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Rho Signaling in Dictyostelium discoideum. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 322:61-181. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2015.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Singh SP, Dhakshinamoorthy R, Jaiswal P, Schmidt S, Thewes S, Baskar R. The thyroxine inactivating gene, type III deiodinase, suppresses multiple signaling centers in Dictyostelium discoideum. Dev Biol 2014; 396:256-68. [PMID: 25446527 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Revised: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 10/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Thyroxine deiodinases, the enzymes that regulate thyroxine metabolism, are essential for vertebrate growth and development. In the genome of Dictyostelium discoideum, a single intronless gene (dio3) encoding type III thyroxine 5' deiodinase is present. The amino acid sequence of D. discoideum Dio3 shares 37% identity with human T4 deiodinase and is a member of the thioredoxin reductase superfamily. dio3 is expressed throughout growth and development and by generating a knockout of dio3, we have examined the role of thyroxine 5' deiodinase in D. discoideum. dio3(-) had multiple defects that affected growth, timing of development, aggregate size, cell streaming, and cell-type differentiation. A prominent phenotype of dio3(-) was the breaking of late aggregates into small signaling centers, each forming a fruiting body of its own. cAMP levels, its relay, photo- and chemo-taxis were also defective in dio3(-). Quantitative RT-PCR analyses suggested that expression levels of genes encoding adenylyl cyclase A (acaA), cAMP-receptor A (carA) and cAMP-phosphodiesterases were reduced. There was a significant reduction in the expression of CadA and CsaA, which are involved in cell-cell adhesion. The dio3(-) slugs had prestalk identity, with pronounced prestalk marker ecmA expression. Thus, Dio3 seems to have roles in mediating cAMP synthesis/relay, cell-cell adhesion and slug patterning. The phenotype of dio3(-) suggests that Dio3 may prevent the formation of multiple signaling centers during D. discoideum development. This is the first report of a gene involved in thyroxine metabolism that is also involved in growth and development in a lower eukaryote.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shashi Prakash Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, Chennai 600036, India
| | - Ranjani Dhakshinamoorthy
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, Chennai 600036, India
| | - Pundrik Jaiswal
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, Chennai 600036, India
| | - Stefanie Schmidt
- Institute for Biology - Microbiology, Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sascha Thewes
- Institute for Biology - Microbiology, Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ramamurthy Baskar
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, Chennai 600036, India.
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Garcia R, Nguyen L, Brazill D. Dictyostelium discoideum SecG interprets cAMP-mediated chemotactic signals to influence actin organization. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2013; 70:269-80. [PMID: 23564751 PMCID: PMC3693759 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2012] [Revised: 03/04/2013] [Accepted: 03/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Tight control of actin cytoskeletal dynamics is essential for proper cell function and survival. Arf nucleotide binding-site opener (ARNO), a mammalian guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Arf, has been implicated in actin cytoskeletal regulation but its exact role is still unknown. To explore the role of ARNO in this regulation as well as in actin-mediated processes, the Dictyostelium discoideum homolog, SecG, was examined. SecG peaks during aggregation and mound formation. The overexpression of SecG arrests development at the mound stage. SecG overexpressing (SecG OE) cells fail to stream during aggregation. Although carA is expressed, SecG OE cells do not chemotax toward cAMP, indicating SecG is involved in the cellular response to cAMP. This chemotactic defect is specific to cAMP-directed chemotaxis, as SecG OE cells chemotax to folate without impairment and exhibit normal cell motility. The chemotactic defects of the SecG mutants may be due to an impaired cAMP response as evidenced by altered cell polarity and F-actin polymerization after cAMP stimulation. Cells overexpressing SecG have increased filopodia compared to wild type cells, implying that excess SecG causes abnormal organization of F-actin. The general function of the cytoskeleton, however, is not disrupted as the SecG OE cells exhibit proper cell-substrate adhesion. Taken together, the results suggest proper SecG levels are needed for appropriate response to cAMP signaling in order to coordinate F-actin organization during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Garcia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for the Study of Gene Structure and Function, Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10065
| | - Liem Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for the Study of Gene Structure and Function, Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10065
| | - Derrick Brazill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for the Study of Gene Structure and Function, Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10065
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Plak K, Veltman D, Fusetti F, Beeksma J, Rivero F, Van Haastert PJM, Kortholt A. GxcC connects Rap and Rac signaling during Dictyostelium development. BMC Cell Biol 2013; 14:6. [PMID: 23363311 PMCID: PMC3675359 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2121-14-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2012] [Accepted: 01/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rap proteins belong to the Ras family of small G-proteins. Dictyostelium RapA is essential and implicated in processes throughout the life cycle. In early development and chemotaxis competent cells RapA induces pseudopod formation by activating PI3K and it regulates substrate attachment and myosin disassembly via the serine/threonine kinase Phg2. RapA is also important in late development, however so far little is known about the downstream effectors of RapA that play a role in this process. Results Here we show that cells expressing constitutively active RapA exhibit a high level of Rac activation. With a pull-down screen coupled to mass spectrometry, we identified the Rac specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor, GxcC, as Rap binding partner. GxcC binds directly and specifically to active RapA and binds to a subset of Dictyostelium Rac proteins. Deletion studies revealed that this pathway is involved in regulating Dictyostelium development. Conclusions GxcC provides a novel link between Rap and Rac signalling and is one of the Rap effectors regulating the progression of multicellular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Plak
- Department of Cell Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, Groningen, AG, 9747, The Netherlands
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Pakes NK, Veltman DM, Rivero F, Nasir J, Insall R, Williams RSB. The Rac GEF ZizB regulates development, cell motility and cytokinesis in Dictyostelium. J Cell Sci 2012; 125:2457-65. [PMID: 22366457 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.100966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Dock (dedicator of cytokinesis) proteins represent a family of guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that include the well-studied Dock180 family and the poorly characterised zizimin family. Our current understanding of Dock180 function is that it regulates Rho small GTPases and thus has a role in a number of cell processes, including cell migration, development and division. Here, we use a tractable model for cell motility research, Dictyostelium discoideum, to help elucidate the role of the related zizimin proteins. We show that gene ablation of zizA causes no change in development, whereas ablation of zizB gives rise to an aberrant developmental morphology and a reduction in cell directionality and velocity, and altered cell shape. Fluorescently labelled ZizA protein associates with the microtubule-organising centre (MTOC), whereas ZizB is enriched in the cortex. Overexpression of ZizB also causes an increase in the number of filopodia and a partial inhibition of cytokinesis. Analysis of ZizB protein binding partners shows that it interacts with Rac1a and a range of actin-associated proteins. In conclusion, our work provides insight into the molecular and cellular functions of zizimin GEF proteins, which are shown to have a role in cell movement, filopodia formation and cytokinesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholl K Pakes
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, UK
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A Gβγ effector, ElmoE, transduces GPCR signaling to the actin network during chemotaxis. Dev Cell 2012; 22:92-103. [PMID: 22264729 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2011.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2010] [Revised: 10/19/2011] [Accepted: 11/15/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Activation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) leads to the dissociation of heterotrimeric G-proteins into Gα and Gβγ subunits, which go on to regulate various effectors involved in a panoply of cellular responses. During chemotaxis, Gβγ subunits regulate actin assembly and migration, but the protein(s) linking Gβγ to the actin cytoskeleton remains unknown. Here, we identified a Gβγ effector, ElmoE in Dictyostelium, and demonstrated that it is required for GPCR-mediated chemotaxis. Remarkably, ElmoE associates with Gβγ and Dock-like proteins to activate the small GTPase Rac, in a GPCR-dependent manner, and also associates with Arp2/3 complex and F-actin. Thus, ElmoE serves as a link between chemoattractant GPCRs, G-proteins and the actin cytoskeleton. The pathway, consisting of GPCR, Gβγ, Elmo/Dock, Rac, and Arp2/3, spatially guides the growth of dendritic actin networks in pseudopods of eukaryotic cells during chemotaxis.
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Amarnath S, Kawli T, Mohanty S, Srinivasan N, Nanjundiah V. Pleiotropic roles of a ribosomal protein in Dictyostelium discoideum. PLoS One 2012; 7:e30644. [PMID: 22363460 PMCID: PMC3281849 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0030644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2011] [Accepted: 12/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The cell cycle phase at starvation influences post-starvation differentiation and morphogenesis in Dictyostelium discoideum. We found that when expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a D. discoideum cDNA that encodes the ribosomal protein S4 (DdS4) rescues mutations in the cell cycle genes cdc24, cdc42 and bem1. The products of these genes affect morphogenesis in yeast via a coordinated moulding of the cytoskeleton during bud site selection. D. discoideum cells that over- or under-expressed DdS4 did not show detectable changes in protein synthesis but displayed similar developmental aberrations whose intensity was graded with the extent of over- or under-expression. This suggested that DdS4 might influence morphogenesis via a stoichiometric effect – specifically, by taking part in a multimeric complex similar to the one involving Cdc24p, Cdc42p and Bem1p in yeast. In support of the hypothesis, the S. cerevisiae proteins Cdc24p, Cdc42p and Bem1p as well as their D. discoideum cognates could be co-precipitated with antibodies to DdS4. Computational analysis and mutational studies explained these findings: a C-terminal domain of DdS4 is the functional equivalent of an SH3 domain in the yeast scaffold protein Bem1p that is central to constructing the bud site selection complex. Thus in addition to being part of the ribosome, DdS4 has a second function, also as part of a multi-protein complex. We speculate that the existence of the second role can act as a safeguard against perturbations to ribosome function caused by spontaneous variations in DdS4 levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smita Amarnath
- Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
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Chen PW, Randazzo PA, Parent CA. ACAP-A/B are ArfGAP homologs in dictyostelium involved in sporulation but not in chemotaxis. PLoS One 2010; 5:e8624. [PMID: 20062541 PMCID: PMC2797641 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2009] [Accepted: 12/14/2009] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Arfs and Arf GTPase-activating proteins (ArfGAPs) are regulators of membrane trafficking and actin dynamics in mammalian cells. In this study, we identified a primordial Arf, ArfA, and two ArfGAPs (ACAP-A/B) containing BAR, PH, ArfGAP and Ankyrin repeat domains in the eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum. In vitro, ArfA has similar nucleotide binding properties as mammalian Arfs and, with GTP bound, is a substrate for ACAP-A and B. We also investigated the physiological functions of ACAP-A/B by characterizing cells lacking both ACAP-A and B. Although ACAP-A/B knockout cells showed no defects in cell growth, migration or chemotaxis, they exhibited abnormal actin protrusions and ∼50% reduction in spore yield. We conclude that while ACAP-A/B have a conserved biochemical mechanism and effect on actin organization, their role in migration is not conserved. The absence of an effect on Dictyostelium migration may be due to a specific requirement for ACAPs in mesenchymal migration, which is observed in epithelial cancer cells where most studies of mammalian ArfGAPs were performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Wen Chen
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Paul A. Randazzo
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Carole A. Parent
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
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Friedberg F, Rivero F. Single and multiple CH (calponin homology) domain containing multidomain proteins in Dictyostelium discoideum: an inventory. Mol Biol Rep 2009; 37:2853-62. [PMID: 19779846 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-009-9839-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2009] [Accepted: 09/15/2009] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
We present an inventory of single or multiple calponin homology (CH) domain containing proteins of Dictyostelium discoideum. A multiple alignment and a phylogenetic tree of all 60 CH domains found in 36 proteins showed that most CH domains can be assigned to one of 6 types. We have then distributed the proteins into several classes according to the type and arrangement of the CH domains. Most proteins belong to the class of ABD (actin-binding domain)-forming CH tandems (CH1-CH2) of the alpha-actinin and fimbrin families or to the class of CH3 domain-bearing proteins. There are a few examples of proteins with a single CH1 or CH2 domain, one with a CH1-CH1 doublet and a single representative of the CHe class of microtubule-binding proteins. A comparison with CH domain proteins in Homo sapiens suggests that while the individual domains are available in both species, the existence of identical multidomain proteins in toto is rare. Fimbrin 1, alpha-actinin and EB1 appear as perfect orthologs in both species, whereas filamin and interaptin may represent ancestral forms of human filamin and nesprins. In four more cases (NAV/Unc-53-, smoothelin-, transgelin- and Gas2-related proteins) functional data are needed in order to establish a potential relationship with a human counterpart. Although extensive data exist for a few of the D. discoideum CH proteins, most remain to be characterized and our analysis may help predicting some of their properties.
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Vicente JB, Ehrenkaufer GM, Saraiva LM, Teixeira M, Singh U. Entamoeba histolytica modulates a complex repertoire of novel genes in response to oxidative and nitrosative stresses: implications for amebic pathogenesis. Cell Microbiol 2008; 11:51-69. [PMID: 18778413 DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-5822.2008.01236.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Upon host infection, the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica is confronted with reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and must survive these stresses in order to cause invasive disease. We analysed the parasite's response to oxidative and nitrosative stresses, probing the transcriptional changes of trophozoites of a pathogenic strain after a 60 min exposure to H2O2 (1 mM) or a NO donor (dipropylenetriamine-NONOate, 200 microM), using whole-genome DNA microarrays. Genes encoding reactive oxygen and nitrogen species detoxification enzymes had high transcriptional levels under basal conditions and upon exposure to both stresses. On a whole-genome level, there was significant modulation of gene expression by H2O2 (286 genes regulated) and dipropylenetriamine-NONOate (1036 genes regulated) with a significant overlap of genes modulated under both conditions (164 genes). A number of transcriptionally regulated genes were in signalling/regulatory and repair/metabolic pathways. However, the majority of genes with altered transcription encode unknown proteins, suggesting as yet unraveled response pathways in E. histolytica. Trophozoites of a non-pathogenic E. histolytica strain had a significantly muted transcriptional response to H2O2 compared with the pathogenic strain, hinting that differential response to oxidative stress may be one factor that contributes to the pathogenic potential of E. histolytica.
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Affiliation(s)
- João B Vicente
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5107, USA
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Abstract
RhoBTB proteins constitute a subfamily of atypical members within the Rho family of small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases). Their most salient feature is their domain architecture: a GTPase domain (in most cases, non-functional) is followed by a prolinerich region, a tandem of 2 broadcomplex, tramtrack, bric a brac (BTB) domains, and a conserved Cterminal region. In humans, the RhoBTB subfamily consists of 3 isoforms: RhoBTB1, RhoBTB2, and RhoBTB3. Orthologs are present in several other eukaryotes, such as Drosophila and Dictyostelium, but have been lost in plants and fungi. Interest in RhoBTB arose when RHOBTB2 was identified as the gene homozygously deleted in breast cancer samples and was proposed as a candidate tumor suppressor gene, a property that has been extended to RHOBTB1. The functions of RhoBTB proteins have not been defined yet, but may be related to the roles of BTB domains in the recruitment of cullin3, a component of a family of ubiquitin ligases. A model emerges in which RhoBTB proteins are required to maintain constant levels of putative substrates involved in cell cycle regulation or vesicle transport through targeting for degradation in the 26S proteasome. RhoBTB proteins are engrossing the list of Rho GTPases involved in tumorigenesis. Unlike typical Rho GTPases (usually overexpressed or hyperactive), RhoBTB proteins appear to play a part in the carcinogenic process through a mechanism that involves the decreased or abolished expression of the corresponding genes, or more rarely, mutations that result in impaired functioning of the protein, presumably leading to the accumulation of RhoBTB substrates and alterations of the cellular homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Berthold
- Centers for Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Endocytosis and the Actin Cytoskeleton in Dictyostelium discoideum. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2008; 267:343-97. [DOI: 10.1016/s1937-6448(08)00633-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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