remains elusive. Here, we show that during Drosophila tracheal morphogenesis, MT reorganization is coupled to relocalization of the microtubule organizing centers (MTOC) components from the centrosome to the apical cell domain from where MTs then grow. We reveal that this process is controlled by the trachealess patterning gene in a two-step mechanism. MTOC components are first released from the centrosome by the activity of the MT-severing protein Spastin, and then anchored apically through the transmembrane protein Piopio. We further show that these changes are essential for tracheal development, thus stressing the functional relevance of MT reorganization for morphogenesis.
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41
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Müller-Reichert T, Greenan G, O’Toole E, Srayko M. The elegans of spindle assembly. Cell Mol Life Sci 2010; 67:2195-213. [PMID: 20339898 PMCID: PMC2883083 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-010-0324-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2010] [Accepted: 02/17/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans one-cell embryo is a powerful system in which to study microtubule organization because this large cell assembles both meiotic and mitotic spindles within the same cytoplasm over the course of 1 h in a stereotypical manner. The fertilized oocyte assembles two consecutive acentrosomal meiotic spindles that function to reduce the replicated maternal diploid set of chromosomes to a single-copy haploid set. The resulting maternal DNA then unites with the paternal DNA to form a zygotic diploid complement, around which a centrosome-based mitotic spindle forms. The early C. elegans embryo is amenable to live-cell imaging and electron tomography, permitting a detailed structural comparison of the meiotic and mitotic modes of spindle assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Garrett Greenan
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPICBG), Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Eileen O’Toole
- Boulder Laboratory for 3D Electron Microscopy of Cells, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
| | - Martin Srayko
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada
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42
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Kong Z, Hotta T, Lee YRJ, Horio T, Liu B. The {gamma}-tubulin complex protein GCP4 is required for organizing functional microtubule arrays in Arabidopsis thaliana. THE PLANT CELL 2010; 22:191-204. [PMID: 20118227 PMCID: PMC2828712 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.109.071191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2009] [Revised: 12/19/2009] [Accepted: 01/13/2010] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Microtubule (MT) nucleation and organization depend on the evolutionarily conserved protein gamma -tubulin, which forms a complex with GCP2-GCP6 (GCP for gamma -Tubulin Complex Protein). To date, it is still unclear how GCP4-GCP6 (the non-core GCPs) may be involved in acentrosomal MT nucleation in plant cells. We found that GCP4 was associated with gamma -tubulin in vivo in Arabidopsis thaliana. When GCP4 expression was repressed by an artificial microRNA, transgenic plants exhibited phenotypes of dwarfism and reduced organ size. In mitotic cells, it was observed that the gamma -tubulin signal associated with the mitotic spindle, and the phragmoplast was depleted when GCP4 was downregulated. Consequently, MTs failed to converge at unified spindle poles, and the bipolar phragmoplast MT array frequently had discrete bundles with extended minus ends, resulting in failed cytokinesis as reflected by cell wall stubs in leaf epidermal cells. In addition, cortical MTs in swollen guard cells and pavement cells of the leaf epidermis became hyperparallel and bundled, which was likely caused by frequent MT nucleation with shallow angles on the wall of extant MTs. Therefore, our results support the notion that GCP4 is an indispensable component for the function of gamma -tubulin in MT nucleation and organization in plant cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaosheng Kong
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Takashi Hotta
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Yuh-Ru Julie Lee
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Tetsuya Horio
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, California 95616
- Address correspondence to
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43
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Xiong Y, Oakley BR. In vivo analysis of the functions of gamma-tubulin-complex proteins. J Cell Sci 2009; 122:4218-27. [PMID: 19861490 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.059196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
To enhance our understanding of the function(s) of gamma-tubulin-complex proteins (GCPs), we identified and analyzed the functions of the Aspergillus nidulans homologs of GCP2-GCP6 (here designated GCPB-GCBF). The gamma-tubulin small complex (gamma-TuSC) components, gamma-tubulin, GCPB and GCPC, are essential for viability and mitotic spindle formation, whereas GCPD-GCPF are not essential for viability, spindle formation or sexual reproduction. GCPD-GCPF function in reducing the frequency of chromosome mis-segregation and in the assembly of large gamma-tubulin complexes. Deletion of any of the gamma-TuSC components eliminates the localization of all GCPs to the spindle pole body (SPB), whereas deletion of GCPD-GCPF does not affect localization of gamma-TuSC components. Thus, GCPD-GCPF do not tether the gamma-TuSC to the SPB, but, rather, the gamma-TuSC tethers them to the SPB. GCPD-GCPF exhibit a hierarchy of localization to the SPB. Deletion of GCPF eliminates GCPD-GCPE localization to the SPB, and deletion of GCPD eliminates GCPE (but not GCPF) localization. All GCPs localize normally in a GCPE deletion. We propose a model for the structure of the gamma-tubulin complex and its attachment to polar microtubule organizing centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Xiong
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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44
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Bouissou A, Vérollet C, Sousa A, Sampaio P, Wright M, Sunkel CE, Merdes A, Raynaud-Messina B. {gamma}-Tubulin ring complexes regulate microtubule plus end dynamics. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 187:327-34. [PMID: 19948476 PMCID: PMC2779254 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200905060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Independently of their nucleation activity, γ-tubulin ring complex proteins localize along microtubules, limiting catastrophe events during interphase. γ-Tubulin is critical for the initiation and regulation of microtubule (MT) assembly. In Drosophila melanogaster, it acts within two main complexes: the γ-tubulin small complex (γ-TuSC) and the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC). Proteins specific of the γ-TuRC, although nonessential for viability, are required for efficient mitotic progression. Until now, their role during interphase remained poorly understood. Using RNA interference in Drosophila S2 cells, we show that the γ-TuRC is not critical for overall MT organization. However, depletion of any component of this complex results in an increase of MT dynamics. Combined immunofluorescence and live imaging analysis allows us to reveal that the γ-TuRC localizes along interphase MTs and that distal γ-tubulin spots match with sites of pause or rescue events. We propose that, in addition to its role in nucleation, the γ-TuRC associated to MTs may regulate their dynamics by limiting catastrophes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Bouissou
- Centre de Recherche en Pharmacologie-Santé, Unité Mixte de Recherche 2587 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-Pierre Fabre, 31400 Toulouse, France
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45
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Choy RM, Kollman JM, Zelter A, Davis TN, Agard DA. Localization and orientation of the gamma-tubulin small complex components using protein tags as labels for single particle EM. J Struct Biol 2009; 168:571-4. [PMID: 19723581 PMCID: PMC2793330 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2009.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2009] [Revised: 08/26/2009] [Accepted: 08/27/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Gamma-Tubulin Small Complex (gamma-TuSC) is the universally-conserved complex in eukaryotes that contains the microtubule (MT) nucleating protein: gamma-tubulin. gamma-TuSC is a heterotetramer with two copies of gamma-tubulin and one copy each of Spc98p and Spc97p. Previously, the structure of gamma-TuSC was determined by single particle electron microscopy (EM) at 25A resolution. gamma-TuSC is Y-shaped with a single flexible arm that could be the key to regulating MT nucleation. EM gold labeling revealed the locations of gamma-tubulin at the top of the Y. In vivo Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) suggested the relative orientations of Spc98p and Spc97p but did not distinguish which large subunit formed the flexible arm. Here, using fluorescent proteins as covalently attached tags, we used class averages and 3-D random conical tilt reconstructions to confirm the in vivo FRET results, clearly demonstrating that the Spc98p/97p C-termini interact directly with gamma-tubulin. Most significantly we have determined that the flexible arm belongs to Spc98p and our data also suggests that the N-termini of Spc98p and Spc97p are crossed. More generally, our results confirm that despite their small size, covalently-attached fluorescent proteins perform well as subunit labels in single particle EM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca M Choy
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158-2517, USA
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46
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Nakamura M, Hashimoto T. A mutation in the Arabidopsis γ-tubulin-containing complex causes helical growth and abnormal microtubule branching. J Cell Sci 2009; 122:2208-17. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.044131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant cortical microtubules are mainly nucleated on previously established microtubules, grow at a narrow range of angles to the wall of mother microtubules, and eventually are released from the nucleation sites. These nucleation events are thought to be regulated by γ-tubulin-containing complexes. We here show that a null mutation of Arabidopsis GCP2, a core subunit of the γ-tubulin-containing complex, severely impaired the development of male and female gametophytes. However, a missense mutation in the conserved grip1 motif, called spiral3, caused a left-handed helical organization of cortical microtubule arrays, and severe right-handed helical growth. The spiral3 mutation compromises interaction between GCP2 and GCP3, another subunit of the complex, in yeast. In the spiral3 mutant, microtubule dynamics and nucleation efficiency were not markedly affected, but nucleating angles were wider and more divergently distributed. A spiral3 katanin double mutant had swollen and twisted epidermal cells, and showed that the microtubule minus ends were not released from the nucleation sites, although the nucleating angles distributed in a similar manner to those in spiral3. These results show that Arabidopsis GCP2 has an important role in precisely positioning the γ-tubulin-containing complex on pre-existing microtubules and in the proper organization of cortical arrays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayoshi Nakamura
- Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Takashi Hashimoto
- Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
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47
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Spirov A, Fahmy K, Schneider M, Frei E, Noll M, Baumgartner S. Formation of the bicoid morphogen gradient: an mRNA gradient dictates the protein gradient. Development 2009; 136:605-14. [PMID: 19168676 DOI: 10.1242/dev.031195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The Bicoid (Bcd) protein gradient is generally believed to be established in pre-blastoderm Drosophila embryos by the diffusion of Bcd protein after translation of maternal mRNA, which serves as a strictly localized source of Bcd at the anterior pole. However, we previously published evidence that the Bcd gradient is preceded by a bcd mRNA gradient. Here, we have revisited and extended this observation by showing that the bcd mRNA and Bcd protein gradient profiles are virtually identical at all times. This confirms our previous conclusion that the Bcd gradient is produced by a bcd mRNA gradient rather than by diffusion. Based on our observation that bcd mRNA colocalizes with Staufen (Stau), we propose that the bcd mRNA gradient forms by a novel mechanism involving quasi-random active transport of a Stau-bcd mRNA complex through a nonpolar microtubular network, which confines the bcd mRNA to the cortex of the embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Spirov
- Center for Developmental Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5140, USA
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48
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Guo Y. Evaluating the microtubule cytoskeleton and its interacting proteins in monocots by mining the rice genome. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2009; 103. [PMID: 19106179 PMCID: PMC2707882 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcp023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microtubules (MTs) are assembled by heterodimers of alpha- and beta-tubulins, which provide tracks for directional transport and frameworks for the spindle apparatus and the phragmoplast. MT nucleation and dynamics are regulated by components such as the gamma-tubulin complex which are conserved among eukaryotes, and other components which are unique to plants. Following remarkable progress made in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana toward revealing key components regulating MT activities, the completed rice (Oryza sativa) genome has prompted a survey of the MT cytoskeleton in this important crop as a model for monocots. SCOPE The rice genome contains three alpha-tubulin genes, eight beta-tubulin genes and a single gamma-tubulin gene. A functional gamma-tubulin ring complex is expected to form in rice as genes encoding all components of the complex are present. Among proteins that interact with MTs, compared with A. thaliana, rice has more genes encoding some members such as the MAP65/Ase1p/PRC1 family, but fewer for the motor kinesins, the end-binding protein EB1 and the mitotic kinase Aurora. Although most known MT-interacting factors have apparent orthologues in rice, no orthologues of arabidopsis RIC1 and MAP18 have been identified in rice. Among all proteins surveyed here, only a few have had their functions characterized by genetic means in rice. Elucidating functions of proteins of the rice MT cytoskeleton, aided by recent technical advances made in this model monocot, will greatly advance our knowledge of how monocots employ their MTs to regulate their growth and form.
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49
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Guo L, Ho CMK, Kong Z, Lee YRJ, Qian Q, Liu B. Evaluating the microtubule cytoskeleton and its interacting proteins in monocots by mining the rice genome. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2009; 103:387-402. [PMID: 19106179 PMCID: PMC2707338 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcn248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2008] [Revised: 10/20/2008] [Accepted: 11/17/2008] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microtubules (MTs) are assembled by heterodimers of alpha- and beta-tubulins, which provide tracks for directional transport and frameworks for the spindle apparatus and the phragmoplast. MT nucleation and dynamics are regulated by components such as the gamma-tubulin complex which are conserved among eukaryotes, and other components which are unique to plants. Following remarkable progress made in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana toward revealing key components regulating MT activities, the completed rice (Oryza sativa) genome has prompted a survey of the MT cytoskeleton in this important crop as a model for monocots. SCOPE The rice genome contains three alpha-tubulin genes, eight beta-tubulin genes and a single gamma-tubulin gene. A functional gamma-tubulin ring complex is expected to form in rice as genes encoding all components of the complex are present. Among proteins that interact with MTs, compared with A. thaliana, rice has more genes encoding some members such as the MAP65/Ase1p/PRC1 family, but fewer for the motor kinesins, the end-binding protein EB1 and the mitotic kinase Aurora. Although most known MT-interacting factors have apparent orthologues in rice, no orthologues of arabidopsis RIC1 and MAP18 have been identified in rice. Among all proteins surveyed here, only a few have had their functions characterized by genetic means in rice. Elucidating functions of proteins of the rice MT cytoskeleton, aided by recent technical advances made in this model monocot, will greatly advance our knowledge of how monocots employ their MTs to regulate their growth and form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longbiao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310006, China
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Chin-Min Kimmy Ho
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Zhaosheng Kong
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Yuh-Ru Julie Lee
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Qian Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- For correspondence. E-mail:
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50
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gammaTub23C interacts genetically with brahma chromatin-remodeling complexes in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2008; 180:835-43. [PMID: 18780727 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.108.093492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The brahma gene encodes the catalytic subunit of the Drosophila melanogaster BRM chromatin-remodeling complexes. Screening for mutations that interact with brahma, we isolated the dominant-negative Pearl-2 allele of gammaTub23C. gammaTub23C encodes one of the two gamma-tubulin isoforms in Drosophila and is essential for zygotic viability and normal adult patterning. gamma-Tubulin is a subunit of microtubule organizer complexes. We show that mutations in lethal (1) discs degenerate 4, which encodes the Grip91 subunit of microtubule organizer complexes, suppress the recessive lethality and the imaginal phenotypes caused by gammaTub23C mutations. The genetic interactions between gammaTub23C and chromatin-remodeling mutations suggest that gamma-tubulin might have a role in regulating gene expression.
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