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Rosas-Paz M, Zamora-Bello A, Torres-Ramírez N, Villarreal-Huerta D, Romero-Aguilar L, Pardo JP, El Hafidi M, Sandoval G, Segal-Kischinevzky C, González J. Nitrogen limitation-induced adaptive response and lipogenesis in the Antarctic yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa M94C9. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1416155. [PMID: 39161597 PMCID: PMC11330776 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1416155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The extremotolerant red yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa displays resilience to diverse environmental stressors, including cold, osmolarity, salinity, and oligotrophic conditions. Particularly, this yeast exhibits a remarkable ability to accumulate lipids and carotenoids in response to stress conditions. However, research into lipid biosynthesis has been hampered by limited genetic tools and a scarcity of studies on adaptive responses to nutrient stressors stimulating lipogenesis. This study investigated the impact of nitrogen stress on the adaptive response in Antarctic yeast R. mucilaginosa M94C9. Varied nitrogen availability reveals a nitrogen-dependent modulation of biomass and lipid droplet production, accompanied by significant ultrastructural changes to withstand nitrogen starvation. In silico analysis identifies open reading frames of genes encoding key lipogenesis enzymes, including acetyl-CoA carboxylase (Acc1), fatty acid synthases 1 and 2 (Fas1/Fas2), and acyl-CoA diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (Dga1). Further investigation into the expression profiles of RmACC1, RmFAS1, RmFAS2, and RmDGA1 genes under nitrogen stress revealed that the prolonged up-regulation of the RmDGA1 gene is a molecular indicator of lipogenesis. Subsequent fatty acid profiling unveiled an accumulation of oleic and palmitic acids under nitrogen limitation during the stationary phase. This investigation enhances our understanding of nitrogen stress adaptation and lipid biosynthesis, offering valuable insights into R. mucilaginosa M94C9 for potential industrial applications in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Rosas-Paz
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Circuito de Posgrados, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alberto Zamora-Bello
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias Bioquímicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Nayeli Torres-Ramírez
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Diana Villarreal-Huerta
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Circuito de Posgrados, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Lucero Romero-Aguilar
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Juan Pablo Pardo
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mohammed El Hafidi
- Departamento de Biomedicina Cardiovascular, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Georgina Sandoval
- Laboratorio de Innovación en Bioenergéticos y Bioprocesos Avanzados, Unidad de Biotecnología Industrial, Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco A. C., Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Claudia Segal-Kischinevzky
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - James González
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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2
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Kim H, Juarez-Contreras I, Budin I. Using the yeast vacuole as a system to test the lipidic drivers of membrane heterogeneity in living cells. Methods Enzymol 2024; 700:77-104. [PMID: 38971613 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2024.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
The biophysical drivers of membrane lateral heterogeneity, often termed lipid rafts, have been largely explored using synthetic liposomes or mammalian plasma membrane-derived giant vesicles. Yeast vacuoles, an organelle comparable to mammalian lysosomes, is the only in vivo system that shows stable micrometer scale phase separation in unperturbed cells. The ease of manipulating lipid metabolism in yeast makes this a powerful system for identifying lipids involved in the onset of vacuole membrane heterogeneity. Vacuole domains are induced by stationary stage growth and nutritional starvation, during which they serve as a docking and internalization site for lipid droplet energy stores. Here we describe methods for characterizing vacuole phase separation, its physiological function, and its lipidic drivers. First, we detail methodologies for robustly inducing vacuole domain formation and quantitatively characterizing during live cell imaging experiments. Second, we detail a new protocol for biochemical isolation of stationary stage vacuoles, which allows for lipidomic dissection of membrane phase separation. Third, we describe biochemical techniques for analyzing lipid droplet internalization in vacuole domains. When combined with genetic or chemical perturbations to lipid metabolism, these methods allow for systematic dissection of lipid composition in the structure and function of ordered membrane domains in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyesoo Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Israel Juarez-Contreras
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Itay Budin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
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3
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Kim H, Budin I. Intracellular sphingolipid sorting drives membrane phase separation in the yeast vacuole. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105496. [PMID: 38013088 PMCID: PMC10776997 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105496] [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: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The yeast vacuole membrane can phase separate into ordered and disordered domains, a phenomenon that is required for micro-lipophagy under nutrient limitation. Despite its importance as a biophysical model and physiological significance, it is not yet resolved if specific lipidome changes drive vacuole phase separation. Here we report that the metabolism of sphingolipids (SLs) and their sorting into the vacuole membrane can control this process. We first developed a vacuole isolation method to identify lipidome changes during the onset of phase separation in early stationary stage cells. We found that early stationary stage vacuoles are defined by an increased abundance of putative raft components, including 40% higher ergosterol content and a nearly 3-fold enrichment in complex SLs (CSLs). These changes were not found in the corresponding whole cell lipidomes, indicating that lipid sorting is associated with domain formation. Several facets of SL composition-headgroup stoichiometry, longer chain lengths, and increased hydroxylations-were also markers of phase-separated vacuole lipidomes. To test SL function in vacuole phase separation, we carried out a systematic genetic dissection of their biosynthetic pathway. The abundance of CSLs controlled the extent of domain formation and associated micro-lipophagy processes, while their headgroup composition altered domain morphology. These results suggest that lipid trafficking can drive membrane phase separation in vivo and identify SLs as key mediators of this process in yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyesoo Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Itay Budin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
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4
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Nanninga N. Molecular Cytology of 'Little Animals': Personal Recollections of Escherichia coli (and Bacillus subtilis). Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1782. [PMID: 37629639 PMCID: PMC10455606 DOI: 10.3390/life13081782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
This article relates personal recollections and starts with the origin of electron microscopy in the sixties of the previous century at the University of Amsterdam. Novel fixation and embedding techniques marked the discovery of the internal bacterial structures not visible by light microscopy. A special status became reserved for the freeze-fracture technique. By freeze-fracturing chemically fixed cells, it proved possible to examine the morphological effects of fixation. From there on, the focus switched from bacterial structure as such to their cell cycle. This invoked bacterial physiology and steady-state growth combined with electron microscopy. Electron-microscopic autoradiography with pulses of [3H] Dap revealed that segregation of replicating DNA cannot proceed according to a model of zonal growth (with envelope-attached DNA). This stimulated us to further investigate the sacculus, the peptidoglycan macromolecule. In particular, we focused on the involvement of penicillin-binding proteins such as PBP2 and PBP3, and their role in division. Adding aztreonam (an inhibitor of PBP3) blocked ongoing divisions but not the initiation of new ones. A PBP3-independent peptidoglycan synthesis (PIPS) appeared to precede a PBP3-dependent step. The possible chemical nature of PIPS is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanne Nanninga
- Molecular Cytology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS), University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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5
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Amini M, Benson JD. Technologies for Vitrification Based Cryopreservation. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:bioengineering10050508. [PMID: 37237578 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10050508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryopreservation is a unique and practical method to facilitate extended access to biological materials. Because of this, cryopreservation of cells, tissues, and organs is essential to modern medical science, including cancer cell therapy, tissue engineering, transplantation, reproductive technologies, and bio-banking. Among diverse cryopreservation methods, significant focus has been placed on vitrification due to low cost and reduced protocol time. However, several factors, including the intracellular ice formation that is suppressed in the conventional cryopreservation method, restrict the achievement of this method. To enhance the viability and functionality of biological samples after storage, a large number of cryoprotocols and cryodevices have been developed and studied. Recently, new technologies have been investigated by considering the physical and thermodynamic aspects of cryopreservation in heat and mass transfer. In this review, we first present an overview of the physiochemical aspects of freezing in cryopreservation. Secondly, we present and catalog classical and novel approaches that seek to capitalize on these physicochemical effects. We conclude with the perspective that interdisciplinary studies provide pieces of the cryopreservation puzzle to achieve sustainability in the biospecimen supply chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Amini
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - James D Benson
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada
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Reinhard J, Leveille CL, Cornell CE, Merz AJ, Klose C, Ernst R, Keller SL. Remodeling of yeast vacuole membrane lipidomes from the log (one phase) to stationary stage (two phases). Biophys J 2023; 122:1043-1057. [PMID: 36635960 PMCID: PMC10111276 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Upon nutrient limitation, budding yeast of Saccharomyces cerevisiae shift from fast growth (the log stage) to quiescence (the stationary stage). This shift is accompanied by liquid-liquid phase separation in the membrane of the vacuole, an endosomal organelle. Recent work indicates that the resulting micrometer-scale domains in vacuole membranes enable yeast to survive periods of stress. An outstanding question is which molecular changes might cause this membrane phase separation. Here, we conduct lipidomics of vacuole membranes in both the log and stationary stages. Isolation of pure vacuole membranes is challenging in the stationary stage, when lipid droplets are in close contact with vacuoles. Immuno-isolation has previously been shown to successfully purify log-stage vacuole membranes with high organelle specificity, but it was not previously possible to immuno-isolate stationary-stage vacuole membranes. Here, we develop Mam3 as a bait protein for vacuole immuno-isolation, and demonstrate low contamination by non-vacuolar membranes. We find that stationary-stage vacuole membranes contain surprisingly high fractions of phosphatidylcholine lipids (∼40%), roughly twice as much as log-stage membranes. Moreover, in the stationary stage, these lipids have higher melting temperatures, due to longer and more saturated acyl chains. Another surprise is that no significant change in sterol content is observed. These lipidomic changes, which are largely reflected on the whole-cell level, fit within the predominant view that phase separation in membranes requires at least three types of molecules to be present: lipids with high melting temperatures, lipids with low melting temperatures, and sterols.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Reinhard
- Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany; PZMS, Center for Molecular Signaling, Medical Faculty, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Alexey J Merz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | | | - Robert Ernst
- Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany; PZMS, Center for Molecular Signaling, Medical Faculty, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany.
| | - Sarah L Keller
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
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7
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Pal A, Paripati A, Deolal P, Chatterjee A, Prasad PR, Adla P, Sepuri NBV. Eisosome protein Pil1 regulates mitochondrial morphology, mitophagy, and cell death in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102533. [PMID: 36162502 PMCID: PMC9619184 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial morphology and dynamics maintain mitochondrial integrity by regulating its size, shape, distribution, and connectivity, thereby modulating various cellular processes. Several studies have established a functional link between mitochondrial dynamics, mitophagy, and cell death, but further investigation is needed to identify specific proteins involved in mitochondrial dynamics. Any alteration in the integrity of mitochondria has severe ramifications that include disorders like cancer and neurodegeneration. In this study, we used budding yeast as a model organism and found that Pil1, the major component of the eisosome complex, also localizes to the periphery of mitochondria. Interestingly, the absence of Pil1 causes the branched tubular morphology of mitochondria to be abnormally fused or aggregated, whereas its overexpression leads to mitochondrial fragmentation. Most importantly, pil1Δ cells are defective in mitophagy and bulk autophagy, resulting in elevated levels of reactive oxygen species and protein aggregates. In addition, we show that pil1Δ cells are more prone to cell death. Yeast two-hybrid analysis and co-immunoprecipitations show the interaction of Pil1 with two major proteins in mitochondrial fission, Fis1 and Dnm1. Additionally, our data suggest that the role of Pil1 in maintaining mitochondrial shape is dependent on Fis1 and Dnm1, but it functions independently in mitophagy and cell death pathways. Together, our data suggest that Pil1, an eisosome protein, is a novel regulator of mitochondrial morphology, mitophagy, and cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amita Pal
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C.R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, TS -500046
| | - Arunkumar Paripati
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C.R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, TS -500046
| | - Pallavi Deolal
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C.R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, TS -500046
| | - Arpan Chatterjee
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C.R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, TS -500046
| | - Pushpa Rani Prasad
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C.R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, TS -500046
| | - Priyanka Adla
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C.R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, TS -500046
| | - Naresh Babu V Sepuri
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C.R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, TS -500046.
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8
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Blomberg A. Yeast osmoregulation - glycerol still in pole position. FEMS Yeast Res 2022; 22:6655991. [PMID: 35927716 PMCID: PMC9428294 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foac035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In response to osmotic dehydration cells sense, signal, alter gene expression, and metabolically counterbalance osmotic differences. The main compatible solute/osmolyte that accumulates in yeast cells is glycerol, which is produced from the glycolytic intermediate dihydroxyacetone phosphate. This review covers recent advancements in understanding mechanisms involved in sensing, signaling, cell-cycle delays, transcriptional responses as well as post-translational modifications on key proteins in osmoregulation. The protein kinase Hog1 is a key-player in many of these events, however, there is also a growing body of evidence for important Hog1-independent mechanisms playing vital roles. Several missing links in our understanding of osmoregulation will be discussed and future avenues for research proposed. The review highlights that this rather simple experimental system—salt/sorbitol and yeast—has developed into an enormously potent model system unravelling important fundamental aspects in biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Blomberg
- Dept. of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
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9
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Varberg JM, Unruh JR, Bestul AJ, Khan AA, Jaspersen SL. Quantitative analysis of nuclear pore complex organization in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 5:e202201423. [PMID: 35354597 PMCID: PMC8967992 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The number, distribution, and composition of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) in the nuclear envelope varies between cell types and changes during cellular differentiation and in disease. To understand how NPC density and organization are controlled, we analyzed the NPC number and distribution in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe using structured illumination microscopy. The small size of yeast nuclei, genetic features of fungi, and our robust image analysis pipeline allowed us to study NPCs in intact nuclei under multiple conditions. Our data revealed that NPC density is maintained across a wide range of nuclear sizes. Regions of reduced NPC density are observed over the nucleolus and surrounding the spindle pole body (SPB). Lem2-mediated tethering of the centromeres to the SPB is required to maintain NPC exclusion near SPBs. These findings provide a quantitative understanding of NPC number and distribution in S. pombe and show that interactions between the centromere and the nuclear envelope influences local NPC distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jay R Unruh
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Andrew J Bestul
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Azqa A Khan
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Sue L Jaspersen
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
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10
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Yeast cells actively tune their membranes to phase separate at temperatures that scale with growth temperatures. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2116007119. [PMID: 35046036 PMCID: PMC8795566 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2116007119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Phase separation in membranes creates domains enriched in specific components. To date, the best example of micrometer-scale phase separation in the membrane of an unperturbed, living cell occurs in a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) organelle called the vacuole. Recent studies indicate that the phases are functionally important, enabling yeast survival during periods of stress. We discovered that yeast regulate this phase transition; the temperature at which membrane components mix into a single phase is ∼15 °C above the growth temperature. To maintain this offset, yeast may tune the level of ergosterol (a molecule that is structurally similar to cholesterol) in their membranes. Surprisingly, depleting sterols in vacuole membranes causes them to phase separate, in contrast to previous assumptions. Membranes of vacuoles, the lysosomal organelles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (budding yeast), undergo extraordinary changes during the cell’s normal growth cycle. The cycle begins with a stage of rapid cell growth. Then, as glucose becomes scarce, growth slows, and vacuole membranes phase separate into micrometer-scale domains of two liquid phases. Recent studies suggest that these domains promote yeast survival by organizing membrane proteins that play key roles in a central signaling pathway conserved among eukaryotes (TORC1). An outstanding question in the field has been whether cells regulate phase transitions in response to new physical conditions and how this occurs. Here, we measure transition temperatures and find that after an increase of roughly 15 °C, vacuole membranes appear uniform, independent of growth temperature. Moreover, populations of cells grown at a single temperature regulate this transition to occur over a surprisingly narrow temperature range. Remarkably, the transition temperature scales linearly with the growth temperature, demonstrating that the cells physiologically adapt to maintain proximity to the transition. Next, we ask how yeast adjust their membranes to achieve phase separation. We isolate vacuoles from yeast during the rapid stage of growth, when their membranes do not natively exhibit domains. Ergosterol is the major sterol in yeast. We find that domains appear when ergosterol is depleted, contradicting the prevalent assumption that increases in sterol concentration generally cause membrane phase separation in vivo, but in agreement with previous studies using artificial and cell-derived membranes.
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11
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Akisaka T. Platinum replicas of broken-open osteoclasts imaged by transmission electron microscopy. J Oral Biosci 2021; 63:307-318. [PMID: 34628004 DOI: 10.1016/j.job.2021.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preserving the cellular structure at the highest possible resolution is a prerequisite for morphological studies to deepen our understanding of cellular functions. A revival of interest in rapid-freezing methods combined with breaking-open techniques has taken place with the development of effective and informative approaches in platinum replica electron microscopy, thus providing new approaches to address unresolved issues in cell biology. HIGHLIGHT The images produced with platinum replicas revealed 3D structures of the cell interior: (1) cell membranes associated with highly organized cytoskeletons, including podosomes or geodomes, (2) heterogeneous clathrin assemblies and membrane skeletons on the inner side of the membrane, and (3) organization of the cytoskeleton after detergent extraction. CONCLUSION In this review, I will focus on the platinum replica method after brokenopen cells have been broken open with mechanical shearing or detergent extraction. Often forgotten nowadays is the use of platinum replicas with stereomicroscopic observations for transmission electron microscopy study; these "old-fashioned" imaging techniques, combined with the breaking-open technique represent a highly informative approach to deepen our understanding of the organization of the cell interior. These are still being pursued to answer outstanding biological questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshitaka Akisaka
- Department of Oral Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
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12
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Hirlak O, Dieluweit S, Merkel R, Wagner KG. Polymer-mediated drug supersaturation - A spotlight on the interplay between phase-separated amorphous drug colloids and dissolved molecules. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 603:370-379. [PMID: 34197986 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.06.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Colloidal aggregation phenomena have been found responsible for the supersaturation of poorly water-soluble drugs, potentially leading to bioavailability enhancements. Unlike coarse precipitates, phase separation in the form of colloids, is expected to enhance drug supersaturation performance. Therefore, a high proportion of these colloids should correlate with the extent and the kinetics of supersaturation. The prime objective of the current study is to provide a mechanistic understanding on supersaturation for the model drug albendazole (ALB) in combination with twelve polymers. EXPERIMENTS Species separated after a pH-shift were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), freeze-fracture electron microscopy (FF-EM) and transmission X-ray diffraction (XRD). Laser diffraction (LD) in a liquid cell was introduced for a relative quantification of the colloidally separated species, described as colloid fraction. The pH-dependent supersaturation was assessed online using a miniaturized dissolution assay. FINDINGS Here, a measure of the extent of amorphous colloidal phase separation was established, and its impact on supersaturation was evaluated. As a result, a correlation was found between the extent of supersaturation and the colloid fraction. This confirmed the dependence of polymer-mediated enabling and preservation of supersaturation on the ability of polymers to stabilize colloid fractions. Furthermore, a fixed ratio was suggested between the dissolved drug and colloidally separated drug as the kinetic profiles of both species showed similar trajectories. In conclusion, colloid fractions were identified to be responsible for dissolved and potentially bioavailable drug molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ozan Hirlak
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bonn, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Sabine Dieluweit
- Institute of Biological Information Processing: IBI-2, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Rudolf Merkel
- Institute of Biological Information Processing: IBI-2, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Karl G Wagner
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bonn, 53121 Bonn, Germany.
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13
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The distribution of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in the budding yeast plasma membrane. Histochem Cell Biol 2021; 156:109-121. [PMID: 34052862 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-021-01989-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) is generated through phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns(4)P) by Mss4p, the only PtdIns phosphate 5-kinase in yeast cells. PtdIns(4,5)P2 is involved in various kinds of yeast functions. PtdIns(4)P is not only the immediate precursor of PtdIns(4,5)P2, but also an essential signaling molecule in the plasma membrane, Golgi, and endosomal system. To analyze the distribution of PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns(4)P in the yeast plasma membrane at a nanoscale level, we employed a freeze-fracture electron microscopy (EM) method that physically immobilizes lipid molecules in situ. It has been reported that the plasma membrane of budding yeast can be divided into three distinct areas: furrowed, hexagonal, and undifferentiated flat. Previously, using the freeze-fracture EM method, we determined that PtdIns(4)P is localized in the undifferentiated flat area, avoiding the furrowed and hexagonal areas of the plasma membrane. In the present study, we found that PtdIns(4,5)P2 was localized in the cytoplasmic leaflet of the plasma membrane, and concentrated in the furrowed area. There are three types of PtdIns 4-kinases which are encoded by stt4, pik1, and lsb6. The labeling density of PtdIns(4)P in the plasma membrane significantly decreased in both pik1ts and stt4ts mutants. However, the labeling densities of PtdIns(4,5)P2 in the plasma membrane of both the pik1ts and stt4ts mutants were comparable to that of the wild type yeast. These results suggest that PtdIns(4)P produced by either Pik1p or Stt4p is immediately phosphorylated by Mss4p and converted to PtdIns(4,5)P2 at the plasma membrane.
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14
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Current Microscopy Strategies to Image Fungal Vesicles: From the Intracellular Trafficking and Secretion to the Inner Structure of Isolated Vesicles. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2021; 432:139-159. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-83391-6_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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15
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Plasma Membrane MCC/Eisosome Domains Promote Stress Resistance in Fungi. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2020; 84:84/4/e00063-19. [PMID: 32938742 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00063-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing appreciation that the plasma membrane orchestrates a diverse array of functions by segregating different activities into specialized domains that vary in size, stability, and composition. Studies with the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have identified a novel type of plasma membrane domain known as the MCC (membrane compartment of Can1)/eisosomes that correspond to stable furrows in the plasma membrane. MCC/eisosomes maintain proteins at the cell surface, such as nutrient transporters like the Can1 arginine symporter, by protecting them from endocytosis and degradation. Recent studies from several fungal species are now revealing new functional roles for MCC/eisosomes that enable cells to respond to a wide range of stressors, including changes in membrane tension, nutrition, cell wall integrity, oxidation, and copper toxicity. The different MCC/eisosome functions are often intertwined through the roles of these domains in lipid homeostasis, which is important for proper plasma membrane architecture and cell signaling. Therefore, this review will emphasize the emerging models that explain how MCC/eisosomes act as hubs to coordinate cellular responses to stress. The importance of MCC/eisosomes is underscored by their roles in virulence for fungal pathogens of plants, animals, and humans, which also highlights the potential of these domains to act as novel therapeutic targets.
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16
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Nosov G, Kahms M, Klingauf J. The Decade of Super-Resolution Microscopy of the Presynapse. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2020; 12:32. [PMID: 32848695 PMCID: PMC7433402 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2020.00032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The presynaptic compartment of the chemical synapse is a small, yet extremely complex structure. Considering its size, most methods of optical microscopy are not able to resolve its nanoarchitecture and dynamics. Thus, its ultrastructure could only be studied by electron microscopy. In the last decade, new methods of optical superresolution microscopy have emerged allowing the study of cellular structures and processes at the nanometer scale. While this is a welcome addition to the experimental arsenal, it has necessitated careful analysis and interpretation to ensure the data obtained remains artifact-free. In this article we review the application of nanoscopic techniques to the study of the synapse and the progress made over the last decade with a particular focus on the presynapse. We find to our surprise that progress has been limited, calling for imaging techniques and probes that allow dense labeling, multiplexing, longer imaging times, higher temporal resolution, while at least maintaining the spatial resolution achieved thus far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgii Nosov
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,CIM-IMPRS Graduate Program in Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Martin Kahms
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Jurgen Klingauf
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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17
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Direct imaging of liquid domains in membranes by cryo-electron tomography. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:19713-19719. [PMID: 32759217 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2002245117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Images of micrometer-scale domains in lipid bilayers have provided the gold standard of model-free evidence to understand the domains' shapes, sizes, and distributions. Corresponding techniques to directly and quantitatively assess smaller (nanoscale and submicron) liquid domains have been limited. Researchers commonly seek to correlate activities of membrane proteins with attributes of the domains in which they reside; doing so hinges on identification and characterization of membrane domains. Although some features of membrane domains can be probed by indirect methods, these methods are often constrained by the limitation that data must be analyzed in the context of models that require multiple assumptions or parameters. Here, we address this challenge by developing and testing two methods of identifying submicron domains in biomimetic membranes. Both methods leverage cryo-electron tomograms of ternary membranes under vitrified, hydrated conditions. The first method is optimized for probe-free applications: Domains are directly distinguished from the surrounding membrane by their thickness. This technique quantitatively and accurately measures area fractions of domains, in excellent agreement with known phase diagrams. The second method is optimized for applications in which a single label is deployed for imaging membranes by both high-resolution cryo-electron tomography and diffraction-limited optical microscopy. For this method, we test a panel of probes, find that a trimeric mCherry label performs best, and specify criteria for developing future high-performance, dual-use probes. These developments have led to direct and quantitative imaging of submicron membrane domains in vitrified, hydrated vesicles.
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18
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Athanasopoulos A, André B, Sophianopoulou V, Gournas C. Fungal plasma membrane domains. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2020; 43:642-673. [PMID: 31504467 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuz022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The plasma membrane (PM) performs a plethora of physiological processes, the coordination of which requires spatial and temporal organization into specialized domains of different sizes, stability, protein/lipid composition and overall architecture. Compartmentalization of the PM has been particularly well studied in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, where five non-overlapping domains have been described: The Membrane Compartments containing the arginine permease Can1 (MCC), the H+-ATPase Pma1 (MCP), the TORC2 kinase (MCT), the sterol transporters Ltc3/4 (MCL), and the cell wall stress mechanosensor Wsc1 (MCW). Additional cortical foci at the fungal PM are the sites where clathrin-dependent endocytosis occurs, the sites where the external pH sensing complex PAL/Rim localizes, and sterol-rich domains found in apically grown regions of fungal membranes. In this review, we summarize knowledge from several fungal species regarding the organization of the lateral PM segregation. We discuss the mechanisms of formation of these domains, and the mechanisms of partitioning of proteins there. Finally, we discuss the physiological roles of the best-known membrane compartments, including the regulation of membrane and cell wall homeostasis, apical growth of fungal cells and the newly emerging role of MCCs as starvation-protective membrane domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Athanasopoulos
- Microbial Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research 'Demokritos,' Patr. Grigoriou E & 27 Neapoleos St. 15341, Agia Paraskevi, Greece
| | - Bruno André
- Molecular Physiology of the Cell laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Institut de Biologie et de Médecine Moléculaires, rue des Pr Jeener et Brachet 12, 6041, Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Vicky Sophianopoulou
- Microbial Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research 'Demokritos,' Patr. Grigoriou E & 27 Neapoleos St. 15341, Agia Paraskevi, Greece
| | - Christos Gournas
- Microbial Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research 'Demokritos,' Patr. Grigoriou E & 27 Neapoleos St. 15341, Agia Paraskevi, Greece
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19
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Abstract
The tight junction (zonula occludens) forms a linear region of contact between plasma membranes of adjacent epithelial cells near their juxtaluminar borders. This junction is a seal that prevents free diffusion between luminal and adluminal aspectsoof epithelia. At tight junctions in thin sections, the two apposed 75 Å plasma membranes join to form a membrane complex 140 Å in thickness. There is apparent “fusion” of the membranes with loss of outer leaflet material of one or both of the membranes. Previous interpretations of freeze-cleaved (and etched) tight junctions have been based on the Moor-Muhlethaler hypothesis that true membrane surfaces are revealed by cleaving. However, there is now compelling evidence that the surfaces revealed by cleaving are generated by splitting frozen membranes along a central plane thereby creating two new surfaces: Face A oriented toward the extracellular compartment and Face B directed toward the cytoplasm. We now describe a distinctive intramembranous fibrillar component in plasma membranes at tight junctions as revealed by membrane splitting.
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20
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Abstract
Moseley discusses the molecular and mechanical functions of eisosomes - invaginations from the yeast plasma membrane.
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21
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Yu SC, Kuemmel F, Skoufou-Papoutsaki MN, Spanu PD. Yeast transformation efficiency is enhanced by TORC1- and eisosome-dependent signaling. Microbiologyopen 2018; 8:e00730. [PMID: 30311441 PMCID: PMC6528558 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transformation of baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) plays a key role in several experimental techniques, yet the molecular mechanisms underpinning transformation are still unclear. The addition of amino acids to the growth and transformation medium increases transformation efficiency. Here, we show that target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) activated by amino acids enhances transformation via ubiquitin‐mediated endocytosis. We created mutants of the TORC1 pathway, alpha‐arrestins, and eisosome‐related genes. Our results demonstrate that the TORC1‐Npr1‐Art1/Rsp5 pathway regulates yeast transformation. Based on our previous study, activation of this pathway results in up to a 200‐fold increase in transformation efficiency, or greater. Additionally, we suggest DNA may be taken up by domains at the membrane compartment of Can1 (MCC) in the plasma membrane formed by eisosomes. Yeast studies on transformation could be used as a platform to understand the mechanism of DNA uptake in mammalian systems, which is clinically relevant to optimize gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Chun Yu
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Florian Kuemmel
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Pietro D Spanu
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
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22
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Abstract
Robertson recounts the historical experiments that gave rise to our current understanding of cell membranes. In 1918, the year the Journal of General Physiology was founded, there was little understanding of the structure of the cell membrane. It was evident that cells had invisible barriers separating the cytoplasm from the external solution. However, it would take decades before lipid bilayers were identified as the essential constituent of membranes. It would take even longer before it was accepted that there existed hydrophobic proteins that were embedded within the membrane and that these proteins were responsible for selective permeability in cells. With a combination of intuitive experiments and quantitative thinking, the last century of cell membrane research has led us to a molecular understanding of the structure of the membrane, as well as many of the proteins embedded within. Now, research is turning toward a physical understanding of the reactions of membrane proteins and lipids in this unique and incredibly complex solvent environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice L Robertson
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
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23
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Affiliation(s)
- Ja Kyoung Oh
- Department of Botany and Range Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602
| | - W. M. Hess
- Department of Botany and Range Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602
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24
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Affiliation(s)
- W. M. Hess
- Department of Botany, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84601
| | - M. M. A. Sassen
- Department of Botany, University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Holland
| | - C. C. Remsen
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543
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25
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Harris JL. Some Three-Dimensional Aspects ofCeratocystis Ulmias Observed by High-Voltage Electron Microscopy. Mycologia 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/00275514.1975.12019755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- James L. Harris
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
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26
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Keller HW, Aldrich HC, Brooks TE, Schoknecht JD. The Taxonomic Status of Badhamia Ovispora: A Myxomycete with Unique Spores. Mycologia 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/00275514.1975.12019833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Harold W. Keller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio 45431
| | - Henry C. Aldrich
- Department of Botany, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32601
| | - Travis E. Brooks
- Department of Biology, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63701
| | - Jean D. Schoknecht
- Department of Life Sciences, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana 47809
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27
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Stocks DL, Hess WM. Ultrastructure of Dormant and Germinated Basidiospores of a Species of Psilocybe. Mycologia 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/00275514.1970.12018952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. L. Stocks
- Department of Botany, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84601
| | - W. M. Hess
- Department of Botany, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84601
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28
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Nanoscale domain formation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate in the plasma and vacuolar membranes of living yeast cells. Eur J Cell Biol 2018; 97:269-278. [PMID: 29609807 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2018.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, PtdIns(4)P serves as an essential signalling molecule in the Golgi complex, endosomal system, and plasma membrane, where it is involved in the control of multiple cellular functions via direct interactions with PtdIns(4)P-binding proteins. To analyse the distribution of PtdIns(4)P in yeast cells at a nanoscale level, we employed an electron microscopy technique that specifically labels PtdIns(4)P on the freeze-fracture replica of the yeast membrane. This method minimizes the possibility of artificial perturbation, because molecules in the membrane are physically immobilised in situ. We observed that PtdIns(4)P is localised on the cytoplasmic leaflet, but not the exoplasmic leaflet, of the plasma membrane, Golgi body, vacuole, and vesicular structure membranes. PtdIns(4)P labelling was not observed in the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum, and in the outer and inner membranes of the nuclear envelope or mitochondria. PtdIns(4)P forms clusters of <100 nm in diameter in the plasma membrane and vacuolar membrane according to point pattern analysis of immunogold labelling. There are three kinds of compartments in the cytoplasmic leaflet of the plasma membrane. In the present study, we showed that PtdIns(4)P is specifically localised in the flat undifferentiated plasma membrane compartment. In the vacuolar membrane, PtdIns(4)P was concentrated in intramembrane particle (IMP)-deficient raft-like domains, which are tightly bound to lipid droplets, but not surrounding IMP-rich non-raft domains in geometrical IMP-distributed patterns in the stationary phase. This is the first report showing microdomain formations of PtdIns(4)P in the plasma membrane and vacuolar membrane of budding yeast cells at a nanoscale level, which will illuminate the functionality of PtdIns(4)P in each membrane.
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29
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Abstract
Freeze-fracture electron microscopy (FFEM) as a cryofixation, replica, and transmission electron microscopy technique is unique in membrane bilayer and lipid monolayer research because it enables us to excess and visualize pattern such as domains in the hydrophobic center of lipid bilayer as well as the lipid/gas interface of lipid monolayer. Since one of the preparation steps of this technique includes fracturing the frozen sample and since during this fracturing process the fracture plane follows the area of weakest forces, these areas are exposed allowing us to explore pattern built up by lipids and/or intrinsic proteins but also initiated by peptides, drugs, and toxins reaching into these normally hard to access areas. Furthermore, FFEM as a replica technique is applicable to objects of a large size range and combines detailed imaging of fine structures down to nano-resolution scale within images of larger biological or artificial objects up to several tens of micrometers in size.Biological membranes consist of a multitude of components which can self-organize into rafts or domains within the fluid bilayer characterized by lateral inhomogeneities in chemical composition and/or physical properties. These domains seem to play important roles in signal transduction and membrane traffic. Furthermore, lipid domains are important in health and disease and make an interesting target for pharmacological approaches in cure and prevention of diseases such as Alzheimer, Parkinson, cardiovascular and prion diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus, and HIV. As a cryofixation technique, FFEM is a very powerful tool to capture such domains in a probe-free mode and explore their dynamics on a nano-resolution scale.
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30
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Hallmarks of Reversible Separation of Living, Unperturbed Cell Membranes into Two Liquid Phases. Biophys J 2018; 113:2425-2432. [PMID: 29211996 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Controversy has long surrounded the question of whether spontaneous lateral demixing of membranes into coexisting liquid phases can organize proteins and lipids on micron scales within unperturbed, living cells. A clear answer hinges on observation of hallmarks of a reversible phase transition. Here, by directly imaging micron-scale membrane domains of yeast vacuoles both in vivo and cell free, we demonstrate that the domains arise through a phase separation mechanism. The domains are large, have smooth boundaries, and can merge quickly, consistent with fluid phases. Moreover, the domains disappear above a distinct miscibility transition temperature (Tmix) and reappear below Tmix, over multiple heating and cooling cycles. Hence, large-scale membrane organization in living cells under physiologically relevant conditions can be controlled by tuning a single thermodynamic parameter.
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31
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MCC/Eisosomes Regulate Cell Wall Synthesis and Stress Responses in Fungi. J Fungi (Basel) 2017; 3:jof3040061. [PMID: 29371577 PMCID: PMC5753163 DOI: 10.3390/jof3040061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The fungal plasma membrane is critical for cell wall synthesis and other important processes including nutrient uptake, secretion, endocytosis, morphogenesis, and response to stress. To coordinate these diverse functions, the plasma membrane is organized into specialized compartments that vary in size, stability, and composition. One recently identified domain known as the Membrane Compartment of Can1 (MCC)/eisosome is distinctive in that it corresponds to a furrow-like invagination in the plasma membrane. MCC/eisosomes have been shown to be formed by the Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain proteins Lsp1 and Pil1 in a range of fungi. MCC/eisosome domains influence multiple cellular functions; but a very pronounced defect in cell wall synthesis has been observed for mutants with defects in MCC/eisosomes in some yeast species. For example, Candida albicans MCC/eisosome mutants display abnormal spatial regulation of cell wall synthesis, including large invaginations and altered chemical composition of the walls. Recent studies indicate that MCC/eisosomes affect cell wall synthesis in part by regulating the levels of the key regulatory lipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI4,5P2) in the plasma membrane. One general way MCC/eisosomes function is by acting as protected islands in the plasma membrane, since these domains are very stable. They also act as scaffolds to recruit >20 proteins. Genetic studies aimed at defining the function of the MCC/eisosome proteins have identified important roles in resistance to stress, such as resistance to oxidative stress mediated by the flavodoxin-like proteins Pst1, Pst2, Pst3 and Ycp4. Thus, MCC/eisosomes play multiple roles in plasma membrane organization that protect fungal cells from the environment.
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32
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Sochacki KA, Taraska JW. Correlative Fluorescence Super-Resolution Localization Microscopy and Platinum Replica EM on Unroofed Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2017; 1663:219-230. [PMID: 28924671 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7265-4_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Platinum replicas of unroofed mammalian cells can be imaged with a transmission electron microscope (TEM) to produce high contrast, high resolution images of the structure of the cytoplasmic side of a plasma membrane. A complementary approach, super-resolution fluorescence localization microscopy, can be used to localize labeled molecules with better than 20 nm precision in cells. Here, we describe a correlative method that couples these two techniques and produces images where localization microscopy data can be used to highlight specific proteins of interest within the structural context of the platinum replica TEM image. This combined method is uniquely suited to investigate the nanometer-scale structural organization of the plasma membrane and its associated organelles and proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kem A Sochacki
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 50, RM 3312, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Justin W Taraska
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 50, RM 3312, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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33
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Tacke S, Krzyzanek V, Nüsse H, Wepf RA, Klingauf J, Reichelt R. A Versatile High-Vacuum Cryo-transfer System for Cryo-microscopy and Analytics. Biophys J 2016; 110:758-65. [PMID: 26910419 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 01/17/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryogenic microscopy methods have gained increasing popularity, as they offer an unaltered view on the architecture of biological specimens. As a prerequisite, samples must be handled under cryogenic conditions below their recrystallization temperature, and contamination during sample transfer and handling must be prevented. We present a high-vacuum cryo-transfer system that streamlines the entire handling of frozen-hydrated samples from the vitrification process to low temperature imaging for scanning transmission electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. A template for cryo-electron microscopy and multimodal cryo-imaging approaches with numerous sample transfer steps is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Tacke
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | - Vladislav Krzyzanek
- Institute of Scientific Instruments, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Harald Nüsse
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Roger Albert Wepf
- Scientific Center for Optical and Electron Microscopy, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jürgen Klingauf
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Rudolf Reichelt
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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34
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New Insight Into the Roles of Membrane Microdomains in Physiological Activities of Fungal Cells. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 325:119-80. [PMID: 27241220 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2016.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The organization of biological membranes into structurally and functionally distinct lateral microdomains is generally accepted. From bacteria to mammals, laterally compartmentalized membranes seem to be a vital attribute of life. The crucial fraction of our current knowledge about the membrane microdomains has been gained from studies on fungi. In this review we summarize the evidence of the microdomain organization of membranes from fungal cells, with accent on their enormous diversity in composition, temporal dynamics, modes of formation, and recognized engagement in the cell physiology. A special emphasis is laid on the fact that in addition to their other biological functions, membrane microdomains also mediate the communication among different membranes within a eukaryotic cell and coordinate their functions. Involvement of fungal membrane microdomains in stress sensing, regulation of lipid homeostasis, and cell differentiation is discussed more in detail.
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35
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Douglas LM, Konopka JB. Plasma membrane organization promotes virulence of the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. J Microbiol 2016; 54:178-91. [PMID: 26920878 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-016-5621-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Candida albicans is a human fungal pathogen capable of causing lethal systemic infections. The plasma membrane plays key roles in virulence because it not only functions as a protective barrier, it also mediates dynamic functions including secretion of virulence factors, cell wall synthesis, invasive hyphal morphogenesis, endocytosis, and nutrient uptake. Consistent with this functional complexity, the plasma membrane is composed of a wide array of lipids and proteins. These components are organized into distinct domains that will be the topic of this review. Some of the plasma membrane domains that will be described are known to act as scaffolds or barriers to diffusion, such as MCC/eisosomes, septins, and sites of contact with the endoplasmic reticulum. Other zones mediate dynamic processes, including secretion, endocytosis, and a special region at hyphal tips that facilitates rapid growth. The highly organized architecture of the plasma membrane facilitates the coordination of diverse functions and promotes the pathogenesis of C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lois M Douglas
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5222, USA
| | - James B Konopka
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5222, USA.
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36
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Abstract
In 1961, the development of an improved freeze-etching (FE) procedure to prepare rapidly frozen biological cells or tissues for electron microscopy raised two important questions. How does a frozen cell membrane fracture? What do the extensive face views of the cell’s membranes exposed by the fracture process of FE tell us about the overall structure of biological membranes? I discovered that all frozen membranes tend to split along weakly bonded lipid bilayers. Consequently, the fracture process exposes internal membrane faces rather than either of the membrane’s two external surfaces. During etching, when ice is allowed to sublime after fracturing, limited regions of the actual membrane surfaces are revealed. Examination of the fractured faces and etched surfaces provided strong evidence that biological membranes are organized as lipid bilayers with some proteins on the surface and other proteins extending through the bilayer. Membrane splitting made it possible for electron microscopy to show the relative proportion of a membrane’s area that exists in either of these two organizational modes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Branton
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
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37
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Olivera-Couto A, Salzman V, Mailhos M, Digman MA, Gratton E, Aguilar PS. Eisosomes are dynamic plasma membrane domains showing pil1-lsp1 heteroligomer binding equilibrium. Biophys J 2016; 108:1633-1644. [PMID: 25863055 PMCID: PMC4390835 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2014] [Revised: 01/28/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Eisosomes are plasma membrane domains concentrating lipids, transporters, and signaling molecules. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, these domains are structured by scaffolds composed mainly by two cytoplasmic proteins Pil1 and Lsp1. Eisosomes are immobile domains, have relatively uniform size, and encompass thousands of units of the core proteins Pil1 and Lsp1. In this work we used fluorescence fluctuation analytical methods to determine the dynamics of eisosome core proteins at different subcellular locations. Using a combination of scanning techniques with autocorrelation analysis, we show that Pil1 and Lsp1 cytoplasmic pools freely diffuse whereas an eisosome-associated fraction of these proteins exhibits slow dynamics that fit with a binding-unbinding equilibrium. Number and brightness analysis shows that the eisosome-associated fraction is oligomeric, while cytoplasmic pools have lower aggregation states. Fluorescence lifetime imaging results indicate that Pil1 and Lsp1 directly interact in the cytoplasm and within the eisosomes. These results support a model where Pil1-Lsp1 heterodimers are the minimal eisosomes building blocks. Moreover, individual-eisosome fluorescence fluctuation analysis shows that eisosomes in the same cell are not equal domains: while roughly half of them are mostly static, the other half is actively exchanging core protein subunits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustina Olivera-Couto
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular de Membranas, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Valentina Salzman
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular de Membranas, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Milagros Mailhos
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular de Membranas, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Michelle A Digman
- Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California; Centre for Bioactive Discovery in Health and Ageing, School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
| | - Enrico Gratton
- Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California.
| | - Pablo S Aguilar
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular de Membranas, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Mohieldin AM, AbouAlaiwi WA, Gao M, Nauli SM. Chemical-Free Technique to Study the Ultrastructure of Primary Cilium. Sci Rep 2015; 5:15982. [PMID: 26521680 PMCID: PMC4629161 DOI: 10.1038/srep15982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
A primary cilium is a hair-like structure with a width of approximately 200 nm. Over the past few decades, the main challenge in the study of the ultrastructure of cilia has been the high sensitivity of cilia to chemical fixation, which is required for many imaging techniques. In this report, we demonstrate a combined high-pressure freezing (HPF) and freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FFTEM) technique to examine the ultrastructure of a cilium. Our objective is to develop an optimal high-resolution imaging approach that preserves cilia structures in their best natural form without alteration of cilia morphology by chemical fixation interference. Our results showed that a cilium has a swelling-like structure (termed bulb), which was previously considered a fixation artifact. The intramembrane particles observed via HPF/FFTEM indicated the presence of integral membrane proteins and soluble matrix proteins along the ciliary bulb, which is part of an integral structure within the ciliary membrane. We propose that HPF/FFTEM is an important and more suitable chemical-free method to study the ultrastructure of primary cilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashraf M Mohieldin
- Department of Biomedical &Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618.,Department of Urology, University of California at Irvine Medical Campus, Orange, CA 92868.,Department of Medicinal &Biological Chemistry, University of Toledo School of Pharmacy, Toledo, OH 43614
| | - Wissam A AbouAlaiwi
- Department of Medicinal &Biological Chemistry, University of Toledo School of Pharmacy, Toledo, OH 43614
| | - Min Gao
- Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242
| | - Surya M Nauli
- Department of Biomedical &Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618.,Department of Urology, University of California at Irvine Medical Campus, Orange, CA 92868.,Department of Medicinal &Biological Chemistry, University of Toledo School of Pharmacy, Toledo, OH 43614
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Frankl A, Mari M, Reggiori F. Electron microscopy for ultrastructural analysis and protein localization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. MICROBIAL CELL 2015; 2:412-428. [PMID: 28357267 PMCID: PMC5349205 DOI: 10.15698/mic2015.11.237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a key model system for studying of a multitude of cellular processes because of its amenability to genetics, molecular biology and biochemical procedures. Ultrastructural examinations of this organism, though, are traditionally difficult because of the presence of a thick cell wall and the high density of cytoplasmic proteins. A series of recent methodological and technical developments, however, has revived interest in morphological analyses of yeast (e.g. 123). Here we present a review of established and new methods, from sample preparation to imaging, for the ultrastructural analysis of S. cerevisiae. We include information for the use of different fixation methods, embedding procedures, approaches for contrast enhancement, and sample visualization techniques, with references to successful examples. The goal of this review is to guide researchers that want to investigate a particular process at the ultrastructural level in yeast by aiding in the selection of the most appropriate approach to visualize a specific structure or subcellular compartment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andri Frankl
- Department of Cell Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Muriel Mari
- Department of Cell Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Fulvio Reggiori
- Department of Cell Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Kabeche R, Howard L, Moseley JB. Eisosomes provide membrane reservoirs for rapid expansion of the yeast plasma membrane. J Cell Sci 2015; 128:4057-62. [PMID: 26403204 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.176867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell surface area rapidly increases during mechanical and hypoosmotic stresses. Such expansion of the plasma membrane requires 'membrane reservoirs' that provide surface area and buffer membrane tension, but the sources of this membrane remain poorly understood. In principle, the flattening of invaginations and buds within the plasma membrane could provide this additional surface area, as recently shown for caveolae in animal cells. Here, we used microfluidics to study the rapid expansion of the yeast plasma membrane in protoplasts, which lack the rigid cell wall. To survive hypoosmotic stress, yeast cell protoplasts required eisosomes, protein-based structures that generate long invaginations at the plasma membrane. Both budding yeast and fission yeast protoplasts lacking eisosomes were unable to expand like wild-type protoplasts during hypoosmotic stress, and subsequently lysed. By performing quantitative fluorescence microscopy on single protoplasts, we also found that eisosomes disassembled as surface area increased. During this process, invaginations generated by eisosomes at the plasma membrane became flattened, as visualized by scanning electron microscopy. We propose that eisosomes serve as tension-dependent membrane reservoirs for expansion of yeast cells in an analogous manner to caveolae in animal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Kabeche
- Department of Biochemistry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Louisa Howard
- Electron Microscope Facility, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - James B Moseley
- Department of Biochemistry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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Eisosome Ultrastructure and Evolution in Fungi, Microalgae, and Lichens. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2015; 14:1017-42. [PMID: 26253157 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00106-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Eisosomes are among the few remaining eukaryotic cellular differentations that lack a defined function(s). These trough-shaped invaginations of the plasma membrane have largely been studied in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in which their associated proteins, including two BAR domain proteins, have been identified, and homologues have been found throughout the fungal radiation. Using quick-freeze deep-etch electron microscopy to generate high-resolution replicas of membrane fracture faces without the use of chemical fixation, we report that eisosomes are also present in a subset of red and green microalgae as well as in the cysts of the ciliate Euplotes. Eisosome assembly is closely correlated with both the presence and the nature of cell walls. Microalgal eisosomes vary extensively in topology and internal organization. Unlike fungi, their convex fracture faces can carry lineage-specific arrays of intramembranous particles, and their concave fracture faces usually display fine striations, also seen in fungi, that are pitched at lineage-specific angles and, in some cases, adopt a broad-banded patterning. The conserved genes that encode fungal eisosome-associated proteins are not found in sequenced algal genomes, but we identified genes encoding two algal lineage-specific families of predicted BAR domain proteins, called Green-BAR and Red-BAR, that are candidate eisosome organizers. We propose a model for eisosome formation wherein (i) positively charged recognition patches first establish contact with target membrane regions and (ii) a (partial) unwinding of the coiled-coil conformation of the BAR domains then allows interactions between the hydrophobic faces of their amphipathic helices and the lipid phase of the inner membrane leaflet, generating the striated patterns.
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Karreman MA, van Donselaar EG. VIS2FIX: rapid chemical fixation of vitreous sections for immuno-electron microscopy. Methods Mol Biol 2015; 1174:297-314. [PMID: 24947391 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0944-5_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Immuno-electron microscopy uniquely allows high-resolution localization of proteins in their cellular context. Usually, affinity labeling with an electron-dense marker, e.g., small gold particles, is performed on sections of chemically fixed cells or tissues. In this chapter, we describe two novel protocols, the VIS2FIX methods, for chemical fixation of sections of cryo-immobilized biological samples. This method involves production of thin sections of high-pressure frozen cells that are statically adhered to a TEM grid. Subsequent steps involve chemical fixation of the samples by either the VIS2FIX(H) ("H" for "hydrated") or the VIS2FIX(FS) ("FS" for "freeze substitution") techniques. Following chemical fixation, the samples are ready for immunolabeling. The described methods are fast and efficient, yield excellent preservation of intracellular structures, and offer the possibility to maintain lipids in the sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthia A Karreman
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory Heidelberg, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany,
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Lombard J. Once upon a time the cell membranes: 175 years of cell boundary research. Biol Direct 2014; 9:32. [PMID: 25522740 PMCID: PMC4304622 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-014-0032-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
All modern cells are bounded by cell membranes best described by the fluid mosaic model. This statement is so widely accepted by biologists that little attention is generally given to the theoretical importance of cell membranes in describing the cell. This has not always been the case. When the Cell Theory was first formulated in the XIX(th) century, almost nothing was known about the cell membranes. It was not until well into the XX(th) century that the existence of the plasma membrane was broadly accepted and, even then, the fluid mosaic model did not prevail until the 1970s. How were the cell boundaries considered between the articulation of the Cell Theory around 1839 and the formulation of the fluid mosaic model that has described the cell membranes since 1972? In this review I will summarize the major historical discoveries and theories that tackled the existence and structure of membranes and I will analyze how these theories impacted the understanding of the cell. Apart from its purely historical relevance, this account can provide a starting point for considering the theoretical significance of membranes to the definition of the cell and could have implications for research on early life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Lombard
- National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, 2024 W. Main Street Suite A200, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.
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Hooper SL, Burstein HJ. Minimization of extracellular space as a driving force in prokaryote association and the origin of eukaryotes. Biol Direct 2014; 9:24. [PMID: 25406691 PMCID: PMC4289276 DOI: 10.1186/1745-6150-9-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Internalization-based hypotheses of eukaryotic origin require close physical association of host and symbiont. Prior hypotheses of how these associations arose include chance, specific metabolic couplings between partners, and prey-predator/parasite interactions. Since these hypotheses were proposed, it has become apparent that mixed-species, close-association assemblages (biofilms) are widespread and predominant components of prokaryotic ecology. Which forces drove prokaryotes to evolve the ability to form these assemblages are uncertain. Bacteria and archaea have also been found to form membrane-lined interconnections (nanotubes) through which proteins and RNA pass. These observations, combined with the structure of the nuclear envelope and an energetic benefit of close association (see below), lead us to propose a novel hypothesis of the driving force underlying prokaryotic close association and the origin of eukaryotes. RESULTS Respiratory proton transport does not alter external pH when external volume is effectively infinite. Close physical association decreases external volume. For small external volumes, proton transport decreases external pH, resulting in each transported proton increasing proton motor force to a greater extent. We calculate here that in biofilms this effect could substantially decrease how many protons need to be transported to achieve a given proton motor force. Based as it is solely on geometry, this energetic benefit would occur for all prokaryotes using proton-based respiration. CONCLUSIONS This benefit may be a driving force in biofilm formation. Under this hypothesis a very wide range of prokaryotic species combinations could serve as eukaryotic progenitors. We use this observation and the discovery of prokaryotic nanotubes to propose that eukaryotes arose from physically distinct, functionally specialized (energy factory, protein factory, DNA repository/RNA factory), obligatorily symbiotic prokaryotes in which the protein factory and DNA repository/RNA factory cells were coupled by nanotubes and the protein factory ultimately internalized the other two. This hypothesis naturally explains many aspects of eukaryotic physiology, including the nuclear envelope being a folded single membrane repeatedly pierced by membrane-bound tubules (the nuclear pores), suggests that species analogous or homologous to eukaryotic progenitors are likely unculturable as monocultures, and makes a large number of testable predictions. REVIEWERS This article was reviewed by Purificación López-García and Toni Gabaldón.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott L Hooper
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 USA
| | - Helaine J Burstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Lois M. Douglas
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794; ,
| | - James B. Konopka
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794; ,
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Abstract
Freeze fracture depends on the property of frozen tissues or cells, when cracked open, to split along the hydrophobic interior of membranes, thus revealing broad panoramas of membrane interior. These large panoramas reveal the three-dimensional contours of membranes making the methods well suited to studying changes in membrane architecture. Freshly split membrane faces are visualized by platinum or tungsten shadowing and carbon backing to form a replica that is then cleaned of tissue and imaged by TEM. Etching, i.e., removal of ice from the frozen fractured specimen by sublimation prior to shadowing, can also reveal the true surfaces of the membrane as well as the extracellular matrix and cytoskeletal networks that contact the membranes. Since the resolution of detail in the metal replicas formed is 1-2 nm, these methods can also be used to visualize macromolecules or macromolecular assemblies either in situ or displayed on a mica surface. These methods are available for either specimens that have been chemically fixed or specimens that have been rapidly frozen without chemical intervention.
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Membrane Compartment Occupied by Can1 (MCC) and Eisosome Subdomains of the Fungal Plasma Membrane. MEMBRANES 2014; 1:394-411. [PMID: 22368779 PMCID: PMC3285718 DOI: 10.3390/membranes1040394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Studies on the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have revealed that fungal plasma membranes are organized into different subdomains. One new domain termed MCC/eisosomes consists of stable punctate patches that are distinct from lipid rafts. The MCC/eisosome domains correspond to furrows in the plasma membrane that are about 300 nm long and 50 nm deep. The MCC portion includes integral membrane proteins, such as the tetraspanners Sur7 and Nce102. The adjacent eisosome includes proteins that are peripherally associated with the membrane, including the BAR domains proteins Pil1 and Lsp1 that are thought to promote membrane curvature. Genetic analysis of the MCC/eisosome components indicates these domains broadly affect overall plasma membrane organization. The mechanisms regulating the formation of MCC/eisosomes in model organisms will be reviewed as well as the role of these plasma membrane domains in fungal pathogenesis and response to antifungal drugs.
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Lange W, Wilhelm C, Wehrmeyer W, Mörschel E. The Supramolecular Structure of Photosystem II - Phycobilisome-Complexes ofPorphyridium cruentum. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1438-8677.1990.tb00157.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Abstract
A rich and ongoing history of cell biology research has defined the major polymer systems of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. Recent studies have identified additional proteins that form filamentous structures in cells and can self-assemble into linear polymers when purified. This suggests that the eukaryotic cytoskeleton is an even more complex system than previously considered. In this essay, I examine the case for an expanded definition of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton and present a series of challenges for future work in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- James B Moseley
- Department of Biochemistry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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