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Quinn JM, Wang Y, Wood M, Flozak AS, Le PM, Yemelyanov A, Oakes PW, Gottardi CJ. α-catenin middle- and actin-binding domain unfolding mutants differentially impact epithelial strength and sheet migration. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar65. [PMID: 38507238 PMCID: PMC11151094 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-01-0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
α-catenin (α-cat) displays force-dependent unfolding and binding to actin filaments through direct and indirect means, but features of adherens junction structure and function most vulnerable to loss of these allosteric mechanisms have not been directly compared. By reconstituting an α-cat F-actin-binding domain unfolding mutant known to exhibit enhanced binding to actin (α-cat-H0-FABD+) into α-cat knockout Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells, we show that partial loss of the α-cat catch bond mechanism (via an altered H0 α-helix) leads to stronger epithelial sheet integrity with greater colocalization between the α-cat-H0-FABD+ mutant and actin. α-cat-H0-FABD+ -expressing cells are less efficient at closing scratch-wounds, suggesting reduced capacity for more dynamic cell-cell coordination. Evidence that α-cat-H0-FABD+ is equally accessible to the conformationally sensitive α18 antibody epitope as WT α-cat and shows similar vinculin recruitment suggests this mutant engages lower tension cortical actin networks, as its M-domain is not persistently open. Conversely, α-cat-M-domain salt-bridge mutants with persistent recruitment of vinculin and phosphorylated myosin light chain show only intermediate monolayer adhesive strengths, but display less directionally coordinated and thereby slower migration speeds during wound-repair. These data show α-cat M- and FABD-unfolding mutants differentially impact cell-cell cohesion and migration properties, and suggest signals favoring α-cat-cortical actin interaction without persistent M-domain opening may improve epithelial monolayer strength through enhanced coupling to lower tension actin networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne M. Quinn
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Yuou Wang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Megan Wood
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Annette S. Flozak
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Phuong M. Le
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Alex Yemelyanov
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Patrick W. Oakes
- Department of Cell & Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 60153
| | - Cara J. Gottardi
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
- Cell & Developmental Biology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
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2
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Wang Y, Yemelyanov A, Go CD, Kim S, Quinn JM, Flozak AS, Le PM, Liang S, Claude-Gingras A, Ikura M, Ishiyama N, Gottardi CJ. α-catenin mechanosensitivity as a route to cytokinesis failure through sequestration of LZTS2. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.25.554884. [PMID: 37662204 PMCID: PMC10473746 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.25.554884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial cells can become polyploid upon tissue injury, but mechanosensitive cues that trigger this state are poorly understood. Using α-catenin (α-cat) knock-out Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells reconstituted with wild-type and mutant forms of α-cat as a model system, we find that an established α-cat actin-binding domain unfolding mutant designed to reduce force-sensitive binding to F-actin (α-cat-H0-FABD+) can promote cytokinesis failure, particularly along epithelial wound-fronts. Enhanced α-cat coupling to cortical actin is neither sufficient nor mitotic cell-autonomous for cytokinesis failure, but critically requires the mechanosensitive Middle-domain (M1-M2-M3) and neighboring cells. Disease relevant α-cat M-domain missense mutations known to cause a form of retinal pattern dystrophy (α-cat E307K or L436P) are associated with elevated binucleation rates via cytokinesis failure. Similar binucleation rates are seen in cells expressing an α-cat salt-bridge destabilizing mutant (R551A) designed to promote M2-M3 domain unfurling at lower force thresholds. Since binucleation is strongly enhanced by removal of the M1 as opposed to M2-M3 domains, cytokinetic fidelity is most sensitive to α-cat M2-M3 domain opening. To identify α-cat conformation-dependent proximity partners that contribute to cytokinesis, we used a biotin-ligase approach to distinguished proximity partners that show enhanced recruitment upon α-cat M-domain unfurling (R551A). We identified Leucine Zipper Tumor Suppressor 2 (LZTS2), an abscission factor previously implicated in cytokinesis. We confirm that LZTS2 enriches at the midbody, but discover it also localizes to tight and tricellular junctions. LZTS2 knock-down promotes binucleation in both MDCK and Retinal Pigmented Epithelial (RPE) cells. α-cat mutants with persistent M2-M3 domain opening showed elevated junctional enrichment of LZTS2 from the cytosol compared α-cat wild-type cells. These data implicate LZTS2 as a mechanosensitive effector of α-cat that is critical for cytokinetic fidelity. This model rationalizes how persistent mechano-activation of α-cat may drive tension-induced polyploidization of epithelia post-injury and suggests an underlying mechanism for how pathogenic α-cat mutations drive macular dystrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuou Wang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Alex Yemelyanov
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Christopher D. Go
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Sun Kim
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Jeanne M. Quinn
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Annette S. Flozak
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Phuong M. Le
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Shannon Liang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Anne Claude-Gingras
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Mitsu Ikura
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Noboru Ishiyama
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cara J. Gottardi
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
- Cell & Developmental Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
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3
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Serre JM, Slabodnick MM, Goldstein B, Hardin J. SRGP-1/srGAP and AFD-1/afadin stabilize HMP-1/⍺-catenin at rosettes to seal internalization sites following gastrulation in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010507. [PMID: 36867663 PMCID: PMC10016700 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of gastrulation is the establishment of germ layers by internalization of cells initially on the exterior. In C. elegans the end of gastrulation is marked by the closure of the ventral cleft, a structure formed as cells internalize during gastrulation, and the subsequent rearrangement of adjacent neuroblasts that remain on the surface. We found that a nonsense allele of srgp-1/srGAP leads to 10-15% cleft closure failure. Deletion of the SRGP-1/srGAP C-terminal domain led to a comparable rate of cleft closure failure, whereas deletion of the N-terminal F-BAR region resulted in milder defects. Loss of the SRGP-1/srGAP C-terminus or F-BAR domain results in defects in rosette formation and defective clustering of HMP-1/⍺-catenin in surface cells during cleft closure. A mutant form of HMP-1/⍺-catenin with an open M domain can suppress cleft closure defects in srgp-1 mutant backgrounds, suggesting that this mutation acts as a gain-of-function allele. Since SRGP-1 binding to HMP-1/⍺-catenin is not favored in this case, we sought another HMP-1 interactor that might be recruited when HMP-1/⍺-catenin is constitutively open. A good candidate is AFD-1/afadin, which genetically interacts with cadherin-based adhesion later during embryonic elongation. AFD-1/afadin is prominently expressed at the vertex of neuroblast rosettes in wildtype, and depletion of AFD-1/afadin increases cleft closure defects in srgp-1/srGAP and hmp-1R551/554A/⍺-catenin backgrounds. We propose that SRGP-1/srGAP promotes nascent junction formation in rosettes; as junctions mature and sustain higher levels of tension, the M domain of HMP-1/⍺-catenin opens, allowing maturing junctions to transition from recruitment of SRGP-1/srGAP to AFD-1/afadin. Our work identifies new roles for ⍺-catenin interactors during a process crucial to metazoan development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel M. Serre
- Program in Genetics University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Mark M. Slabodnick
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Knox University, Galesburg, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Bob Goldstein
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jeff Hardin
- Program in Genetics University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
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4
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Sheppard L, Green DG, Lerchbaumer G, Rothenberg KE, Fernandez-Gonzalez R, Tepass U. The α-Catenin mechanosensing M region is required for cell adhesion during tissue morphogenesis. J Cell Biol 2022; 222:213759. [PMID: 36520419 PMCID: PMC9757846 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202108091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Catenin couples the cadherin-catenin complex to the actin cytoskeleton. The mechanosensitive α-Catenin M region undergoes conformational changes upon application of force to recruit interaction partners. Here, we took advantage of the tension landscape in the Drosophila embryo to define three different states of α-Catenin mechanosensing in support of cell adhesion. Low-, medium-, and high-tension contacts showed a corresponding recruitment of Vinculin and Ajuba, which was dependent on the α-Catenin M region. In contrast, the Afadin homolog Canoe acts in parallel to α-Catenin at bicellular low- and medium-tension junctions but requires an interaction with α-Catenin for its tension-sensitive enrichment at high-tension tricellular junctions. Individual M region domains make complex contributions to cell adhesion through their impact on interaction partner recruitment, and redundancies with the function of Canoe. Our data argue that α-Catenin and its interaction partners are part of a cooperative and partially redundant mechanoresponsive network that supports AJs remodeling during morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luka Sheppard
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - David G. Green
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Gerald Lerchbaumer
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Katheryn E. Rothenberg
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada,Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada,Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada,Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada,Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ulrich Tepass
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada,Correspondence to Ulrich Tepass:
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5
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Serre JM, Lucas B, Martin SCT, Heier JA, Shao X, Hardin J. C. elegans srGAP is an α-catenin M domain-binding protein that strengthens cadherin-dependent adhesion during morphogenesis. Development 2022; 149:dev200775. [PMID: 36125129 PMCID: PMC10655919 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The cadherin-catenin complex (CCC) is central to embryonic development and tissue repair, yet how CCC binding partners function alongside core CCC components remains poorly understood. Here, we establish a previously unappreciated role for an evolutionarily conserved protein, the slit-robo GTPase-activating protein SRGP-1/srGAP, in cadherin-dependent morphogenetic processes in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo. SRGP-1 binds to the M domain of the core CCC component, HMP-1/α-catenin, via its C terminus. The SRGP-1 C terminus is sufficient to target it to adherens junctions, but only during later embryonic morphogenesis, when junctional tension is known to increase. Surprisingly, mutations that disrupt stabilizing salt bridges in the M domain block this recruitment. Loss of SRGP-1 leads to an increase in mobility and decrease of junctional HMP-1. In sensitized genetic backgrounds with weakened adherens junctions, loss of SRGP-1 leads to late embryonic failure. Rescue of these phenotypes requires the C terminus of SRGP-1 but also other domains of the protein. Taken together, these data establish a role for an srGAP in stabilizing and organizing the CCC during epithelial morphogenesis by binding to a partially closed conformation of α-catenin at junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel M. Serre
- Program in Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Bethany Lucas
- Department of Biology, Regis University, 3333 Regis Blvd., Denver, CO 80221, USA
| | - Sterling C. T. Martin
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jonathon A. Heier
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Xiangqiang Shao
- Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jeff Hardin
- Program in Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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6
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Rauskolb C, Han A, Kirichenko E, Ibar C, Irvine KD. Analysis of the Drosophila Ajuba LIM protein defines functions for distinct LIM domains. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269208. [PMID: 35969522 PMCID: PMC9377591 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The Ajuba LIM protein Jub mediates regulation of Hippo signaling by cytoskeletal tension through interaction with the kinase Warts and participates in feedback regulation of junctional tension through regulation of the cytohesin Steppke. To investigate how Jub interacts with and regulates its distinct partners, we investigated the ability of Jub proteins missing different combinations of its three LIM domains to rescue jub phenotypes and to interact with α-catenin, Warts and Steppke. Multiple regions of Jub contribute to its ability to bind α-catenin and to localize to adherens junctions in Drosophila wing imaginal discs. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments in cultured cells identified a specific requirement for LIM2 for binding to Warts. However, in vivo, both LIM1 and LIM2, but not LIM3, were required for regulation of wing growth, Yorkie activity, and Warts localization. Conversely, LIM2 and LIM3, but not LIM1, were required for regulation of cell shape and Steppke localization in vivo, and for maximal Steppke binding in co-immunoprecipitation experiments. These observations identify distinct functions for the different LIM domains of Jub.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cordelia Rauskolb
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America
| | - Ahri Han
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America
| | - Elmira Kirichenko
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America
| | - Consuelo Ibar
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America
| | - Kenneth D. Irvine
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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7
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Nandi T, Ainavarapu SRK. Native Salt Bridges Are a Key Regulator of Ubiquitin's Mechanical Stability. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:3505-3511. [PMID: 35535497 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c00972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Although it is known that various intramolecular interactions determine protein mechanical stability, a detailed molecular-level understanding of the key regulators of protein mechanical stability is still lacking. Here, we present evidence for salt bridges in ubiquitin as important intramolecular interactions that can affect protein mechanical stability. Ubiquitin has two salt bridges: one relatively surface-exposed (SB1:K11-E34) and the other relatively buried (SB2:K27-D52). Ubiquitin is a reversible post-translational modifier and is stable mechanically (Favgu = 185 pN). On breaking SB1, the mechanical stability of ubiquitin is slightly enhanced (Favgu = 193 pN). In contrast, the mechanical stability significantly decreased upon breaking SB2 (Favgu = 158 pN). These results suggest that SB1 are SB2 are regulators of the mechanical stability of ubiquitin. Interestingly, the mechanical stability decreased further (Favgu = 145 pN) for the double salt bridge (DB) null variant. Monte Carlo simulations elucidate that the main regulating factor is the spontaneous unfolding rate constant (ku0), being the highest for the DB null variant followed by the SB2 null variant, and it remains unaltered for the SB1 null variant, while the native-to-transition-state distance (xu) remains unchanged. Our study provides mechanistic understanding on how two native salt bridges can independently regulate the mechanical stability in a protein, which has implications in designing protein-based robust biomaterials in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tathagata Nandi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Sri Rama Koti Ainavarapu
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India
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8
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Stirnemann G. Recent Advances and Emerging Challenges in the Molecular Modeling of Mechanobiological Processes. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:1365-1374. [PMID: 35143190 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c10715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Many biological processes result from the effect of mechanical forces on macromolecular structures and on their interactions. In particular, the cell shape, motion, and differentiation directly depend on mechanical stimuli from the extracellular matrix or from neighboring cells. The development of experimental techniques that can measure and characterize the tiny forces acting at the cellular scale and down to the single-molecule, biomolecular level has enabled access to unprecedented details about the involved mechanisms. However, because the experimental observables often do not provide a direct atomistic picture of the corresponding phenomena, particle-based simulations performed at various scales are instrumental in complementing these experiments and in providing a molecular interpretation. Here, we will review the recent key achievements in the field, and we will highlight and discuss the many technical challenges these simulations are facing, as well as suggest future directions for improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Stirnemann
- CNRS Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, PSL University, Université de Paris, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
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9
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Heier JA, Pokutta S, Dale IW, Kim SK, Hinck AP, Weis WI, Kwiatkowski AV. Distinct intramolecular interactions regulate autoinhibition of vinculin binding in αT-catenin and αE-catenin. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100582. [PMID: 33771561 PMCID: PMC8091058 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Catenin binds directly to β-catenin and connects the cadherin–catenin complex to the actin cytoskeleton. Tension regulates α-catenin conformation. Actomyosin-generated force stretches the middle (M)-region to relieve autoinhibition and reveal a binding site for the actin-binding protein vinculin. It is not known whether the intramolecular interactions that regulate epithelial (αE)-catenin binding are conserved across the α-catenin family. Here, we describe the biochemical properties of testes (αT)-catenin, an α-catenin isoform critical for cardiac function and how intramolecular interactions regulate vinculin-binding autoinhibition. Isothermal titration calorimetry showed that αT-catenin binds the β-catenin–N-cadherin complex with a similar low nanomolar affinity to that of αE-catenin. Limited proteolysis revealed that the αT-catenin M-region adopts a more open conformation than αE-catenin. The αT-catenin M-region binds the vinculin N-terminus with low nanomolar affinity, indicating that the isolated αT-catenin M-region is not autoinhibited and thereby distinct from αE-catenin. However, the αT-catenin head (N- and M-regions) binds vinculin 1000-fold more weakly (low micromolar affinity), indicating that the N-terminus regulates the M-region binding to vinculin. In cells, αT-catenin recruitment of vinculin to cell–cell contacts requires the actin-binding domain and actomyosin-generated tension, indicating that force regulates vinculin binding. Together, our results show that the αT-catenin N-terminus is required to maintain M-region autoinhibition and modulate vinculin binding. We postulate that the unique molecular properties of αT-catenin allow it to function as a scaffold for building specific adhesion complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathon A Heier
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sabine Pokutta
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Ian W Dale
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sun Kyung Kim
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrew P Hinck
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, USA
| | - William I Weis
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Adam V Kwiatkowski
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
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10
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Xu XP, Pokutta S, Torres M, Swift MF, Hanein D, Volkmann N, Weis WI. Structural basis of αE-catenin-F-actin catch bond behavior. eLife 2020; 9:e60878. [PMID: 32915141 PMCID: PMC7588230 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-cell and cell-matrix junctions transmit mechanical forces during tissue morphogenesis and homeostasis. α-Catenin links cell-cell adhesion complexes to the actin cytoskeleton, and mechanical load strengthens its binding to F-actin in a direction-sensitive manner. Specifically, optical trap experiments revealed that force promotes a transition between weak and strong actin-bound states. Here, we describe the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the F-actin-bound αE-catenin actin-binding domain, which in solution forms a five-helix bundle. In the actin-bound structure, the first helix of the bundle dissociates and the remaining four helices and connecting loops rearrange to form the interface with actin. Deletion of the first helix produces strong actin binding in the absence of force, suggesting that the actin-bound structure corresponds to the strong state. Our analysis explains how mechanical force applied to αE-catenin or its homolog vinculin favors the strongly bound state, and the dependence of catch bond strength on the direction of applied force.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sabine Pokutta
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Megan Torres
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | | | - Dorit Hanein
- Scintillon InstituteSan DiegoUnited States
- Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Pasteur InstituteParisFrance
| | - Niels Volkmann
- Scintillon InstituteSan DiegoUnited States
- Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Pasteur InstituteParisFrance
| | - William I Weis
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
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11
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Angulo-Urarte A, van der Wal T, Huveneers S. Cell-cell junctions as sensors and transducers of mechanical forces. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183316. [PMID: 32360073 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial and endothelial monolayers are multicellular sheets that form barriers between the 'outside' and 'inside' of tissues. Cell-cell junctions, made by adherens junctions, tight junctions and desmosomes, hold together these monolayers. They form intercellular contacts by binding their receptor counterparts on neighboring cells and anchoring these structures intracellularly to the cytoskeleton. During tissue development, maintenance and pathogenesis, monolayers encounter a range of mechanical forces from the cells themselves and from external systemic forces, such as blood pressure or tissue stiffness. The molecular landscape of cell-cell junctions is diverse, containing transmembrane proteins that form intercellular bonds and a variety of cytoplasmic proteins that remodel the junctional connection to the cytoskeleton. Many junction-associated proteins participate in mechanotransduction cascades to confer mechanical cues into cellular responses that allow monolayers to maintain their structural integrity. We will discuss force-dependent junctional molecular events and their role in cell-cell contact organization and remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Angulo-Urarte
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Location AMC, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tanne van der Wal
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Location AMC, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Stephan Huveneers
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Location AMC, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Franz F, Daday C, Gräter F. Advances in molecular simulations of protein mechanical properties and function. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2020; 61:132-138. [PMID: 31954324 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule force spectroscopy and classical molecular dynamics are natural allies. Recent advances in both experiments and simulations have increasingly facilitated a direct comparison of SMFS and MD data, most importantly by closing the gap between time scales, which has been traditionally at least 5 orders of magnitudes wide. In this review, we will explore these advances chiefly on the computational side. We focus on protein dynamics under force and highlight recent studies that showcase how lower loading rates and more statistics help to better interpret previous experiments and to also motivate new ones. At the same time, steadily increasing system sizes are used to mimic more closely the mechanical environment in the biological context. We showcase some of these advances on atomistic and coarse-grained scale, from asymmetric membrane tension to larger (multidomain/multimeric) protein assemblies under force.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Franz
- Molecular Biomechanics Group, Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, 69118 Heidelberg, Germany; Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Csaba Daday
- Biomolecular Dynamics Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Frauke Gräter
- Molecular Biomechanics Group, Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, 69118 Heidelberg, Germany; Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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13
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Sarpal R, Yan V, Kazakova L, Sheppard L, Yu JC, Fernandez-Gonzalez R, Tepass U. Role of α-Catenin and its mechanosensing properties in regulating Hippo/YAP-dependent tissue growth. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008454. [PMID: 31697683 PMCID: PMC6863567 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
α-catenin is a key protein of adherens junctions (AJs) with mechanosensory properties. It also acts as a tumor suppressor that limits tissue growth. Here we analyzed the function of Drosophila α-Catenin (α-Cat) in growth regulation of the wing epithelium. We found that different α-Cat levels led to a differential activation of Hippo/Yorkie or JNK signaling causing tissue overgrowth or degeneration, respectively. α-Cat can modulate Yorkie-dependent tissue growth through recruitment of Ajuba, a negative regulator of Hippo signaling to AJs but also through a mechanism independent of Ajuba recruitment to AJs. Both mechanosensory regions of α-Cat, the M region and the actin-binding domain (ABD), contribute to growth regulation. Whereas M is dispensable for α-Cat function in the wing, individual M domains (M1, M2, M3) have opposing effects on growth regulation. In particular, M1 limits Ajuba recruitment. Loss of M1 causes Ajuba hyper-recruitment to AJs, promoting tissue-tension independent overgrowth. Although M1 binds Vinculin, Vinculin is not responsible for this effect. Moreover, disruption of mechanosensing of the α-Cat ABD affects tissue growth, with enhanced actin interactions stabilizing junctions and leading to tissue overgrowth. Together, our findings indicate that α-Cat acts through multiple mechanisms to control tissue growth, including regulation of AJ stability, mechanosensitive Ajuba recruitment, and dynamic direct F-actin interactions. We explore the regulation of tissue and organ size which is an important consideration in normal development and health. During development, tissues reach specific sizes in proportion to the rest of the body. Uncontrolled growth can lead to malformations or promote tumor growth. Recent findings have emphasized an important role for mechanical cues in the regulation of tissue growth. Mechanical signals can, for example, arise from cytoskeletal contraction that increases tension, or from compression due to proliferation and a resulting increase in cell density that would lower tension. Mechanosensory molecules that are sensitive to changes in tissue tension can convert mechanical cues into biochemical signals that enhance or slow proliferation or cell death to adjust overall tissue size. One such mechanosensory molecule is α-Catenin which is a key component of cell adhesion structures that physically link cells together and couples these structures to the cytoskeleton within cells. We clarify several molecular parameters of how α-Catenin regulates signalling pathways that control cell proliferation and cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Sarpal
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Victoria Yan
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lidia Kazakova
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Luka Sheppard
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jessica C. Yu
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ulrich Tepass
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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14
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Terekhova K, Pokutta S, Kee YS, Li J, Tajkhorshid E, Fuller G, Dunn AR, Weis WI. Binding partner- and force-promoted changes in αE-catenin conformation probed by native cysteine labeling. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15375. [PMID: 31653927 PMCID: PMC6814714 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51816-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Adherens Junctions (AJs) are cell-cell adhesion complexes that sense and propagate mechanical forces by coupling cadherins to the actin cytoskeleton via β-catenin and the F-actin binding protein αE-catenin. When subjected to mechanical force, the cadherin•catenin complex can tightly link to F-actin through αE-catenin, and also recruits the F-actin-binding protein vinculin. In this study, labeling of native cysteines combined with mass spectrometry revealed conformational changes in αE-catenin upon binding to the E-cadherin•β-catenin complex, vinculin and F-actin. A method to apply physiologically meaningful forces in solution revealed force-induced conformational changes in αE-catenin when bound to F-actin. Comparisons of wild-type αE-catenin and a mutant with enhanced vinculin affinity using cysteine labeling and isothermal titration calorimetry provide evidence for allosteric coupling of the N-terminal β-catenin-binding and the middle (M) vinculin-binding domain of αE-catenin. Cysteine labeling also revealed possible crosstalk between the actin-binding domain and the rest of the protein. The data provide insight into how binding partners and mechanical stress can regulate the conformation of full-length αE-catenin, and identify the M domain as a key transmitter of conformational changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ksenia Terekhova
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Sabine Pokutta
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Yee S Kee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080 (Y.S.K.); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637 (J.L.), USA
| | - Jing Li
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA.,Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080 (Y.S.K.); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637 (J.L.), USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Gerald Fuller
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alexander R Dunn
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - William I Weis
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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15
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Alégot H, Markosian C, Rauskolb C, Yang J, Kirichenko E, Wang YC, Irvine KD. Recruitment of Jub by α-catenin promotes Yki activity and Drosophila wing growth. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:jcs.222018. [PMID: 30659113 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.222018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hippo signaling network controls organ growth through YAP family transcription factors, including the Drosophila Yorkie protein. YAP activity is responsive to both biochemical and biomechanical cues, with one key input being tension within the F-actin cytoskeleton. Several potential mechanisms for the biomechanical regulation of YAP proteins have been described, including tension-dependent recruitment of Ajuba family proteins, which inhibit kinases that inactivate YAP proteins, to adherens junctions. Here, we investigate the mechanism by which the Drosophila Ajuba family protein Jub is recruited to adherens junctions, and the contribution of this recruitment to the regulation of Yorkie. We identify α-catenin as the mechanotransducer responsible for tension-dependent recruitment of Jub by identifying a region of α-catenin that associates with Jub, and by identifying a region, which when deleted, allows constitutive, tension-independent recruitment of Jub. We also show that increased Jub recruitment to α-catenin is associated with increased Yorkie activity and wing growth, even in the absence of increased cytoskeletal tension. Our observations establish α-catenin as a multi-functional mechanotransducer and confirm Jub recruitment to α-catenin as a key contributor to biomechanical regulation of Hippo signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herve Alégot
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway NJ 08854 USA
| | - Christopher Markosian
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway NJ 08854 USA
| | - Cordelia Rauskolb
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway NJ 08854 USA
| | - Janice Yang
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway NJ 08854 USA
| | - Elmira Kirichenko
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway NJ 08854 USA
| | - Yu-Chiun Wang
- Laboratory for Epithelial Morphogenesis, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan.,RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB), Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Kenneth D Irvine
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway NJ 08854 USA
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Nicholl ID, Matsui T, Weiss TM, Stanley CB, Heller WT, Martel A, Farago B, Callaway DJE, Bu Z. α-Catenin Structure and Nanoscale Dynamics in Solution and in Complex with F-Actin. Biophys J 2018; 115:642-654. [PMID: 30037495 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 06/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
As a core component of the adherens junction, α-catenin stabilizes the cadherin/catenin complexes to the actin cytoskeleton for the mechanical coupling of cell-cell adhesion. α-catenin also modulates actin dynamics, cell polarity, and cell-migration functions that are independent of the adherens junction. We have determined the solution structures of the α-catenin monomer and dimer using in-line size-exclusion chromatography small-angle X-ray scattering, as well as the structure of α-catenin dimer in complex to F-actin filament using selective deuteration and contrast-matching small angle neutron scattering. We further present the first observation, to our knowledge, of the nanoscale dynamics of α-catenin by neutron spin-echo spectroscopy, which explicitly reveals the mobile regions of α-catenin that are crucial for binding to F-actin. In solution, the α-catenin monomer is more expanded than either protomer shown in the crystal structure dimer, with the vinculin-binding M fragment and the actin-binding domain being able to adopt different configurations. The α-catenin dimer in solution is also significantly more expanded than the dimer crystal structure, with fewer interdomain and intersubunit contacts than the crystal structure. When in complex to F-actin, the α-catenin dimer has an even more open and extended conformation than in solution, with the actin-binding domain further separated from the main body of the dimer. The α-catenin-assembled F-actin bundle develops into an ordered filament packing arrangement at increasing α-catenin/F-actin molar ratios. Together, the structural and dynamic studies reveal that α-catenin possesses dynamic molecular conformations that prime this protein to function as a mechanosensor protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iain D Nicholl
- Department of Biomedical Science and Physiology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
| | - Tsutomu Matsui
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Light Source, Menlo Park, California
| | - Thomas M Weiss
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Light Source, Menlo Park, California
| | | | - William T Heller
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | | | | | - David J E Callaway
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, New York.
| | - Zimei Bu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, New York.
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