1
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Mukherjee A, Andrés Jeske Y, Becam I, Taïeb A, Brooks P, Aouad J, Monguillon C, Conduit PT. γ-TuRCs and the augmin complex are required for the development of highly branched dendritic arbors in Drosophila. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261534. [PMID: 38606636 PMCID: PMC11128279 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261534] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are nucleated by γ-tubulin ring complexes (γ-TuRCs) and are essential for neuronal development. Nevertheless, γ-TuRC depletion has been reported to perturb only higher-order branching in elaborated Drosophila larval class IV dendritic arborization (da) neurons. This relatively mild phenotype has been attributed to defects in microtubule nucleation from Golgi outposts, yet most Golgi outposts lack associated γ-TuRCs. By analyzing dendritic arbor regrowth in pupae, we show that γ-TuRCs are also required for the growth and branching of primary and secondary dendrites, as well as for higher-order branching. Moreover, we identify the augmin complex (hereafter augmin), which recruits γ-TuRCs to the sides of pre-existing microtubules, as being required predominantly for higher-order branching. Augmin strongly promotes the anterograde growth of microtubules in terminal dendrites and thus terminal dendrite stability. Consistent with a specific role in higher-order branching, we find that augmin is expressed less strongly and is largely dispensable in larval class I da neurons, which exhibit few higher-order dendrites. Thus, γ-TuRCs are essential for various aspects of complex dendritic arbor development, and they appear to function in higher-order branching via the augmin pathway, which promotes the elaboration of dendritic arbors to help define neuronal morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Mukherjee
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- MRC Toxicology Unit, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Yaiza Andrés Jeske
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Isabelle Becam
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Anaelle Taïeb
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Paul Brooks
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Joanna Aouad
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | | | - Paul T. Conduit
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
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2
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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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3
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Zaferani M, Song R, Petry S, Stone HA. Building on-chip cytoskeletal circuits via branched microtubule networks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315992121. [PMID: 38232292 PMCID: PMC10823238 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315992121] [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: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Controllable platforms to engineer robust cytoskeletal scaffolds have the potential to create novel on-chip nanotechnologies. Inspired by axons, we combined the branching microtubule (MT) nucleation pathway with microfabrication to develop "cytoskeletal circuits." This active matter platform allows control over the adaptive self-organization of uniformly polarized MT arrays via geometric features of microstructures designed within a microfluidic confinement. We build and characterize basic elements, including turns and divisions, as well as complex regulatory elements, such as biased division and MT diodes, to construct various MT architectures on a chip. Our platform could be used in diverse applications, ranging from efficient on-chip molecular transport to mechanical nano-actuators. Further, cytoskeletal circuits can serve as a tool to study how the physical environment contributes to MT architecture in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meisam Zaferani
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
- Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Ryungeun Song
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Howard A. Stone
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
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4
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Scrofani J, Ruhnow F, Chew WX, Normanno D, Nedelec F, Surrey T, Vernos I. Branched microtubule nucleation and dynein transport organize RanGTP asters in Xenopus laevis egg extract. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar12. [PMID: 37991893 PMCID: PMC10881172 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-10-0407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosome segregation relies on the correct assembly of a bipolar spindle. Spindle pole self-organization requires dynein-dependent microtubule (MT) transport along other MTs. However, during M-phase RanGTP triggers MT nucleation and branching generating polarized arrays with nonastral organization in which MT minus ends are linked to the sides of other MTs. This raises the question of how branched-MT nucleation and dynein-mediated transport cooperate to organize the spindle poles. Here, we used RanGTP-dependent MT aster formation in Xenopus laevis (X. laevis) egg extract to study the interplay between these two seemingly conflicting organizing principles. Using temporally controlled perturbations of MT nucleation and dynein activity, we found that branched MTs are not static but instead dynamically redistribute over time as poles self-organize. Our experimental data together with computer simulations suggest a model where dynein together with dynactin and NuMA directly pulls and move branched MT minus ends toward other MT minus ends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Scrofani
- Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Felix Ruhnow
- Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wei-Xiang Chew
- Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Davide Normanno
- Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francois Nedelec
- Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge University, Bateman street, CB2 1LR Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas Surrey
- Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08002 Barcelona, Spain
- Institución Catalana de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados (ICREA), Pg. Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabelle Vernos
- Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08002 Barcelona, Spain
- Institución Catalana de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados (ICREA), Pg. Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
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5
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Gibson C, Jönsson H, Spelman TA. Mean-field theory approach to three-dimensional nematic phase transitions in microtubules. Phys Rev E 2023; 108:064414. [PMID: 38243538 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.108.064414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Microtubules are dynamic intracellular fibers that have been observed experimentally to undergo spontaneous self-alignment. We formulate a three-dimensional (3D) mean-field theory model to analyze the nematic phase transition of microtubules growing and interacting within a 3D space, then make a comparison with computational simulations. We identify a control parameter G_{eff} and predict a unique critical value G_{eff}=1.56 for which a phase transition can occur. Furthermore, we show both analytically and using simulations that this predicted critical value does not depend on the presence of zippering. The mean-field theory developed here provides an analytical estimate of microtubule patterning characteristics without running time-consuming simulations and is a step towards bridging scales from microtubule behavior to multicellular simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron Gibson
- Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1LR, United Kingdom
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Henrik Jönsson
- Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1LR, United Kingdom
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0WA, United Kingdom
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Tamsin A Spelman
- Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1LR, United Kingdom
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6
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Kraus J, Alfaro-Aco R, Gouveia B, Petry S. Microtubule nucleation for spindle assembly: one molecule at a time. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:761-775. [PMID: 37482516 PMCID: PMC10789498 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The cell orchestrates the dance of chromosome segregation with remarkable speed and fidelity. The mitotic spindle is built from scratch after interphase through microtubule (MT) nucleation, which is dependent on the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), the universal MT template. Although several MT nucleation pathways build the spindle framework, the question of when and how γ-TuRC is targeted to these nucleation sites in the spindle and subsequently activated remains an active area of investigation. Recent advances facilitated the discovery of new MT nucleation effectors and their mechanisms of action. In this review, we illuminate each spindle assembly pathway and subsequently consider how the pathways are merged to build a spindle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi Kraus
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | - Bernardo Gouveia
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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7
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Valdez VA, Neahring L, Petry S, Dumont S. Mechanisms underlying spindle assembly and robustness. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:523-542. [PMID: 36977834 PMCID: PMC10642710 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00584-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
The microtubule-based spindle orchestrates chromosome segregation during cell division. Following more than a century of study, many components and pathways contributing to spindle assembly have been described, but how the spindle robustly assembles remains incompletely understood. This process involves the self-organization of a large number of molecular parts - up to hundreds of thousands in vertebrate cells - whose local interactions give rise to a cellular-scale structure with emergent architecture, mechanics and function. In this Review, we discuss key concepts in our understanding of spindle assembly, focusing on recent advances and the new approaches that enabled them. We describe the pathways that generate the microtubule framework of the spindle by driving microtubule nucleation in a spatially controlled fashion and present recent insights regarding the organization of individual microtubules into structural modules. Finally, we discuss the emergent properties of the spindle that enable robust chromosome segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lila Neahring
- Department of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Graduate Program, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sabine Petry
- Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| | - Sophie Dumont
- Department of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Graduate Program, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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8
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Travis SM, Mahon BP, Huang W, Ma M, Rale MJ, Kraus J, Taylor DJ, Zhang R, Petry S. Integrated model of the vertebrate augmin complex. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2072. [PMID: 37055408 PMCID: PMC10102177 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37519-4] [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: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurate segregation of chromosomes is required to maintain genome integrity during cell division. This feat is accomplished by the microtubule-based spindle. To build a spindle rapidly and with high fidelity, cells take advantage of branching microtubule nucleation, which rapidly amplifies microtubules during cell division. Branching microtubule nucleation relies on the hetero-octameric augmin complex, but lack of structure information about augmin has hindered understanding how it promotes branching. In this work, we combine cryo-electron microscopy, protein structural prediction, and visualization of fused bulky tags via negative stain electron microscopy to identify the location and orientation of each subunit within the augmin structure. Evolutionary analysis shows that augmin's structure is highly conserved across eukaryotes, and that augmin contains a previously unidentified microtubule binding site. Thus, our findings provide insight into the mechanism of branching microtubule nucleation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie M Travis
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Brian P Mahon
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Meisheng Ma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Michael J Rale
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jodi Kraus
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Derek J Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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9
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Štimac V, Koprivec I, Manenica M, Simunić J, Tolić IM. Augmin prevents merotelic attachments by promoting proper arrangement of bridging and kinetochore fibers. eLife 2022; 11:83287. [PMID: 36269126 PMCID: PMC9640188 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The human mitotic spindle is made of microtubules nucleated at centrosomes, at kinetochores, and from pre-existing microtubules by the augmin complex. However, it is unknown how the augmin-mediated nucleation affects distinct microtubule classes and thereby mitotic fidelity. Here, we use superresolution microscopy to analyze the previously indistinguishable microtubule arrangements within the crowded metaphase plate area and demonstrate that augmin is vital for the formation of uniformly arranged parallel units consisting of sister kinetochore fibers connected by a bridging fiber. This ordered geometry helps both prevent and resolve merotelic attachments. Whereas augmin-nucleated bridging fibers prevent merotelic attachments by creating a nearly parallel and highly bundled microtubule arrangement unfavorable for creating additional attachments, augmin-nucleated k-fibers produce robust force required to resolve errors during anaphase. STED microscopy revealed that bridging fibers were impaired twice as much as k-fibers following augmin depletion. The complete absence of bridging fibers from a significant portion of kinetochore pairs, especially in the inner part of the spindle, resulted in the specific reduction of the interkinetochore distance. Taken together, we propose a model where augmin promotes mitotic fidelity by generating assemblies consisting of bridging and kinetochore fibers that align sister kinetochores to face opposite poles, thereby preventing erroneous attachments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Štimac
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Isabella Koprivec
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Martina Manenica
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Juraj Simunić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Iva M Tolić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
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10
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The augmin complex architecture reveals structural insights into microtubule branching. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5635. [PMID: 36163468 PMCID: PMC9512787 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33228-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In mitosis, the augmin complex binds to spindle microtubules to recruit the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), the principal microtubule nucleator, for the formation of branched microtubules. Our understanding of augmin-mediated microtubule branching is hampered by the lack of structural information on the augmin complex. Here, we elucidate the molecular architecture and conformational plasticity of the augmin complex using an integrative structural biology approach. The elongated structure of the augmin complex is characterised by extensive coiled-coil segments and comprises two structural elements with distinct but complementary functions in γ-TuRC and microtubule binding, linked by a flexible hinge. The augmin complex is recruited to microtubules via a composite microtubule binding site comprising a positively charged unordered extension and two calponin homology domains. Our study provides the structural basis for augmin function in branched microtubule formation, decisively fostering our understanding of spindle formation in mitosis. The formation of branched microtubule networks in mitotic spindles depends on the augmin complex. Zupa, Würtz et al. elucidate the molecular architecture and conformational plasticity of the augmin complex using integrative structural biology, providing structural insights into microtubule branching.
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11
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Inaba H, Sueki Y, Ichikawa M, Kabir AMR, Iwasaki T, Shigematsu H, Kakugo A, Sada K, Tsukazaki T, Matsuura K. Generation of stable microtubule superstructures by binding of peptide-fused tetrameric proteins to inside and outside. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabq3817. [PMID: 36070375 PMCID: PMC9451167 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq3817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Microtubules play important roles in biological functions by forming superstructures, such as doublets and branched structures, in vivo. Despite the importance, it is challenging to construct these superstructures in vitro. Here, we designed a tetrameric fluorescent protein Azami-Green (AG) fused with His-tag and Tau-derived peptide (TP), TP-AG, to generate the superstructures. Main binding sites of TP-AG can be controlled to the inside and outside of microtubules by changing the polymerization conditions. The binding of TP-AG to the inside promoted microtubule formation and generated rigid and stable microtubules. The binding of TP-AG to the outside induced various microtubule superstructures, including doublets, multiplets, branched structures, and extremely long microtubules by recruiting tubulins to microtubules. Motile microtubule aster structures were also constructed by TP-AG. The generation of various microtubule superstructures by a single type of exogenous protein is a new concept for understanding the functions of microtubules and constructing microtubule-based nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Inaba
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan
- Centre for Research on Green Sustainable Chemistry, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan
| | - Yurina Sueki
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan
| | - Muneyoshi Ichikawa
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan
| | | | - Takashi Iwasaki
- Department of Bioresources Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8553, Japan
| | | | - Akira Kakugo
- Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
- Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| | - Kazuki Sada
- Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
- Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| | - Tomoya Tsukazaki
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Kazunori Matsuura
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan
- Centre for Research on Green Sustainable Chemistry, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan
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12
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Zhang Y, Hong X, Hua S, Jiang K. Reconstitution and mechanistic dissection of the human microtubule branching machinery. J Cell Biol 2022; 221:e202109053. [PMID: 35604367 PMCID: PMC9129923 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202109053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Branching microtubule (MT) nucleation is mediated by the augmin complex and γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC). However, how these two complexes work together to promote this process remains elusive. Here, using purified components from native and recombinant sources, we demonstrate that human augmin and γ-TuRC are sufficient to reconstitute the minimal MT branching machinery, in which NEDD1 bridges between augmin holo complex and GCP3/MZT1 subcomplex of γ-TuRC. The single-molecule experiment suggests that oligomerization of augmin may activate the branching machinery. We provide direct biochemical evidence that CDK1- and PLK1-dependent phosphorylation are crucial for NEDD1 binding to augmin, for their synergistic MT-binding activities, and hence for branching MT nucleation. In addition, we unveil that NEDD1 possesses an unanticipated intrinsic affinity for MTs via its WD40 domain, which also plays a pivotal role in the branching process. In summary, our study provides a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms of branching MT nucleation in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqian Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xing Hong
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shasha Hua
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Kai Jiang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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13
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Almeida AC, Soares-de-Oliveira J, Drpic D, Cheeseman LP, Damas J, Lewin HA, Larkin DM, Aguiar P, Pereira AJ, Maiato H. Augmin-dependent microtubule self-organization drives kinetochore fiber maturation in mammals. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110610. [PMID: 35385739 PMCID: PMC8994134 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromosome segregation in mammals relies on the maturation of a thick bundle of kinetochore-attached microtubules known as k-fiber. How k-fibers mature from initial kinetochore microtubule attachments remains a fundamental question. By combining molecular perturbations and phenotypic analyses in Indian muntjac fibroblasts containing the lowest known diploid chromosome number in mammals (2N = 6) and distinctively large kinetochores, with fixed/live-cell super-resolution coherent-hybrid stimulated emission depletion (CH-STED) nanoscopy and laser microsurgery, we demonstrate a key role for augmin in kinetochore microtubule self-organization and maturation, regardless of pioneer centrosomal microtubules. In doing so, augmin promotes kinetochore and interpolar microtubule turnover and poleward flux. Tracking of microtubule growth events within individual k-fibers reveals a wide angular dispersion, consistent with augmin-mediated branched microtubule nucleation. Augmin depletion reduces the frequency of kinetochore microtubule growth events and hampers efficient repair after acute k-fiber injury by laser microsurgery. Together, these findings underscore the contribution of augmin-mediated microtubule amplification for k-fiber self-organization and maturation in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C Almeida
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Soares-de-Oliveira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Danica Drpic
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Liam P Cheeseman
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Damas
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London NW1 0TU, UK; Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Harris A Lewin
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Denis M Larkin
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London NW1 0TU, UK
| | - Paulo Aguiar
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Instituto Nacional de Engenharia Biomédica (INEB), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - António J Pereira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Helder Maiato
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Cell Division Group, Department of Biomedicine, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
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14
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Verma V, Maresca TJ. A celebration of the 25th anniversary of chromatin-mediated spindle assembly. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:rt1. [PMID: 35076260 PMCID: PMC9236140 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e21-08-0400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Formation of a bipolar spindle is required for the faithful segregation of chromosomes during cell division. Twenty-five years ago, a transformative insight into how bipolarity is achieved was provided by Rebecca Heald, Eric Karsenti, and colleagues in their landmark publication characterizing a chromatin-mediated spindle assembly pathway in which centrosomes and kinetochores were dispensable. The discovery revealed that bipolar spindle assembly is a self-organizing process where microtubules, which possess an intrinsic polarity, polymerize around chromatin and become sorted by mitotic motors into a bipolar structure. On the 25th anniversary of this seminal paper, we discuss what was known before, what we have learned since, and what may lie ahead in understanding the bipolar spindle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikash Verma
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Thomas J Maresca
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003.,Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
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15
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Safari MS, King MR, Brangwynne CP, Petry S. Interaction of spindle assembly factor TPX2 with importins-α/β inhibits protein phase separation. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:100998. [PMID: 34302807 PMCID: PMC8390506 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The microtubule-based mitotic spindle is responsible for equally partitioning the genome during each cell division, and its assembly is executed via several microtubule nucleation pathways. Targeting Protein for XKlp2 (TPX2) stimulates the branching microtubule nucleation pathway, where new microtubules are nucleated from preexisting ones within mitotic or meiotic spindles. TPX2, like other spindle assembly factors, is sequestered by binding to nuclear importins-α/β until the onset of mitosis, yet the molecular nature of this regulation remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that TPX2 interacts with importins-α/β with nanomolar affinity in a 1:1:1 monodispersed trimer. We also identify a new nuclear localization sequence in TPX2 that contributes to its high-affinity interaction with importin-α. In addition, we establish that TPX2 interacts with importin-β via dispersed, weak interactions. We show that interactions of both importin-α and -β with TPX2 inhibit its ability to undergo phase separation, which was recently shown to enhance the kinetics of branching microtubule nucleation. In summary, our study informs how importins regulate TPX2 to facilitate spindle assembly, and provides novel insight into the functional regulation of protein phase separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad S Safari
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Matthew R King
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Clifford P Brangwynne
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
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16
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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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17
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Ferreira LT, Maiato H. Prometaphase. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 117:52-61. [PMID: 34127384 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The establishment of a metaphase plate in which all chromosomes are attached to mitotic spindle microtubules and aligned at the cell equator is required for faithful chromosome segregation in metazoans. The achievement of this configuration relies on the precise coordination between several concurrent mechanisms that start upon nuclear envelope breakdown, mediate chromosome capture at their kinetochores during mitotic spindle assembly and culminate with the congression of all chromosomes to the spindle equator. This period is called 'prometaphase'. Because the nature of chromosome capture by mitotic spindle microtubules is error prone, the cell is provided of error correction mechanisms that sense and correct most erroneous kinetochore-microtubule attachments before committing to separate sister chromatids in anaphase. In this review, aimed for newcomers in the field, more than providing an exhaustive mechanistic coverage of each and every concurrent mechanism taking place during prometaphase, we provide an integrative overview of these processes that ultimately promote the subsequent faithful segregation of chromosomes during mitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luísa T Ferreira
- Chromosome Instability & Dynamics Group, i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Helder Maiato
- Chromosome Instability & Dynamics Group, i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Cell Division Group, Experimental Biology Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
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18
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Barisic M, Rajendraprasad G, Steblyanko Y. The metaphase spindle at steady state - Mechanism and functions of microtubule poleward flux. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 117:99-117. [PMID: 34053864 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The mitotic spindle is a bipolar cellular structure, built from tubulin polymers, called microtubules, and interacting proteins. This macromolecular machine orchestrates chromosome segregation, thereby ensuring accurate distribution of genetic material into the two daughter cells during cell division. Powered by GTP hydrolysis upon tubulin polymerization, the microtubule ends exhibit a metastable behavior known as the dynamic instability, during which they stochastically switch between the growth and shrinkage phases. In the context of the mitotic spindle, dynamic instability is furthermore regulated by microtubule-associated proteins and motor proteins, which enables the spindle to undergo profound changes during mitosis. This highly dynamic behavior is essential for chromosome capture and congression in prometaphase, as well as for chromosome alignment to the spindle equator in metaphase and their segregation in anaphase. In this review we focus on the mechanisms underlying microtubule dynamics and sliding and their importance for the maintenance of shape, structure and dynamics of the metaphase spindle. We discuss how these spindle properties are related to the phenomenon of microtubule poleward flux, highlighting its highly cooperative molecular basis and role in keeping the metaphase spindle at a steady state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marin Barisic
- Cell Division and Cytoskeleton, Danish Cancer Society Research Center (DCRC), Strandboulevarden 49, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Girish Rajendraprasad
- Cell Division and Cytoskeleton, Danish Cancer Society Research Center (DCRC), Strandboulevarden 49, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yulia Steblyanko
- Cell Division and Cytoskeleton, Danish Cancer Society Research Center (DCRC), Strandboulevarden 49, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
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19
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Théry M, Blanchoin L. Microtubule self-repair. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2020; 68:144-154. [PMID: 33217636 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2020.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The stochastic switching between microtubule growth and shrinkage is a fascinating and unique process in the regulation of the cytoskeleton. To understand it, almost all attention has been focused on the microtubule ends. However, recent research has revived the idea that tubulin dimers can also be exchanged in protofilaments along the microtubule shaft, thus repairing the microtubule and protecting it from disassembly. Here, we review the research describing this phenomenon, the mechanisms regulating the removal and insertion of tubulin dimers, as well as the potential implications for key functions of the microtubule network, such as intracellular transport and cell polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Théry
- University of Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, CNRS, INRA, Interdisciplinary Research Institute of Grenoble, Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire & Végétale, CytoMorpho Lab, Grenoble, 38054, France; University of Paris, INSERM, CEA, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis, U976, HIPI, CytoMorpho Lab, Paris, 75010, France.
| | - Laurent Blanchoin
- University of Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, CNRS, INRA, Interdisciplinary Research Institute of Grenoble, Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire & Végétale, CytoMorpho Lab, Grenoble, 38054, France; University of Paris, INSERM, CEA, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis, U976, HIPI, CytoMorpho Lab, Paris, 75010, France.
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20
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Liu P, Würtz M, Zupa E, Pfeffer S, Schiebel E. Microtubule nucleation: The waltz between γ-tubulin ring complex and associated proteins. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2020; 68:124-131. [PMID: 33190097 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2020.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Microtubules are essential cytoskeletal elements assembled from αβ-tubulin dimers. In high eukaryotes, microtubule nucleation, the de novo assembly of a microtubule from its minus end, is initiated by the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC). Despite many years of research, the structural and mechanistic principles of the microtubule nucleation machinery remained poorly understood. Only recently, cryoelectron microscopy studies uncovered the molecular organization and potential activation mechanisms of γ-TuRC. In vitro assays further deciphered the spatial and temporal cooperation between γ-TuRC and additional factors, for example, the augmin complex, the phase separation protein TPX2, and the microtubule polymerase XMAP215. These breakthroughs deepen our understanding of microtubule nucleation mechanisms and will link the assembly of individual microtubules to the organization of cellular microtubule networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Liu
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Martin Würtz
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Erik Zupa
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Pfeffer
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elmar Schiebel
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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21
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A Pushing Mechanism for Microtubule Aster Positioning in a Large Cell Type. Cell Rep 2020; 33:108213. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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22
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Alfaro-Aco R, Thawani A, Petry S. Biochemical reconstitution of branching microtubule nucleation. eLife 2020; 9:e49797. [PMID: 31933480 PMCID: PMC6959992 DOI: 10.7554/elife.49797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are nucleated from specific locations at precise times in the cell cycle. However, the factors that constitute these microtubule nucleation pathways and their mode of action still need to be identified. Using purified Xenopus laevis proteins we biochemically reconstitute branching microtubule nucleation, which is critical for chromosome segregation. We found that besides the microtubule nucleator gamma-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), the branching effectors augmin and TPX2 are required to efficiently nucleate microtubules from pre-existing microtubules. TPX2 has the unexpected capacity to directly recruit γ-TuRC as well as augmin, which in turn targets more γ-TuRC along the microtubule lattice. TPX2 and augmin enable γ-TuRC-dependent microtubule nucleation at preferred branching angles of less than 90 degrees from regularly-spaced patches along microtubules. This work provides a blueprint for other microtubule nucleation pathways and helps explain how microtubules are generated in the spindle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Akanksha Thawani
- Department of Chemical and Biological EngineeringPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
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23
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Alfaro-Aco R, Thawani A, Petry S. Biochemical reconstitution of branching microtubule nucleation. eLife 2020. [PMID: 31933480 DOI: 10.1101/700047v1.full] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are nucleated from specific locations at precise times in the cell cycle. However, the factors that constitute these microtubule nucleation pathways and their mode of action still need to be identified. Using purified Xenopus laevis proteins we biochemically reconstitute branching microtubule nucleation, which is critical for chromosome segregation. We found that besides the microtubule nucleator gamma-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), the branching effectors augmin and TPX2 are required to efficiently nucleate microtubules from pre-existing microtubules. TPX2 has the unexpected capacity to directly recruit γ-TuRC as well as augmin, which in turn targets more γ-TuRC along the microtubule lattice. TPX2 and augmin enable γ-TuRC-dependent microtubule nucleation at preferred branching angles of less than 90 degrees from regularly-spaced patches along microtubules. This work provides a blueprint for other microtubule nucleation pathways and helps explain how microtubules are generated in the spindle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymundo Alfaro-Aco
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
| | - Akanksha Thawani
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
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24
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Tariq A, Green L, Jeynes JCG, Soeller C, Wakefield JG. In vitro reconstitution of branching microtubule nucleation. eLife 2020; 9:49769. [PMID: 31933481 PMCID: PMC6959987 DOI: 10.7554/elife.49769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cell division requires the mitotic spindle, a microtubule (MT)-based structure which accurately aligns and segregates duplicated chromosomes. The dynamics of spindle formation are determined primarily by correctly localising the MT nucleator, γ-Tubulin Ring Complex (γ-TuRC), within the cell. A conserved MT-associated protein complex, Augmin, recruits γ-TuRC to pre-existing spindle MTs, amplifying their number, in an essential cellular phenomenon termed ‘branching’ MT nucleation. Here, we purify endogenous, GFP-tagged Augmin and γ-TuRC from Drosophila embryos to near homogeneity using a novel one-step affinity technique. We demonstrate that, in vitro, while Augmin alone does not affect Tubulin polymerisation dynamics, it stimulates γ-TuRC-dependent MT nucleation in a cell cycle-dependent manner. We also assemble and visualise the MT-Augmin-γ-TuRC-MT junction using light microscopy. Our work therefore conclusively reconstitutes branching MT nucleation. It also provides a powerful synthetic approach with which to investigate the emergence of cellular phenomena, such as mitotic spindle formation, from component parts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ammarah Tariq
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Lucy Green
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | | | - Christian Soeller
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - James G Wakefield
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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25
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Hahn I, Voelzmann A, Liew YT, Costa-Gomes B, Prokop A. The model of local axon homeostasis - explaining the role and regulation of microtubule bundles in axon maintenance and pathology. Neural Dev 2019; 14:11. [PMID: 31706327 PMCID: PMC6842214 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-019-0134-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Axons are the slender, cable-like, up to meter-long projections of neurons that electrically wire our brains and bodies. In spite of their challenging morphology, they usually need to be maintained for an organism's lifetime. This makes them key lesion sites in pathological processes of ageing, injury and neurodegeneration. The morphology and physiology of axons crucially depends on the parallel bundles of microtubules (MTs), running all along to serve as their structural backbones and highways for life-sustaining cargo transport and organelle dynamics. Understanding how these bundles are formed and then maintained will provide important explanations for axon biology and pathology. Currently, much is known about MTs and the proteins that bind and regulate them, but very little about how these factors functionally integrate to regulate axon biology. As an attempt to bridge between molecular mechanisms and their cellular relevance, we explain here the model of local axon homeostasis, based on our own experiments in Drosophila and published data primarily from vertebrates/mammals as well as C. elegans. The model proposes that (1) the physical forces imposed by motor protein-driven transport and dynamics in the confined axonal space, are a life-sustaining necessity, but pose a strong bias for MT bundles to become disorganised. (2) To counterbalance this risk, MT-binding and -regulating proteins of different classes work together to maintain and protect MT bundles as necessary transport highways. Loss of balance between these two fundamental processes can explain the development of axonopathies, in particular those linking to MT-regulating proteins, motors and transport defects. With this perspective in mind, we hope that more researchers incorporate MTs into their work, thus enhancing our chances of deciphering the complex regulatory networks that underpin axon biology and pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Hahn
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, School of Biology, Manchester, UK
| | - André Voelzmann
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, School of Biology, Manchester, UK
| | - Yu-Ting Liew
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, School of Biology, Manchester, UK
| | - Beatriz Costa-Gomes
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, School of Biology, Manchester, UK
| | - Andreas Prokop
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, School of Biology, Manchester, UK.
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