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Su H, Hao T, Yu M, Zhou W, Wu L, Sheng Y, Yi Z. Complex evolutionary patterns within the tubulin gene family of ciliates, unicellular eukaryotes with diverse microtubular structures. BMC Biol 2024; 22:170. [PMID: 39135200 PMCID: PMC11321004 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01969-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tubulins are major components of the eukaryotic cytoskeletons that are crucial in many cellular processes. Ciliated protists comprise one of the oldest eukaryotic lineages possessing cilia over their cell surface and assembling many diverse microtubular structures. As such, ciliates are excellent model organisms to clarify the origin and evolution of tubulins in the early stages of eukaryote evolution. Nonetheless, the evolutionary history of the tubulin subfamilies within and among ciliate classes is unclear. RESULTS We analyzed the evolutionary pattern of ciliate tubulin gene family based on genomes/transcriptomes of 60 species covering 10 ciliate classes. Results showed: (1) Six tubulin subfamilies (α_Tub, β_Tub, γ_Tub, δ_Tub, ε_Tub, and ζ_Tub) originated from the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA) were observed within ciliates. Among them, α_Tub, β_Tub, and γ_Tub were present in all ciliate species, while δ_Tub, ε_Tub, and ζ_Tub might be independently lost in some species. (2) The evolutionary history of the tubulin subfamilies varied. Evolutionary history of ciliate γ_Tub, δ_Tub, ε_Tub, and ζ_Tub showed a certain degree of consistency with the phylogeny of species after the divergence of ciliate classes, while the evolutionary history of ciliate α_Tub and β_Tub varied among different classes. (3) Ciliate α- and β-tubulin isoforms could be classified into an "ancestral group" present in LECA and a "divergent group" containing only ciliate sequences. Alveolata-specific expansion events probably occurred within the "ancestral group" of α_Tub and β_Tub. The "divergent group" might be important for ciliate morphological differentiation and wide environmental adaptability. (4) Expansion events of the tubulin gene family appeared to be consistent with whole genome duplication (WGD) events in some degree. More Paramecium-specific tubulin expansions were detected than Tetrahymena-specific ones. Compared to other Paramecium species, the Paramecium aurelia complex underwent a more recent WGD which might have experienced more tubulin expansion events. CONCLUSIONS Evolutionary history among different tubulin gene subfamilies seemed to vary within ciliated protists. And the complex evolutionary patterns of tubulins among different ciliate classes might drive functional diversification. Our investigation provided meaningful information for understanding the evolution of tubulin gene family in the early stages of eukaryote evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Su
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Tingting Hao
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Minjie Yu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Wuyu Zhou
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Lei Wu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
- School of Marine and Fisheries, Guangdong Eco-engineering Polytechnic, Guangzhou, 510320, China
| | - Yalan Sheng
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Zhenzhen Yi
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.
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Lu YM, Yan S, Ti SC, Zheng C. Editing of endogenous tubulins reveals varying effects of tubulin posttranslational modifications on axonal growth and regeneration. eLife 2024; 13:RP94583. [PMID: 38949652 PMCID: PMC11216746 DOI: 10.7554/elife.94583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Tubulin posttranslational modifications (PTMs) modulate the dynamic properties of microtubules and their interactions with other proteins. However, the effects of tubulin PTMs were often revealed indirectly through the deletion of modifying enzymes or the overexpression of tubulin mutants. In this study, we directly edited the endogenous tubulin loci to install PTM-mimicking or -disabling mutations and studied their effects on microtubule stability, neurite outgrowth, axonal regeneration, cargo transport, and sensory functions in the touch receptor neurons of Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that the status of β-tubulin S172 phosphorylation and K252 acetylation strongly affected microtubule dynamics, neurite growth, and regeneration, whereas α-tubulin K40 acetylation had little influence. Polyglutamylation and detyrosination in the tubulin C-terminal tail had more subtle effects on microtubule stability likely by modulating the interaction with kinesin-13. Overall, our study systematically assessed and compared several tubulin PTMs for their impacts on neuronal differentiation and regeneration and established an in vivo platform to test the function of tubulin PTMs in neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ming Lu
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SARHong KongChina
| | - Shan Yan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong KongHong KongChina
| | - Shih-Chieh Ti
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong KongHong KongChina
| | - Chaogu Zheng
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SARHong KongChina
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Heu CC, Le KP, Gross RJ, Schutze IX, LeRoy DM, Langhorst D, Brent CS, Fabrick JA, Hull JJ. β-tubulin functions in spermatogenesis in Lygus hesperus Knight. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 152:104598. [PMID: 38081537 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Lygus hesperus Knight is an important insect pest of crops across western North America, with field management heavily reliant on the use of chemical insecticides. Because of the evolution of resistance to these insecticides, effective and environmentally benign pest management strategies are needed. Traditional sterile insect technique (SIT) has been successfully employed to manage or eradicate some insect pests but involves introducing irradiated insects with random mutations into field populations. New genetically-driven SIT techniques are a safer alternative, causing fixed mutations that manipulate individual genes in target pests to produce sterile individuals for release. Here, we identified seven β-tubulin coding genes from L. hesperus and show that Lhβtub2 is critical in male sperm production and fertility. Lhβtub2 is expressed primarily in the male testes and targeting of this gene by RNA interference or gene editing leads to male sterility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan C Heu
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ 85138 USA
| | - Kevin P Le
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ 85138 USA
| | - Roni J Gross
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ 85138 USA
| | - Inana X Schutze
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ 85138 USA
| | - Dannialle M LeRoy
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ 85138 USA
| | - Daniel Langhorst
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ 85138 USA
| | - Colin S Brent
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ 85138 USA
| | - Jeffrey A Fabrick
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ 85138 USA
| | - J Joe Hull
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ 85138 USA.
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Zhang W, Zhang R, Wu L, Zhu C, Zhang C, Xu C, Zhao S, Liu X, Guo T, Lu Y, Gao Z, Yu X, Li L, Chen ZJ, Qin Y, Jiao X. NLRP14 deficiency causes female infertility with oocyte maturation defects and early embryonic arrest by impairing cytoplasmic UHRF1 abundance. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113531. [PMID: 38060382 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113531] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Oocyte maturation is vital to attain full competence required for fertilization and embryogenesis. NLRP14 is preferentially expressed in mammalian oocytes and early embryos. Yet, the role and molecular mechanism of NLRP14 in oocyte maturation and early embryogenesis are poorly understood, and whether NLRP14 deficiency accounts for human infertility is unknown. Here, we found that maternal loss of Nlrp14 resulted in sterility with oocyte maturation defects and early embryonic arrest (EEA). Nlrp14 ablation compromised oocyte competence due to impaired cytoplasmic and nuclear maturation. Importantly, we revealed that NLRP14 maintained cytoplasmic UHRF1 abundance by protecting it from proteasome-dependent degradation and anchoring it from nuclear translocation in the oocyte. Furthermore, we identified compound heterozygous NLRP14 variants in women affected by infertility with EEA, which interrupted the NLRP14-UHRF1 interaction and decreased UHRF1 levels. Our data demonstrate NLRP14 as a cytoplasm-specific regulator of UHRF1 during oocyte maturation, providing insights into genetic diagnosis for female infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhe Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Rongrong Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Ling Wu
- The Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Chendi Zhu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Chuanxin Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Chengpeng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Stem Cell and Regeneration, Beijing Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shidou Zhao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Xinchen Liu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Ting Guo
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Yueshuang Lu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Zheng Gao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510150, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Lei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Stem Cell and Regeneration, Beijing Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zi-Jiang Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Yingying Qin
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China.
| | - Xue Jiao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Suzhou Research Institute, Shandong University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China.
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Abbaali I, Truong D, Day SD, Mushayeed F, Ganesh B, Haro-Ramirez N, Isles J, Nag H, Pham C, Shah P, Tomar I, Manel-Romero C, Morrissette NS. The tubulin database: Linking mutations, modifications, ligands and local interactions. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0295279. [PMID: 38064432 PMCID: PMC10707541 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are polymeric filaments, constructed of α-β tubulin heterodimers that underlie critical subcellular structures in eukaryotic organisms. Four homologous proteins (γ-, δ-, ε- and ζ-tubulin) additionally contribute to specialized microtubule functions. Although there is an immense volume of publicly available data pertaining to tubulins, it is difficult to assimilate all potentially relevant information across diverse organisms, isotypes, and categories of data. We previously assembled an extensive web-based catalogue of published missense mutations to tubulins with >1,500 entries that each document a specific substitution to a discrete tubulin, the species where the mutation was described and the associated phenotype with hyperlinks to the amino acid sequence and citation(s) for research. This report describes a significant update and expansion of our online resource (TubulinDB.bio.uci.edu) to nearly 18,000 entries. It now encompasses a cross-referenced catalog of post-translational modifications (PTMs) to tubulin drawn from public datasets, primary literature, and predictive algorithms. In addition, tubulin protein structures were used to define local interactions with bound ligands (GTP, GDP and diverse microtubule-targeting agents) and amino acids at the intradimer interface, within the microtubule lattice and with associated proteins. To effectively cross-reference these datasets, we established a universal tubulin numbering system to map entries into a common framework that accommodates specific insertions and deletions to tubulins. Indexing and cross-referencing permitted us to discern previously unappreciated patterns. We describe previously unlinked observations of loss of PTM sites in the context of cancer cells and tubulinopathies. Similarly, we expanded the set of clinical substitutions that may compromise MAP or microtubule-motor interactions by collecting tubulin missense mutations that alter amino acids at the interface with dynein and doublecortin. By expanding the database as a curated resource, we hope to relate model organism data to clinical findings of pathogenic tubulin variants. Ultimately, we aim to aid researchers in hypothesis generation and design of studies to dissect tubulin function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izra Abbaali
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Danny Truong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Shania Deon Day
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Faliha Mushayeed
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Bhargavi Ganesh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Nancy Haro-Ramirez
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Juliet Isles
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Hindol Nag
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Catherine Pham
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Priya Shah
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Ishaan Tomar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Carolina Manel-Romero
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Naomi S. Morrissette
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
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Dong J, Jin L, Bao S, Chen B, Zeng Y, Luo Y, Du X, Sang Q, Wu T, Wang L. Ectopic expression of human TUBB8 leads to increased aneuploidy in mouse oocytes. Cell Discov 2023; 9:105. [PMID: 37875488 PMCID: PMC10598138 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-023-00599-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Aneuploidy seriously compromises female fertility and increases incidence of birth defects. Rates of aneuploidy in human eggs from even young women are significantly higher than those in other mammals. However, intrinsic genetic factors underlying this high incidence of aneuploidy in human eggs remain largely unknown. Here, we found that ectopic expression of human TUBB8 in mouse oocytes increases rates of aneuploidy by causing kinetochore-microtubule (K-MT) attachment defects. Stretched bivalents in mouse oocytes expressing TUBB8 are under less tension, resulting in continuous phosphorylation status of HEC1 by AURKB/C at late metaphase I that impairs the established correct K-MT attachments. This reduced tension in stretched bivalents likely correlates with decreased recruitment of KIF11 on meiotic spindles. We also found that ectopic expression of TUBB8 without its C-terminal tail decreases aneuploidy rates by reducing erroneous K-MT attachments. Importantly, variants in the C-terminal tail of TUBB8 were identified in patients with recurrent miscarriages. Ectopic expression of an identified TUBB8 variant in mouse oocytes also compromises K-MT attachments and increases aneuploidy rates. In conclusion, our study provides novel understanding for physiological mechanisms of aneuploidy in human eggs as well as for pathophysiological mechanisms involved in recurrent miscarriages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Dong
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liping Jin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shihua Bao
- Department of Reproductive Immunology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Biaobang Chen
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Zeng
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuxi Luo
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xingzhu Du
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Sang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Tianyu Wu
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Lei Wang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Chew YM, Cross RA. Taxol acts differently on different tubulin isotypes. Commun Biol 2023; 6:946. [PMID: 37717119 PMCID: PMC10505170 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05306-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Taxol is a small molecule effector that allosterically locks tubulin into the microtubule lattice. We show here that taxol has different effects on different single-isotype microtubule lattices. Using in vitro reconstitution, we demonstrate that single-isotype α1β4 GDP-tubulin lattices are stabilised and expanded by 10 µM taxol, as reported by accelerated microtubule gliding in kinesin motility assays, whereas single-isotype α1β3 GDP-tubulin lattices are stabilised but not expanded. This isotype-specific action of taxol drives gliding of segmented-isotype GDP-taxol microtubules along convoluted, sinusoidal paths, because their expanded α1β4 segments try to glide faster than their compacted α1β3 segments. In GMPCPP, single-isotype α1β3 and α1β4 lattices both show accelerated gliding, indicating that both can in principle be driven to expand. We therefore propose that taxol-induced lattice expansion requires a higher taxol occupancy than taxol-induced stabilisation, and that higher taxol occupancies are accessible to α1β4 but not α1β3 single-isotype lattices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yean Ming Chew
- Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, CV4 7LA, UK
| | - Robert A Cross
- Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, CV4 7LA, UK.
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Ramesh Babu PB. Prediction of anti-microtubular target proteins of tubulins and their interacting proteins using Gene Ontology tools. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2023; 21:78. [PMID: 37466845 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-023-00531-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tubulins are highly conserved globular proteins involved in stabilization of cellular cytoskeletal microtubules during cell cycle. Different isoforms of tubulins are differentially expressed in various cell types, and their protein-protein interactions (PPIs) analysis will help in identifying the anti-microtubular drug targets for cancer and neurological disorders. Numerous web-based PPIs analysis methods are recently being used, and in this paper, I used Gene Ontology (GO) tools, e.g., Stringbase, ProteomeHD, GeneMANIA, and ShinyGO, to identify anti-microtubular target proteins by selecting strongly interacting proteins of tubulins. RESULTS I used 6 different human tubulin isoforms (two from each of α-, β-, and γ-tubulin) and found several thousands of node-to-node protein interactions (highest 4956 in GeneMANIA) and selected top 10 strongly interacting node-to-node interactions with highest score, which included 7 tubulin family protein and 6 non-tubulin family proteins (total 13). Functional enrichment analysis indicated a significant role of these 13 proteins in nucleation, polymerization or depolymerization of microtubules, membrane tethering and docking, dorsal root ganglion development, mitotic cycle, and cytoskeletal organization. I found γ-tubulins (TUBG1, TUBGCP4, and TUBBGCP6) were known to contribute majorly for tubulin-associated functions followed by α-tubulin (TUBA1A) and β-tubulins (TUBB AND TUBB3). In PPI results, I found several non-tubular proteins interacting with tubulins, and six of them (HTT, DPYSL2, SKI, UNC5C, NINL, and DDX41) were found closely associated with their functions. CONCLUSIONS Increasing number of regulatory proteins and subpopulation of tubulin proteins are being reported with poor understanding in their association with microtubule assembly and disassembly. The functional enrichment analysis of tubulin isoforms using recent GO tools resulted in identification of γ-tubulins playing a key role in microtubule functions and observed non-tubulin family of proteins HTT, DPYSL2, SKI, UNC5C, NINL, and DDX41 strongly interacting functional proteins of tubulins. The present study yields a promising model system using GO tools to narrow down tubulin-associated proteins as a drug target in cancer, Alzheimer's, neurological disorders, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polani B Ramesh Babu
- Center for Materials Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Bharath Institute of Science and Technology, Selaiyur, Tambaram, Chennai, India.
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Yang T, Yang Y, Zhang P, Li W, Ge Q, Yu H, Wu M, Xing L, Qian Z, Gao F, Liu R. Quantitative proteomics analysis on the meat quality of processed pale, soft, and exudative (PSE)-like broiler pectoralis major by different heating methods. Food Chem 2023; 426:136602. [PMID: 37348393 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to assess and compare the influences of different heating methods on the quality characteristics of pale, soft, and exudative (PSE)-like and normal (NOR) pectoralis major through quantitative proteomic analysis. A total of 632 proteins were identified, and there were 84, 89, 50, and 43 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) between processed PSE and NOR samples after four thermal treatments, including boiling (BO), steaming (ST), roasting (RO), and microwaving (MV), respectively, where moist heating conditions led to more different protein abundance. Processed PSE muscles resulted in significant changes in structural proteins related to myofibrillar and connective tissue, which could be associated with their structural instability and degraded quality. Collagen, tropomyosin, myoglobin, and hemoglobin could be potential indicators of PSE muscles color stability and variation during thermal processing. The quantitative proteomic analysis will help correlate molecular changes with processed meat quality towards future optimization of PSE poultry meat processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Multi-modal Brain-Computer Precision Drive Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Equipment and Technology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China
| | - Yamin Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Multi-modal Brain-Computer Precision Drive Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Equipment and Technology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Multi-modal Brain-Computer Precision Drive Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Equipment and Technology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China
| | - Weitao Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Multi-modal Brain-Computer Precision Drive Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Equipment and Technology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China
| | - Qingfeng Ge
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Industrial Engineering Center for Huaiyang Cuisine of Jiangsu, Yangzhou 225127, PR China
| | - Hai Yu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Industrial Engineering Center for Huaiyang Cuisine of Jiangsu, Yangzhou 225127, PR China
| | - Mangang Wu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Industrial Engineering Center for Huaiyang Cuisine of Jiangsu, Yangzhou 225127, PR China
| | - Lidong Xing
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Multi-modal Brain-Computer Precision Drive Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Equipment and Technology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China
| | - Zhiyu Qian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Multi-modal Brain-Computer Precision Drive Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Equipment and Technology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China.
| | - Fan Gao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Multi-modal Brain-Computer Precision Drive Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Equipment and Technology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China.
| | - Rui Liu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Industrial Engineering Center for Huaiyang Cuisine of Jiangsu, Yangzhou 225127, PR China.
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Tantry MSA, Santhakumar K. Insights on the Role of α- and β-Tubulin Isotypes in Early Brain Development. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:3803-3823. [PMID: 36943622 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03302-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Tubulins are the highly conserved subunit of microtubules which involve in various fundamental functions including brain development. Microtubules help in neuronal proliferation, migration, differentiation, cargo transport along the axons, synapse formation, and many more. Tubulin gene family consisting of multiple isotypes, their differential expression and varied post translational modifications create a whole new level of complexity and diversity in accomplishing manifold neuronal functions. The studies on the relation between tubulin genes and brain development opened a new avenue to understand the role of each tubulin isotype in neurodevelopment. Mutations in tubulin genes are reported to cause brain development defects especially cortical malformations, referred as tubulinopathies. There is an increased need to understand the molecular correlation between various tubulin mutations and the associated brain pathology. Recently, mutations in tubulin isotypes (TUBA1A, TUBB, TUBB1, TUBB2A, TUBB2B, TUBB3, and TUBG1) have been linked to cause various neurodevelopmental defects like lissencephaly, microcephaly, cortical dysplasia, polymicrogyria, schizencephaly, subcortical band heterotopia, periventricular heterotopia, corpus callosum agenesis, and cerebellar hypoplasia. This review summarizes on the microtubule dynamics, their role in neurodevelopment, tubulin isotypes, post translational modifications, and the role of tubulin mutations in causing specific neurodevelopmental defects. A comprehensive list containing all the reported tubulin pathogenic variants associated with brain developmental defects has been prepared to give a bird's eye view on the broad range of tubulin functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Ananthakrishna Tantry
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, India
| | - Kirankumar Santhakumar
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, India.
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11
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Morrissette N, Abbaali I, Ramakrishnan C, Hehl AB. The Tubulin Superfamily in Apicomplexan Parasites. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11030706. [PMID: 36985278 PMCID: PMC10056924 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11030706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules and specialized microtubule-containing structures are assembled from tubulins, an ancient superfamily of essential eukaryotic proteins. Here, we use bioinformatic approaches to analyze features of tubulins in organisms from the phylum Apicomplexa. Apicomplexans are protozoan parasites that cause a variety of human and animal infectious diseases. Individual species harbor one to four genes each for α- and β-tubulin isotypes. These may specify highly similar proteins, suggesting functional redundancy, or exhibit key differences, consistent with specialized roles. Some, but not all apicomplexans harbor genes for δ- and ε-tubulins, which are found in organisms that construct appendage-containing basal bodies. Critical roles for apicomplexan δ- and ε-tubulin are likely to be limited to microgametes, consistent with a restricted requirement for flagella in a single developmental stage. Sequence divergence or the loss of δ- and ε-tubulin genes in other apicomplexans appears to be associated with diminished requirements for centrioles, basal bodies, and axonemes. Finally, because spindle microtubules and flagellar structures have been proposed as targets for anti-parasitic therapies and transmission-blocking strategies, we discuss these ideas in the context of tubulin-based structures and tubulin superfamily properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Morrissette
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-949-824-9243
| | - Izra Abbaali
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Chandra Ramakrishnan
- Institute for Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Adrian B. Hehl
- Institute for Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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Wong CH, Wingett SW, Qian C, Taliaferro JM, Ross-Thriepland D, Bullock SL. Genome-scale requirements for dynein-based trafficking revealed by a high-content arrayed CRISPR screen. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.01.530592. [PMID: 36909483 PMCID: PMC10002790 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.01.530592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
The cytoplasmic dynein-1 (dynein) motor plays a key role in cellular organisation by transporting a wide variety of cellular constituents towards the minus ends of microtubules. However, relatively little is known about how the biosynthesis, assembly and functional diversity of the motor is orchestrated. To address this issue, we have conducted an arrayed CRISPR loss-of-function screen in human cells using the distribution of dynein-tethered peroxisomes and early endosomes as readouts. From a guide RNA library targeting 18,253 genes, 195 validated hits were recovered and parsed into those impacting multiple dynein cargoes and those whose effects are restricted to a subset of cargoes. Clustering of high-dimensional phenotypic fingerprints generated from multiplexed images revealed co-functional genes involved in many cellular processes, including several candidate novel regulators of core dynein functions. Mechanistic analysis of one of these proteins, the RNA-binding protein SUGP1, provides evidence that it promotes cargo trafficking by sustaining functional expression of the dynein activator LIS1. Our dataset represents a rich source of new hypotheses for investigating microtubule-based transport, as well as several other aspects of cellular organisation that were captured by our high-content imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Hao Wong
- Cell Biology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, AstraZeneca, R&D, Cambridge, CB4 0WG, UK
- Current address: Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Steven W. Wingett
- Cell Biology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Chen Qian
- Quantitative Biology, Discovery Sciences, AstraZeneca, R&D, Cambridge, CB4 0WG, UK
| | - J. Matthew Taliaferro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | | | - Simon L. Bullock
- Cell Biology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
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13
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Jiang X, Shao W, Chai Y, Huang J, Mohamed MAA, Ökten Z, Li W, Zhu Z, Ou G. DYF-5/MAK-dependent phosphorylation promotes ciliary tubulin unloading. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2207134119. [PMID: 35969738 PMCID: PMC9407615 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2207134119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cilia are microtubule-based organelles that power cell motility and regulate sensation and signaling, and abnormal ciliary structure and function cause various ciliopathies. Cilium formation and maintenance requires intraflagellar transport (IFT), during which the kinesin-2 family motor proteins ferry IFT particles carrying axonemal precursors such as tubulins into cilia. Tubulin dimers are loaded to IFT machinery through an interaction between tubulin and the IFT-74/81 module; however, little is known of how tubulins are unloaded when arriving at the ciliary tip. Here, we show that the ciliary kinase DYF-5/MAK phosphorylates multiple sites within the tubulin-binding module of IFT-74, reducing the tubulin-binding affinity of IFT-74/81 approximately sixfold. Ablation or constitutive activation of IFT-74 phosphorylation abnormally elongates or shortens sensory cilia in Caenorhabditis elegans neurons. We propose that DYF-5/MAK-dependent phosphorylation plays a fundamental role in ciliogenesis by regulating tubulin unloading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuguang Jiang
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Protein Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wenxin Shao
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Protein Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yongping Chai
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Protein Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jingying Huang
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Protein Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Mohamed A. A. Mohamed
- Center for Protein Assemblies, Physics Department, E22, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Zeynep Ökten
- Center for Protein Assemblies, Physics Department, E22, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Wei Li
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhiwen Zhu
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Protein Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Guangshuo Ou
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Protein Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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Bera A, Gupta ML. Microtubules in Microorganisms: How Tubulin Isotypes Contribute to Diverse Cytoskeletal Functions. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:913809. [PMID: 35865635 PMCID: PMC9294176 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.913809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular functions of the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton range from relatively simple to amazingly complex. Assembled from tubulin, a heterodimeric protein with α- and β-tubulin subunits, microtubules are long, hollow cylindrical filaments with inherent polarity. They are intrinsically dynamic polymers that utilize GTP binding by tubulin, and subsequent hydrolysis, to drive spontaneous assembly and disassembly. Early studies indicated that cellular MTs are composed of multiple variants, or isotypes, of α- and β-tubulins, and that these multi-isotype polymers are further diversified by a range of posttranslational modifications (PTMs) to tubulin. These findings support the multi-tubulin hypothesis whereby individual, or combinations of tubulin isotypes possess unique properties needed to support diverse MT structures and/or cellular processes. Beginning 40 years ago researchers have sought to address this hypothesis, and the role of tubulin isotypes, by exploiting experimentally accessible, genetically tractable and functionally conserved model systems. Among these systems, important insights have been gained from eukaryotic microbial models. In this review, we illustrate how using microorganisms yielded among the earliest evidence that tubulin isotypes harbor distinct properties, as well as recent insights as to how they facilitate specific cellular processes. Ongoing and future research in microorganisms will likely continue to reveal basic mechanisms for how tubulin isotypes facilitate MT functions, along with valuable perspectives on how they mediate the range of conserved and diverse processes observed across eukaryotic microbes.
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