1
|
Serre JM, Slabodnick MM, Goldstein B, Hardin J. SRGP-1/srGAP and AFD-1/afadin stabilize HMP-1/⍺-catenin at rosettes to seal internalization sites following gastrulation in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010507. [PMID: 36867663 PMCID: PMC10016700 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of gastrulation is the establishment of germ layers by internalization of cells initially on the exterior. In C. elegans the end of gastrulation is marked by the closure of the ventral cleft, a structure formed as cells internalize during gastrulation, and the subsequent rearrangement of adjacent neuroblasts that remain on the surface. We found that a nonsense allele of srgp-1/srGAP leads to 10-15% cleft closure failure. Deletion of the SRGP-1/srGAP C-terminal domain led to a comparable rate of cleft closure failure, whereas deletion of the N-terminal F-BAR region resulted in milder defects. Loss of the SRGP-1/srGAP C-terminus or F-BAR domain results in defects in rosette formation and defective clustering of HMP-1/⍺-catenin in surface cells during cleft closure. A mutant form of HMP-1/⍺-catenin with an open M domain can suppress cleft closure defects in srgp-1 mutant backgrounds, suggesting that this mutation acts as a gain-of-function allele. Since SRGP-1 binding to HMP-1/⍺-catenin is not favored in this case, we sought another HMP-1 interactor that might be recruited when HMP-1/⍺-catenin is constitutively open. A good candidate is AFD-1/afadin, which genetically interacts with cadherin-based adhesion later during embryonic elongation. AFD-1/afadin is prominently expressed at the vertex of neuroblast rosettes in wildtype, and depletion of AFD-1/afadin increases cleft closure defects in srgp-1/srGAP and hmp-1R551/554A/⍺-catenin backgrounds. We propose that SRGP-1/srGAP promotes nascent junction formation in rosettes; as junctions mature and sustain higher levels of tension, the M domain of HMP-1/⍺-catenin opens, allowing maturing junctions to transition from recruitment of SRGP-1/srGAP to AFD-1/afadin. Our work identifies new roles for ⍺-catenin interactors during a process crucial to metazoan development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joel M. Serre
- Program in Genetics University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Mark M. Slabodnick
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Knox University, Galesburg, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Bob Goldstein
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jeff Hardin
- Program in Genetics University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhang P, Chen J, Wang X, Geng Y, Sun L, Zhang H. The centralspindlin complex regulates cytokinesis and morphogenesis in the C. elegans spermatheca. Development 2023; 150:286720. [PMID: 36661358 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Organ morphogenesis needs orchestration of a series of cellular events, including cell division, cell shape change, cell rearrangement and cell death. Cytokinesis, the final step of cell division, is involved in the control of organ size, shape and function. Mechanistically, it is unclear how the molecules involved in cytokinesis regulate organ size and shape. Here, we demonstrate that the centralspindlin complex coordinates cell division and epithelial morphogenesis by regulating cytokinesis. Loss of the centralspindlin components CYK-4 and ZEN-4 disrupts cell division, resulting in altered cell arrangement and malformation of the Caenorhabditis elegans spermatheca. Further investigation revealed that most spermathecal cells undergo nuclear division without completion of cytokinesis. Germline mutant-based analyses suggest that CYK-4 regulates cytokinesis of spermathecal cells in a GTPase activator activity-independent manner. Spermathecal morphology defects can be enhanced by double knockdown of rho-1 and cyk-4, and partially suppressed by double knockdown of cdc-42 and cyk-4. Thus, the centralspindlin components CYK-4 and ZEN-4, together with RHO-1 and CDC-42, are central players of a signaling network that guides spermathecal morphogenesis by enabling completion of cytokinesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pei Zhang
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
| | - Jiwei Chen
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
| | - Xiangchuan Wang
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
| | - Yingchao Geng
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
| | - Liangyu Sun
- Biological Imaging and Stem Cell Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
| | - Hongjie Zhang
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sadeghian F, Ibrahim I, Ravichandran L, Henderson G, Acharya A, Wang L, Lee M, Cram EJ. An integrin binding motif in TLN-1/talin plays a minor role in motility and ovulation. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000726. [PMID: 36685729 PMCID: PMC9850256 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
TLN-1/talin is a conserved focal adhesion protein that forms part of the linkage between the cytoplasmic tail of integrin and the actin cytoskeleton. In C. elegans , TLN-1 is expressed strongly in striated muscle and the gonadal sheath cells. Here, we report that a CRISPR-generated TLN-1 allele TLN-1(W387A), predicted to affect binding of talin to integrins, results in mild phenotypes, including motility defects and ovulation defects. The arrangement of the actin cytoskeleton in the body wall muscles, spermatheca, and sheath appears identical in wild type and TLN-1(W387A) animals. This analysis suggests that W387 in TLN-1 does not have a major effect on the binding of talin to integrin in vivo .
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Myeongwoo Lee
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Erin J. Cram
- Northeastern University, Department of Biology, Boston, MA, USA
,
Correspondence to: Erin J. Cram (
)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Avivi Kela S, Sethi K, Tan PY, Suresh D, Ong HT, Castaneda PG, Amin MR, Laviv T, Cram EJ, Faix J, Zaidel-Bar R. Tension-dependent RHGF-1 recruitment to stress fibers drives robust spermathecal tissue contraction. J Cell Biol 2022; 222:213784. [PMID: 36574264 PMCID: PMC9798103 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202203105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Contractile epithelial tubes are found in various organs, such as lung airways and blood capillaries. Their ability to sense luminal pressure and respond with adequate contractility is essential for their physiology, and its mis-regulation results in diseases such as asthma and hypertension. Here, we describe a mechanoresponsive regulatory pathway downstream of tissue stretching that controls contraction of the C. elegans spermatheca, a tubular structure where fertilization occurs. Using live-imaging, we show that ovulation-induced stretching of spermathecal cells leads to recruitment of the RhoGEF RHGF-1 to stress fibers, which activates RHO-1 and myosin II in a positive feedback loop. Through deletion analysis, we identified the PDZ domain of RHGF-1 as responsible for F-actin binding, and genetic epistasis analysis with the RhoGAP spv-1 demonstrated that tension-dependent recruitment of RHGF-1 to F-actin is required for robust spermathecal contractility. Our study illustrates how mechanosensitive regulators of Rho GTPases provide epithelial tubes the ability to tune their contractility in response to internal pressure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shiri Avivi Kela
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Kriti Sethi
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pei Yi Tan
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Danesha Suresh
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hui Ting Ong
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Mustafi R. Amin
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tal Laviv
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Erin J. Cram
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jan Faix
- Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ronen Zaidel-Bar
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel,Correspondence to Ronen Zaidel-Bar:
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Castaneda PG, Wu N, Qiu Z, Lee M, Cram EJ. ZYX-1/Zyxin plays a minor role in oocyte transit through the spermatheca in C. elegans. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2021; 2021:10.17912/micropub.biology.000489. [PMID: 34703987 PMCID: PMC8531952 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
In C. elegans, oocytes are ovulated into the spermatheca, where they are fertilized before being pushed into the uterus. Contraction in the C. elegans spermatheca is driven by circumferential acto-myosin fibers. The C. elegans zyxin homolog, zyx-1, is expressed in the body wall muscle, pharynx and spermatheca. To our surprise, a CRISPR-generated zyx-1 deletion allele results in no overt developmental phenotypes, and the spermathecal actin cytoskeleton appears wild type, however, oocyte transit through the spermatheca is slower than in wild type animals. This suggests ZYX-1/Zyxin may regulate spermathecal contraction magnitude or timing of spermathecal bag contraction and/or spermathecal-uterine valve dilation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nan Wu
- Northeastern University, Department of Bioengineering, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Myeongwoo Lee
- Baylor University, Department of Biology, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Erin J. Cram
- Northeastern University, Department of Biology, Boston, MA, USA,
Correspondence to: Erin J. Cram ()
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Imaging of Actin Cytoskeleton in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34542852 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1661-1_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is one of the major model organisms in cell and developmental biology. This organism is easy to culture in laboratories and suitable for microscopic investigation of the cytoskeleton. Because the worms are small and transparent, the actin cytoskeleton in many tissues and cells can be observed with appropriate visualization techniques without sectioning or dissection. This chapter describes the introduction to representative methods for imaging the actin cytoskeleton in C. elegans and a protocol for staining worms with fluorescent phalloidin.
Collapse
|
7
|
Kelley CA, Triplett O, Mallick S, Burkewitz K, Mair WB, Cram EJ. FLN-1/filamin is required to anchor the actomyosin cytoskeleton and for global organization of sub-cellular organelles in a contractile tissue. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2020; 77:379-398. [PMID: 32969593 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Actomyosin networks are organized in space, direction, size, and connectivity to produce coordinated contractions across cells. We use the C. elegans spermatheca, a tube composed of contractile myoepithelial cells, to study how actomyosin structures are organized. FLN-1/filamin is required for the formation and stabilization of a regular array of parallel, contractile, actomyosin fibers in this tissue. Loss of fln-1 results in the detachment of actin fibers from the basal surface, which then accumulate along the cell junctions and are stabilized by spectrin. In addition, actin and myosin are captured at the nucleus by the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton complex (LINC) complex, where they form large foci. Nuclear positioning and morphology, distribution of the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondrial network are also disrupted. These results demonstrate that filamin is required to prevent large actin bundle formation and detachment, to prevent excess nuclear localization of actin and myosin, and to ensure correct positioning of organelles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte A Kelley
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Olivia Triplett
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Samyukta Mallick
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kristopher Burkewitz
- Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - William B Mair
- Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Erin J Cram
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Cellular Expression and Functional Roles of All 26 Neurotransmitter GPCRs in the C. elegans Egg-Laying Circuit. J Neurosci 2020; 40:7475-7488. [PMID: 32847964 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1357-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Maps of the synapses made and neurotransmitters released by all neurons in model systems, such as Caenorhabditis elegans have left still unresolved how neural circuits integrate and respond to neurotransmitter signals. Using the egg-laying circuit of C. elegans as a model, we mapped which cells express each of the 26 neurotransmitter GPCRs of this organism and also genetically analyzed the functions of all 26 GPCRs. We found that individual neurons express many distinct receptors, epithelial cells often express neurotransmitter receptors, and receptors are often positioned to receive extrasynaptic signals. Receptor knockouts reveal few egg-laying defects under standard laboratory conditions, suggesting that the receptors function redundantly or regulate egg-laying only in specific conditions; however, increasing receptor signaling through overexpression more efficiently reveals receptor functions. This map of neurotransmitter GPCR expression and function in the egg-laying circuit provides a model for understanding GPCR signaling in other neural circuits.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neurotransmitters signal through GPCRs to modulate activity of neurons, and changes in such signaling can underlie conditions such as depression and Parkinson's disease. To determine how neurotransmitter GPCRs together help regulate function of a neural circuit, we analyzed the simple egg-laying circuit in the model organism C. elegans We identified all the cells that express every neurotransmitter GPCR and genetically analyzed how each GPCR affects the behavior the circuit produces. We found that many neurotransmitter GPCRs are expressed in each neuron, that neurons also appear to use these receptors to communicate with other cell types, and that GPCRs appear to often act redundantly or only under specific conditions to regulate circuit function.
Collapse
|
9
|
Castaneda PG, Cecchetelli AD, Pettit HN, Cram EJ. Gα/GSA-1 works upstream of PKA/KIN-1 to regulate calcium signaling and contractility in the Caenorhabditis elegans spermatheca. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008644. [PMID: 32776941 PMCID: PMC7444582 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Correct regulation of cell contractility is critical for the function of many biological systems. The reproductive system of the hermaphroditic nematode C. elegans contains a contractile tube of myoepithelial cells known as the spermatheca, which stores sperm and is the site of oocyte fertilization. Regulated contraction of the spermatheca pushes the embryo into the uterus. Cell contractility in the spermatheca is dependent on actin and myosin and is regulated, in part, by Ca2+ signaling through the phospholipase PLC-1, which mediates Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum. Here, we describe a novel role for GSA-1/Gαs, and protein kinase A, composed of the catalytic subunit KIN-1/PKA-C and the regulatory subunit KIN-2/PKA-R, in the regulation of Ca2+ release and contractility in the C. elegans spermatheca. Without GSA-1/Gαs or KIN-1/PKA-C, Ca2+ is not released, and oocytes become trapped in the spermatheca. Conversely, when PKA is activated through either a gain of function allele in GSA-1 (GSA-1(GF)) or by depletion of KIN-2/PKA-R, the transit times and total numbers, although not frequencies, of Ca2+ pulses are increased, and Ca2+ propagates across the spermatheca even in the absence of oocyte entry. In the spermathecal-uterine valve, loss of GSA-1/Gαs or KIN-1/PKA-C results in sustained, high levels of Ca2+ and a loss of coordination between the spermathecal bag and sp-ut valve. Additionally, we show that depleting phosphodiesterase PDE-6 levels alters contractility and Ca2+ dynamics in the spermatheca, and that the GPB-1 and GPB-2 Gβ subunits play a central role in regulating spermathecal contractility and Ca2+ signaling. This work identifies a signaling network in which Ca2+ and cAMP pathways work together to coordinate spermathecal contractions for successful ovulations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Perla G. Castaneda
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Hannah N. Pettit
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Erin J. Cram
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kelley CA, De Henau S, Bell L, Dansen TB, Cram EJ. Redox signaling modulates Rho activity and tissue contractility in the Caenorhabditis elegans spermatheca. Mol Biol Cell 2020; 31:1486-1497. [PMID: 32374641 PMCID: PMC7359568 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e20-04-0236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Actomyosin-based contractility in smooth muscle and nonmuscle cells is regulated by signaling through the small GTPase Rho and by calcium-activated pathways. We use the myoepithelial cells of the Caenorhabditis elegans spermatheca to study the mechanisms of coordinated myosin activation in vivo. Here, we show that redox signaling modulates RHO-1/Rho activity in this contractile tissue. Exogenously added as well as endogenously generated hydrogen peroxide decreases spermathecal contractility by inhibition of RHO-1, which depends on a conserved cysteine in its nucleotide binding site (C20). Further, we identify an endogenous gradient of H2O2 across the spermathecal tissue, which depends on the activity of cytosolic superoxide dismutase, SOD-1. Collectively, we show that SOD-1-mediated H2O2 production regulates the redox environment and fine tunes Rho activity across the spermatheca through oxidation of RHO-1 C20.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sasha De Henau
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Molecular Cancer Research Section, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Liam Bell
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Tobias B Dansen
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Molecular Cancer Research Section, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Erin J Cram
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Abstract
Cell and tissue shape changes are the fundamental elements of morphogenesis that drive normal development of embryos into fully functional organisms. This requires a variety of cellular processes including establishment and maintenance of polarity, tissue growth and apoptosis, and cell differentiation, rearrangement, and migration. It is widely appreciated that the cytoskeletal networks play an important role in regulating many of these processes and, in particular, that pulsed actomyosin contractions are a core cellular mechanism driving cell shape changes and cell rearrangement. In this review, we discuss the role of pulsed actomyosin contractions during developmental morphogenesis, advances in our understanding of the mechanisms regulating actomyosin pulsing, and novel techniques to probe the role of pulsed actomyosin processes in
in vivo model systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ann Sutherland
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Alyssa Lesko
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Osório DS, Chan FY, Saramago J, Leite J, Silva AM, Sobral AF, Gassmann R, Carvalho AX. Crosslinking activity of non-muscle myosin II is not sufficient for embryonic cytokinesis in C. elegans. Development 2019; 146:dev.179150. [PMID: 31582415 PMCID: PMC6857588 DOI: 10.1242/dev.179150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Cytokinesis in animal cells requires the assembly and constriction of a contractile actomyosin ring. Non-muscle myosin II is essential for cytokinesis, but the role of its motor activity remains unclear. Here, we examine cytokinesis in C. elegans embryos expressing non-muscle myosin motor mutants generated by genome editing. Two non-muscle motor-dead myosins capable of binding F-actin do not support cytokinesis in the one-cell embryo, and two partially motor-impaired myosins delay cytokinesis and render rings more sensitive to reduced myosin levels. Further analysis of myosin mutants suggests that it is myosin motor activity, and not the ability of myosin to crosslink F-actin, that drives the alignment and compaction of F-actin bundles during contractile ring assembly, and that myosin motor activity sets the pace of contractile ring constriction. We conclude that myosin motor activity is required at all stages of cytokinesis. Finally, characterization of the corresponding motor mutations in C. elegans major muscle myosin shows that motor activity is required for muscle contraction but is dispensable for F-actin organization in adult muscles. This article has an associated ‘The people behind the papers’ interview. Highlighted Article: The motor activity of non-muscle myosin II is essential for cytokinesis and contributes to all stages of the process in C. elegans embryos.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel S Osório
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal .,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Fung-Yi Chan
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Saramago
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Leite
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana M Silva
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana F Sobral
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Reto Gassmann
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Xavier Carvalho
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal .,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Bouffard J, Cecchetelli AD, Clifford C, Sethi K, Zaidel-Bar R, Cram EJ. The RhoGAP SPV-1 regulates calcium signaling to control the contractility of the Caenorhabditis elegans spermatheca during embryo transits. Mol Biol Cell 2019; 30:907-922. [PMID: 30726159 PMCID: PMC6589790 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e18-10-0633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Contractility of the nonmuscle and smooth muscle cells that comprise biological tubing is regulated by the Rho-ROCK (Rho-associated protein kinase) and calcium signaling pathways. Although many molecular details about these signaling pathways are known, less is known about how they are coordinated spatiotemporally in biological tubes. The spermatheca of the Caenorhabditis elegans reproductive system enables study of the signaling pathways regulating actomyosin contractility in live adult animals. The RhoGAP (GTPase--activating protein toward Rho family small GTPases) SPV-1 was previously identified as a negative regulator of RHO-1/Rho and spermathecal contractility. Here, we uncover a role for SPV-1 as a key regulator of calcium signaling. spv-1 mutants expressing the calcium indicator GCaMP in the spermatheca exhibit premature calcium release, elevated calcium levels, and disrupted spatial regulation of calcium signaling during spermathecal contraction. Although RHO-1 is required for spermathecal contractility, RHO-1 does not play a significant role in regulating calcium. In contrast, activation of CDC-42 recapitulates many aspects of spv-1 mutant calcium signaling. Depletion of cdc-42 by RNA interference does not suppress the premature or elevated calcium signal seen in spv-1 mutants, suggesting other targets remain to be identified. Our results suggest that SPV-1 works through both the Rho-ROCK and calcium signaling pathways to coordinate cellular contractility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Bouffard
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02143
| | | | - Coleman Clifford
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02143
| | - Kriti Sethi
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
| | - Ronen Zaidel-Bar
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Erin J. Cram
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02143
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Regulation of Actin Dynamics in the C. elegans Somatic Gonad. J Dev Biol 2019; 7:jdb7010006. [PMID: 30897735 PMCID: PMC6473838 DOI: 10.3390/jdb7010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproductive system of the hermaphroditic nematode C. elegans consists of a series of contractile cell types—including the gonadal sheath cells, the spermathecal cells and the spermatheca–uterine valve—that contract in a coordinated manner to regulate oocyte entry and exit of the fertilized embryo into the uterus. Contraction is driven by acto-myosin contraction and relies on the development and maintenance of specialized acto-myosin networks in each cell type. Study of this system has revealed insights into the regulation of acto-myosin network assembly and contractility in vivo.
Collapse
|
15
|
Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Marie Weaver
- Surgery, Bioengineering and Tissue Regeneration, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Agarwal P, Zaidel-Bar R. Principles of Actomyosin Regulation In Vivo. Trends Cell Biol 2018; 29:150-163. [PMID: 30385150 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2018.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 09/22/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The actomyosin cytoskeleton is responsible for most force-driven processes in cells and tissues. How it assembles into the necessary structures at the right time and place is an important question. Here, we focus on molecular mechanisms of actomyosin regulation recently elucidated in animal models, and highlight several common principles that emerge. The architecture of the actomyosin network - an important determinant of its function - results from actin polymerization, crosslinking and turnover, localized myosin activation, and contractility-driven self-organization. Spatiotemporal regulation is achieved by tissue-specific expression and subcellular localization of Rho GTPase regulators. Subcellular anchor points of actomyosin structures control the outcome of their contraction, and molecular feedback mechanisms dictate whether they are transient, cyclic, or persistent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Priti Agarwal
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ronen Zaidel-Bar
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Yevick HG, Martin AC. Quantitative analysis of cell shape and the cytoskeleton in developmental biology. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2018; 7:e333. [PMID: 30168893 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Computational approaches that enable quantification of microscopy data have revolutionized the field of developmental biology. Due to its inherent complexity, elucidating mechanisms of development requires sophisticated analysis of the structure, shape, and kinetics of cellular processes. This need has prompted the creation of numerous techniques to visualize, quantify, and merge microscopy data. These approaches have defined the order and structure of developmental events, thus, providing insight into the mechanisms that drive them. This review describes current computational approaches that are being used to answer developmental questions related to morphogenesis and describe how these approaches have impacted the field. Our intent is not to comprehensively review techniques, but to highlight examples of how different approaches have impacted our understanding of development. Specifically, we focus on methods to quantify cell shape and cytoskeleton structure and dynamics in developing tissues. Finally, we speculate on where the future of computational analysis in developmental biology might be headed. This article is categorized under: Technologies > Analysis of Cell, Tissue, and Animal Phenotypes Early Embryonic Development > Gastrulation and Neurulation Early Embryonic Development > Development to the Basic Body Plan.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah G Yevick
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Adam C Martin
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Wirshing ACE, Cram EJ. Spectrin regulates cell contractility through production and maintenance of actin bundles in the Caenorhabditis elegans spermatheca. Mol Biol Cell 2018; 29:2433-2449. [PMID: 30091661 PMCID: PMC6233056 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e18-06-0347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Disruption to the contractility of cells, including smooth muscle cells of the cardiovascular system and myoepithelial cells of the glandular epithelium, contributes to the pathophysiology of contractile tissue diseases, including asthma, hypertension, and primary Sjögren's syndrome. Cell contractility is determined by myosin activity and actomyosin network organization and is mediated by hundreds of protein-protein interactions, many directly involving actin. Here we use a candidate RNA interference screen of more than 100 Caenorhabditis elegans genes with predicted actin-binding and regulatory domains to identify genes that contribute to the contractility of the somatic gonad. We identify the spectrin cytoskeleton composed of SPC-1/α-spectrin, UNC-70/β-spectrin, and SMA-1/β heavy-spectrin as required for contractility and actin organization in the myoepithelial cells of the C. elegans spermatheca. We use imaging of fixed and live animals as well as tissue- and developmental-stage-specific disruption of the spectrin cytoskeleton to show that spectrin regulates the production of prominent central actin bundles and is required for maintenance of central actin bundles throughout successive rounds of stretch and contraction. We conclude that the spectrin cytoskeleton contributes to spermathecal contractility by promoting maintenance of the robust actomyosin bundles that drive contraction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Erin J Cram
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Kelley CA, Wirshing ACE, Zaidel-Bar R, Cram EJ. The myosin light-chain kinase MLCK-1 relocalizes during Caenorhabditis elegans ovulation to promote actomyosin bundle assembly and drive contraction. Mol Biol Cell 2018; 29:1975-1991. [PMID: 30088798 PMCID: PMC6232974 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e18-01-0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
We identify the Caenorhabditis elegans myosin light-chain kinase, MLCK-1, required for contraction of spermathecae. During contraction, MLCK-1 moves from the apical cell boundaries to the basal actomyosin bundles, where it stabilizes myosin downstream of calcium signaling. MLCK and ROCK act in distinct subsets of cells to coordinate the timing of contraction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ronen Zaidel-Bar
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Erin J Cram
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Stretch-induced actomyosin contraction in epithelial tubes: Mechanotransduction pathways for tubular homeostasis. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 71:146-152. [PMID: 28610943 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Many tissues in our body have a tubular shape and are constantly exposed to various stresses. Luminal pressure imposes tension on the epithelial and myoepithelial or smooth muscle cells surrounding the lumen of the tubes. Contractile forces generated by actomyosin assemblies within these cells oppose the luminal pressure and must be calibrated to maintain tube diameter homeostasis and tissue integrity. In this review, we discuss mechanotransduction pathways that can lead from sensation of cell stretch to activation of actomyosin contractility, providing rapid mechanochemical feedback for proper tubular tissue function.
Collapse
|