Deconvolution of the cellular force-generating subsystems that govern cytokinesis furrow ingression

Discovery and Quantitative Dissection of Cytokinesis Mechanisms Using Dictyostelium discoideum

The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum is a versatile model for understanding many different cellular processes involving cell motility including chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and cytokinesis. Cytokinesis, in particular, is a model cell-shaped change process in which a cell separates into two daughter cells. D. discoideum has been used extensively to identify players in cytokinesis and understand how they comprise the mechanosensory and biochemical pathways of cytokinesis. In this chapter, we describe how we use cDNA library complementation with D. discoideum to discover potential regulators of cytokinesis. Once identified, these regulators are further analyzed through live cell imaging, immunofluorescence imaging, fluorescence correlation and cross-correlation spectroscopy, micropipette aspiration, and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Collectively, these methods aid in detailing the mechanisms and signaling pathways that comprise cell division.

Cleavage furrow positioning in dividing Dictyostelium cells

Accurate placement of the cleavage furrow is crucial for successful cell division. Recent advancements have revealed that diverse mechanisms have evolved across different branches of the phylogenetic tree. Here, we employed Dictyostelium cells to validate previous models. We observed that during metaphase and early anaphase, mitotic spindles exhibited random rotary movements which ceased when the spindle elongated by approximately 7 μm. At this point, astral microtubules reached the polar cell cortex and fixed the spindle axis, causing cells to elongate by extending polar pseudopods and divide along the spindle axis. Therefore, the position of the furrow is determined when the spindle orientation is fixed. The distal ends of astral microtubules stimulate the extension of pseudopods at the polar cortex. One signal for pseudopod extension may be phosphatidylinositol trisphosphate in the cell membrane, but there appears to be another unknown signal. At the onset of polar pseudopod extension, cortical flow began from both poles toward the equator. We suggest that polar stimulation by astral microtubules determines the furrow position, induces polar pseudopod extension and cortical flow, and accumulates the elements necessary for the construction of the contractile ring.

Stability of asymmetric cell division: A deformable cell model of cytokinesis applied to C. elegans

Cell division during early embryogenesis is linked to key morphogenic events such as embryo symmetry breaking and tissue patterning. It is thought that the physical surrounding of cells together with cell intrinsic cues act as a mechanical "mold," guiding cell division to ensure these events are robust. To quantify how cell division is affected by the mechanical and geometrical environment, we present a novel computational mechanical model of cytokinesis, the final phase of cell division. Simulations with the model reproduced experimentally observed furrow dynamics and describe the volume ratio of daughter cells in asymmetric cell divisions, based on the position and orientation of the mitotic spindle. For dividing cells in geometrically confined environments, we show how the orientation of confinement relative to the division axis modulates the volume ratio in asymmetric cell division. Further, we quantified how cortex viscosity and surface tension determine the shape of a dividing cell and govern bubble-instabilities in asymmetric cell division. Finally, we simulated the formation of the three body axes via sequential (a)symmetric divisions up until the six-cell stage of early C. elegans development, which proceeds within the confines of an eggshell. We demonstrate how model input parameters spindle position and orientation provide sufficient information to reliably predict the volume ratio of daughter cells during the cleavage phase of development. However, for egg geometries perturbed by compression, the model predicts that a change in confinement alone is insufficient to explain experimentally observed differences in cell volume. This points to an effect of the compression on the spindle positioning mechanism. Additionally, the model predicts that confinement stabilizes asymmetric cell divisions against bubble-instabilities.

The Giardia ventrolateral flange is a lamellar membrane protrusion that supports attachment

Attachment to the intestinal epithelium is critical to the lifestyle of the ubiquitous parasite Giardia lamblia. The ventrolateral flange is a sheet-like membrane protrusion at the interface between parasites and attached surfaces. This structure has been implicated in attachment, but its role has been poorly defined. Here, we identified a novel actin associated protein with putative WH2-like actin binding domains we named Flangin. Flangin complexes with Giardia actin (GlActin) and is enriched in the ventrolateral flange making it a valuable marker for studying the flanges' role in Giardia biology. Live imaging revealed that the flange grows to around 1 μm in width after cytokinesis, then remains uniform in size during interphase, grows in mitosis, and is resorbed during cytokinesis. A flangin truncation mutant stabilizes the flange and blocks cytokinesis, indicating that flange disassembly is necessary for rapid myosin-independent cytokinesis in Giardia. Rho family GTPases are important regulators of membrane protrusions and GlRac, the sole Rho family GTPase in Giardia, was localized to the flange. Knockdown of Flangin, GlActin, and GlRac result in flange formation defects. This indicates a conserved role for GlRac and GlActin in forming membrane protrusions, despite the absence of canonical actin binding proteins that link Rho GTPase signaling to lamellipodia formation. Flangin-depleted parasites had reduced surface contact and when challenged with fluid shear force in flow chambers they had a reduced ability to remain attached, confirming a role for the flange in attachment. This secondary attachment mechanism complements the microtubule based adhesive ventral disc, a feature that may be particularly important during mitosis when the parental ventral disc disassembles in preparation for cytokinesis. This work supports the emerging view that Giardia's unconventional actin cytoskeleton has an important role in supporting parasite attachment.

A mesoscale mechanical model of cellular interactions

Computational models of cell mechanics allow the precise interrogation of cell shape change. These morphological changes are required for cells to survive in diverse tissue environments. Here, we present a mesoscale mechanical model of cell-substrate interactions using the level set method based on experimentally measured parameters. By implementing a viscoelastic mechanical equivalent circuit, we accurately model whole-cell deformations that are important for a variety of cellular processes. To effectively model shape changes as a cell interacts with a substrate, we have included receptor-mediated adhesion, which is governed by catch-slip bond behavior. The effect of adhesion was explored by subjecting cells to a variety of different substrates including flat, curved, and deformable surfaces. Finally, we increased the accuracy of our simulations by including a deformable nucleus in our cells. This model sets the foundation for further exploration into computational analyses of multicellular interactions.

More than just a barrier: using physical models to couple membrane shape to cell function

The correct execution of many cellular processes, such as division and motility, requires the cell to adopt a specific shape. Physically, these shapes are determined by the interplay of the plasma membrane and internal cellular driving factors. While the plasma membrane defines the boundary of the cell, processes inside the cell can result in the generation of forces that deform the membrane. These processes include protein binding, the assembly of protein superstructures, and the growth and contraction of cytoskeletal networks. Due to the complexity of the cell, relating observed membrane deformations back to internal processes is a challenging problem. Here, we review cell shape changes in endocytosis, cell adhesion, cell migration and cell division and discuss how by modeling membrane deformations we can investigate the inner working principles of the cell.

Ciona embryonic tail bending is driven by asymmetrical notochord contractility and coordinated by epithelial proliferation

Ventral bending of the embryonic tail within the chorion is an evolutionarily conserved morphogenetic event in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, the complexity of the anatomical structure of vertebrate embryos makes it difficult to experimentally identify the mechanisms underlying embryonic folding. This study investigated the mechanisms underlying embryonic tail bending in chordates. To further understand the mechanical role of each tissue, we also developed a physical model with experimentally measured parameters to simulate embryonic tail bending. Actomyosin asymmetrically accumulated at the ventral side of the notochord, and cell proliferation of the dorsal tail epidermis was faster than that in the ventral counterpart during embryonic tail bending. Genetic disruption of actomyosin activity and inhibition of cell proliferation dorsally caused abnormal tail bending, indicating that both asymmetrical actomyosin contractility in the notochord and the discrepancy of epidermis cell proliferation are required for tail bending. In addition, asymmetrical notochord contractility was sufficient to drive embryonic tail bending, whereas differential epidermis proliferation was a passive response to mechanical forces. These findings showed that asymmetrical notochord contractility coordinates with differential epidermis proliferation mechanisms to drive embryonic tail bending.

This article has an associated ‘The people behind the papers’ interview.

Tools for computational analysis of moving boundary problems in cellular mechanobiology

A cell's ability to change shape is one of the most fundamental biological processes and is essential for maintaining healthy organisms. When the ability to control shape goes awry, it often results in a diseased system. As such, it is important to understand the mechanisms that allow a cell to sense and respond to its environment so as to maintain cellular shape homeostasis. Because of the inherent complexity of the system, computational models that are based on sound theoretical understanding of the biochemistry and biomechanics and that use experimentally measured parameters are an essential tool. These models involve an inherent feedback, whereby shape is determined by the action of regulatory signals whose spatial distribution depends on the shape. To carry out computational simulations of these moving boundary problems requires special computational techniques. A variety of alternative approaches, depending on the type and scale of question being asked, have been used to simulate various biological processes, including cell motility, division, mechanosensation, and cell engulfment. In general, these models consider the forces that act on the system (both internally generated, or externally imposed) and the mechanical properties of the cell that resist these forces. Moving forward, making these techniques more accessible to the non-expert will help improve interdisciplinary research thereby providing new insight into important biological processes that affect human health. This article is categorized under: Cancer > Cancer>Computational Models Cancer > Cancer>Molecular and Cellular Physiology.

The Unusual Suspects in Cytokinesis: Fitting the Pieces Together

Cytokinesis is the step of the cell cycle in which the cell must faithfully separate the chromosomes and cytoplasm, yielding two daughter cells. The assembly and contraction of the contractile network is spatially and temporally coupled with the formation of the mitotic spindle to ensure the successful completion of cytokinesis. While decades of studies have elucidated the components of this machinery, the so-called usual suspects, and their functions, many lines of evidence are pointing to other unexpected proteins and sub-cellular systems as also being involved in cytokinesis. These we term the unusual suspects. In this review, we introduce recent discoveries on some of these new unusual suspects and begin to consider how these subcellular systems snap together to help complete the puzzle of cytokinesis.

Nek8445, a protein kinase required for microtubule regulation and cytokinesis in Giardia lamblia

Giardia has 198 Nek kinases whereas humans have only 11. Giardia has a complex microtubule cytoskeleton that includes eight flagella and several unique microtubule arrays that are utilized for parasite attachment and facilitation of rapid mitosis and cytokinesis. The need to regulate these structures may explain the parallel expansion of the number of Nek family kinases. Here we use live and fixed cell imaging to uncover the role of Nek8445 in regulating Giardia cell division. We demonstrate that Nek8445 localization is cell cycle regulated and this kinase has a role in regulating overall microtubule organization. Nek8445 depletion results in short flagella, aberrant ventral disk organization, loss of the funis, defective axoneme exit, and altered cell shape. The axoneme exit defect is specific to the caudal axonemes, which exit from the posterior of the cell, and this defect correlates with rounding of the cell posterior and loss of the funis. Our findings implicate a role for the funis in establishing Giardia’s cell shape and guiding axoneme docking. On a broader scale our results support the emerging view that Nek family kinases have a general role in regulating microtubule organization.

How the mechanobiome drives cell behavior, viewed through the lens of control theory

Cells have evolved sophisticated systems that integrate internal and external inputs to coordinate cell shape changes during processes, such as development, cell identity determination, and cell and tissue homeostasis. Cellular shape-change events are driven by the mechanobiome, the network of macromolecules that allows cells to generate, sense and respond to externally imposed and internally generated forces. Together, these components build the cellular contractility network, which is governed by a control system. Proteins, such as non-muscle myosin II, function as both sensors and actuators, which then link to scaffolding proteins, transcription factors and metabolic proteins to create feedback loops that generate the foundational mechanical properties of the cell and modulate cellular behaviors. In this Review, we highlight proteins that establish and maintain the setpoint, or baseline, for the control system and explore the feedback loops that integrate different cellular processes with cell mechanics. Uncovering the genetic, biophysical and biochemical interactions between these molecular components allows us to apply concepts from control theory to provide a systems-level understanding of cellular processes. Importantly, the actomyosin network has emerged as more than simply a 'downstream' effector of linear signaling pathways. Instead, it is also a significant driver of cellular processes traditionally considered to be 'upstream'.

Classical and Emerging Regulatory Mechanisms of Cytokinesis in Animal Cells

The primary goal of cytokinesis is to produce two daughter cells, each having a full set of chromosomes. To achieve this, cells assemble a dynamic structure between segregated sister chromatids called the contractile ring, which is made up of filamentous actin, myosin-II, and other regulatory proteins. Constriction of the actomyosin ring generates a cleavage furrow that divides the cytoplasm to produce two daughter cells. Decades of research have identified key regulators and underlying molecular mechanisms; however, many fundamental questions remain unanswered and are still being actively investigated. This review summarizes the key findings, computational modeling, and recent advances in understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control the formation of the cleavage furrow and cytokinesis.

Molecular Mechanism of Cytokinesis

Division of amoebas, fungi, and animal cells into two daughter cells at the end of the cell cycle depends on a common set of ancient proteins, principally actin filaments and myosin-II motors. Anillin, formins, IQGAPs, and many other proteins regulate the assembly of the actin filaments into a contractile ring positioned between the daughter nuclei by different mechanisms in fungi and animal cells. Interactions of myosin-II with actin filaments produce force to assemble and then constrict the contractile ring to form a cleavage furrow. Contractile rings disassemble as they constrict. In some cases, knowledge about the numbers of participating proteins and their biochemical mechanisms has made it possible to formulate molecularly explicit mathematical models that reproduce the observed physical events during cytokinesis by computer simulations.

Molecular Mechanism of Cytokinesis

Division of amoebas, fungi, and animal cells into two daughter cells at the end of the cell cycle depends on a common set of ancient proteins, principally actin filaments and myosin-II motors. Anillin, formins, IQGAPs, and many other proteins regulate the assembly of the actin filaments into a contractile ring positioned between the daughter nuclei by different mechanisms in fungi and animal cells. Interactions of myosin-II with actin filaments produce force to assemble and then constrict the contractile ring to form a cleavage furrow. Contractile rings disassemble as they constrict. In some cases, knowledge about the numbers of participating proteins and their biochemical mechanisms has made it possible to formulate molecularly explicit mathematical models that reproduce the observed physical events during cytokinesis by computer simulations.

Network Contractility During Cytokinesis-from Molecular to Global Views

Cytokinesis is the last stage of cell division, which partitions the mother cell into two daughter cells. It requires the assembly and constriction of a contractile ring that consists of a filamentous contractile network of actin and myosin. Network contractility depends on network architecture, level of connectivity and myosin motor activity, but how exactly is the contractile ring network organized or interconnected and how much it depends on motor activity remains unclear. Moreover, the contractile ring is not an isolated entity; rather, it is integrated into the surrounding cortex. Therefore, the mechanical properties of the cell cortex and cortical behaviors are expected to impact contractile ring functioning. Due to the complexity of the process, experimental approaches have been coupled to theoretical modeling in order to advance its global understanding. While earlier coarse-grained descriptions attempted to provide an integrated view of the process, recent models have mostly focused on understanding the behavior of an isolated contractile ring. Here we provide an overview of the organization and dynamics of the actomyosin network during cytokinesis and discuss existing theoretical models in light of cortical behaviors and experimental evidence from several systems. Our view on what is missing in current models and should be tested in the future is provided.

Myosin IIB assembly state determines its mechanosensitive dynamics

Dynamical cell shape changes require a highly sensitive cellular system that can respond to chemical and mechanical inputs. Myosin IIs are key players in the cell's ability to react to mechanical inputs, demonstrating an ability to accumulate in response to applied stress. Here, we show that inputs that influence the ability of myosin II to assemble into filaments impact the ability of myosin to respond to stress in a predictable manner. Using mathematical modeling for Dictyostelium myosin II, we predict that myosin II mechanoresponsiveness will be biphasic with an optimum established by the percentage of myosin II assembled into bipolar filaments. In HeLa and NIH 3T3 cells, heavy chain phosphorylation of NMIIB by PKCζ, as well as expression of NMIIA, can control the ability of NMIIB to mechanorespond by influencing its assembly state. These data demonstrate that multiple inputs to the myosin II assembly state integrate at the level of myosin II to govern the cellular response to mechanical inputs.

Contractility kits promote assembly of the mechanoresponsive cytoskeletal network

Cellular contractility is governed by a control system of proteins that integrates internal and external cues to drive diverse shape change processes. This contractility controller includes myosin II motors, actin crosslinkers and protein scaffolds, which exhibit robust and cooperative mechanoaccumulation. However, the biochemical interactions and feedback mechanisms that drive the controller remain unknown. Here, we use a proteomics approach to identify direct interactors of two key nodes of the contractility controller in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum: the actin crosslinker cortexillin I and the scaffolding protein IQGAP2. We highlight several unexpected proteins that suggest feedback from metabolic and RNA-binding proteins on the contractility controller. Quantitative in vivo biochemical measurements reveal direct interactions between myosin II and cortexillin I, which form the core mechanosensor. Furthermore, IQGAP1 negatively regulates mechanoresponsiveness by competing with IQGAP2 for binding the myosin II-cortexillin I complex. These myosin II-cortexillin I-IQGAP2 complexes are pre-assembled into higher-order mechanoresponsive contractility kits (MCKs) that are poised to integrate into the cortex upon diffusional encounter coincident with mechanical inputs.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

Unite to divide - how models and biological experimentation have come together to reveal mechanisms of cytokinesis

Cytokinesis is the fundamental and ancient cellular process by which one cell physically divides into two. Cytokinesis in animal and fungal cells is achieved by contraction of an actomyosin cytoskeletal ring assembled in the cell cortex, typically at the cell equator. Cytokinesis is essential for the development of fertilized eggs into multicellular organisms and for homeostatic replenishment of cells. Correct execution of cytokinesis is also necessary for genome stability and the evasion of diseases including cancer. Cytokinesis has fascinated scientists for well over a century, but its speed and dynamics make experiments challenging to perform and interpret. The presence of redundant mechanisms is also a challenge to understand cytokinesis, leaving many fundamental questions unresolved. For example, how does a disordered cytoskeletal network transform into a coherent ring? What are the long-distance effects of localized contractility? Here, we provide a general introduction to 'modeling for biologists', and review how agent-based modeling and continuum mechanics modeling have helped to address these questions.

Recent advances in cytokinesis: understanding the molecular underpinnings

During cytokinesis, the cell employs various molecular machineries to separate into two daughters. Many signaling pathways are required to ensure temporal and spatial coordination of the molecular and mechanical events. Cells can also coordinate division with neighboring cells to maintain tissue integrity and flexibility. In this review, we focus on recent advances in the understanding of the molecular underpinnings of cytokinesis.

Micropipette Aspiration of Oocytes to Assess Cortical Tension

Just as it is important to understand the cell biology of signaling pathways, it is valuable also to understand mechanical forces in cells. The field of mechanobiology has a rich history, including study of cellular mechanics during mitosis and meiosis in echinoderm oocytes and zygotes dating back to the 1930s. This chapter addresses the use of micropipette aspiration (MPA) to assess cellular mechanics, specifically cortical tension, in mammalian oocytes.

Cytokinesis in Metazoa and Fungi

SUMMARYCell division-cytokinesis-involves large-scale rearrangements of the entire cell. Primarily driven by cytoskeletal proteins, cytokinesis also depends on topological rearrangements of the plasma membrane, which are coordinated with nuclear division in both space and time. Despite the fundamental nature of the process, different types of eukaryotic cells show variations in both the structural mechanisms of cytokinesis and the regulatory controls. In animal cells and fungi, a contractile actomyosin-based structure plays a central, albeit flexible, role. Here, the underlying molecular mechanisms are summarized and integrated and common themes are highlighted.

Myosin-independent cytokinesis in Giardia utilizes flagella to coordinate force generation and direct membrane trafficking

Devoid of all known canonical actin-binding proteins, the prevalent parasite Giardia lamblia uses an alternative mechanism for cytokinesis. Unique aspects of this mechanism can potentially be leveraged for therapeutic development. Here, live-cell imaging methods were developed for Giardia to establish division kinetics and the core division machinery. Surprisingly, Giardia cytokinesis occurred with a median time that is ∼60 times faster than mammalian cells. In contrast to cells that use a contractile ring, actin was not concentrated in the furrow and was not directly required for furrow progression. Live-cell imaging and morpholino depletion of axonemal Paralyzed Flagella 16 indicated that flagella-based forces initiated daughter cell separation and provided a source for membrane tension. Inhibition of membrane partitioning blocked furrow progression, indicating a requirement for membrane trafficking to support furrow advancement. Rab11 was found to load onto the intracytoplasmic axonemes late in mitosis and to accumulate near the ends of nascent axonemes. These developing axonemes were positioned to coordinate trafficking into the furrow and mark the center of the cell in lieu of a midbody/phragmoplast. We show that flagella motility, Rab11, and actin coordination are necessary for proper abscission. Organisms representing three of the five eukaryotic supergroups lack myosin II of the actomyosin contractile ring. These results support an emerging view that flagella play a central role in cell division among protists that lack myosin II and additionally implicate the broad use of membrane tension as a mechanism to drive abscission.

Mechanochemical Signaling Directs Cell-Shape Change

For specialized cell function, as well as active cell behaviors such as division, migration, and tissue development, cells must undergo dynamic changes in shape. To complete these processes, cells integrate chemical and mechanical signals to direct force production. This mechanochemical integration allows for the rapid production and adaptation of leading-edge machinery in migrating cells, the invasion of one cell into another during cell-cell fusion, and the force-feedback loops that ensure robust cytokinesis. A quantitative understanding of cell mechanics coupled with protein dynamics has allowed us to account for furrow ingression during cytokinesis, a model cell-shape-change process. At the core of cell-shape changes is the ability of the cell's machinery to sense mechanical forces and tune the force-generating machinery as needed. Force-sensitive cytoskeletal proteins, including myosin II motors and actin cross-linkers such as α-actinin and filamin, accumulate in response to internally generated and externally imposed mechanical stresses, endowing the cell with the ability to discern and respond to mechanical cues. The physical theory behind how these proteins display mechanosensitive accumulation has allowed us to predict paralog-specific behaviors of different cross-linking proteins and identify a zone of optimal actin-binding affinity that allows for mechanical stress-induced protein accumulation. These molecular mechanisms coupled with the mechanical feedback systems ensure robust shape changes, but if they go awry, they are poised to promote disease states such as cancer cell metastasis and loss of tissue integrity.

Antagonistic Behaviors of NMY-1 and NMY-2 Maintain Ring Channels in the C. elegans Gonad

Contractile rings play critical roles in a number of biological processes, including oogenesis, wound healing, and cytokinesis. In many cases, the activity of motor proteins such as nonmuscle myosins is required for appropriate constriction of these contractile rings. In the gonad of the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, ring channels are a specialized form of contractile ring that are maintained at a constant diameter before oogenesis. We propose a model of ring channel maintenance that explicitly incorporates force generation by motor proteins that can act normally or tangentially to the ring channel opening. We find that both modes of force generation are needed to maintain the ring channels. We demonstrate experimentally that the type II myosins NMY-1 and NMY-2 antagonize each other in the ring channels by producing force in perpendicular directions: the experimental depletion of NMY-1/theoretical decrease in orthogonal force allows premature ring constriction and cellularization, whereas the experimental depletion of NMY-2/theoretical decrease in tangential force opens the ring channels and prevents cellularization. Together, our experimental and theoretical results show that both forces, mediated by NMY-1 and NMY-2, are crucial for maintaining the appropriate ring channel diameter and dynamics throughout the gonad.

Modeling cytokinesis of eukaryotic cells driven by the actomyosin contractile ring

A three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic model for cytokinesis of eukaryotic cells is developed, in which we model dynamics of actomyosins in the cell cortex, in particular, along the cytokinetic ring formed in the cortex and in the neighborhood of the cell's division plane explicitly. Specifically, the active force actuated by the actomyosin's activity along the cytokinetic ring is modeled by a surface force whose strength is proportional to the actomyosin concentration while the cell morphology is tracked by a phase field model. The model is then solved in 3D space and time using a finite difference method on graphic processing units. Dynamical morphological patterns of eukaryotic cells during cytokinesis are numerically simulated with the model. These simulated morphological patterns agree quantitatively with experimental observations. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Agent-based modeling: case study in cleavage furrow models

The number of studies in cell biology in which quantitative models accompany experiments has been growing steadily. Roughly, mathematical and computational techniques of these models can be classified as "differential equation based" (DE) or "agent based" (AB). Recently AB models have started to outnumber DE models, but understanding of AB philosophy and methodology is much less widespread than familiarity with DE techniques. Here we use the history of modeling a fundamental biological problem-positioning of the cleavage furrow in dividing cells-to explain how and why DE and AB models are used. We discuss differences, advantages, and shortcomings of these two approaches.

Cytokinesis from nanometers to micrometers and microseconds to minutes

Cytokinesis, a model cell shape change event, is controlled by an integrated system that coordinates the mitotic spindle signals with a mechanoresponsive cytoskeletal network that drives contractility and furrow ingression. Quantitative methods that measure cell mechanics, mechanoresponse (mechanical stress-induced protein accumulation), protein dynamics, and molecular interactions are necessary to provide insight into both the mechanical and biochemical components involved in cytokinesis and cell shape regulation. Micropipette aspiration, fluorescence correlation and cross-correlation spectroscopy, and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching are valuable methods for measuring cell mechanics and protein dynamics in vivo that occur on nanometer to micron length-scales, and microsecond to minute timescales. Collectively, these methods provide the ability to quantify the molecular interactions that control the cell's ability to change shape and undergo cytokinesis.

Cell shape regulation through mechanosensory feedback control

Cells undergo controlled changes in morphology in response to intracellular and extracellular signals. These changes require a means for sensing and interpreting the signalling cues, for generating the forces that act on the cell's physical material, and a control system to regulate this process. Experiments on Dictyostelium amoebae have shown that force-generating proteins can localize in response to external mechanical perturbations. This mechanosensing, and the ensuing mechanical feedback, plays an important role in minimizing the effect of mechanical disturbances in the course of changes in cell shape, especially during cell division, and likely in other contexts, such as during three-dimensional migration. Owing to the complexity of the feedback system, which couples mechanical and biochemical signals involved in shape regulation, theoretical approaches can guide further investigation by providing insights that are difficult to decipher experimentally. Here, we present a computational model that explains the different mechanosensory and mechanoresponsive behaviours observed in Dictyostelium cells. The model features a multiscale description of myosin II bipolar thick filament assembly that includes cooperative and force-dependent myosin-actin binding, and identifies the feedback mechanisms hidden in the observed mechanoresponsive behaviours of Dictyostelium cells during micropipette aspiration experiments. These feedbacks provide a mechanistic explanation of cellular retraction and hence cell shape regulation.

Cytokinesis: Robust cell shape regulation

Cytokinesis, the final step of cell division, is a great example of robust cell shape regulation. A wide variety of cells ranging from the unicellular Dictyostelium to human cells in tissues proceed through highly similar, stereotypical cell shape changes during cell division. Typically, cells first round up forming a cleavage furrow in the middle, which constricts resulting in the formation of two daughter cells. Tight control of cytokinesis is essential for proper segregation of genetic and cellular materials, and its failure is deleterious to cell viability. Thus, biological systems have developed elaborate mechanisms to ensure high fidelity of cytokinesis, including the existence of multiple biochemical and mechanical pathways regulated through feedback. In this review, we focus on the built-in redundancy of the cytoskeletal machinery that allows cells to divide successfully in a variety of biological and mechanical contexts. Using Dictyostelium cytokinesis as an example, we demonstrate that the crosstalk between biochemical and mechanical signaling through feedback ensures correct assembly and function of the cell division machinery.

Modeling large-scale dynamic processes in the cell: polarization, waves, and division

The past decade has witnessed significant developments in molecular biology techniques, fluorescent labeling, and super-resolution microscopy, and together these advances have vastly increased our quantitative understanding of the cell. This detailed knowledge has concomitantly opened the door for biophysical modeling on a cellular scale. There have been comprehensive models produced describing many processes such as motility, transport, gene regulation, and chemotaxis. However, in this review we focus on a specific set of phenomena, namely cell polarization, F-actin waves, and cytokinesis. In each case, we compare and contrast various published models, highlight the relevant aspects of the biology, and provide a sense of the direction in which the field is moving.

Mechanical stress and network structure drive protein dynamics during cytokinesis

Cell-shape changes associated with processes like cytokinesis and motility proceed on several-second timescales but are derived from molecular events, including protein-protein interactions, filament assembly, and force generation by molecular motors, all of which occur much faster [1-4]. Therefore, defining the dynamics of such molecular machinery is critical for understanding cell-shape regulation. In addition to signaling pathways, mechanical stresses also direct cytoskeletal protein accumulation [5-7]. A myosin-II-based mechanosensory system controls cellular contractility and shape during cytokinesis and under applied stress [6, 8]. In Dictyostelium, this system tunes myosin II accumulation by feedback through the actin network, particularly through the crosslinker cortexillin I. Cortexillin-binding IQGAPs are major regulators of this system. Here, we defined the short timescale dynamics of key cytoskeletal proteins during cytokinesis and under mechanical stress, using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, to examine the dynamic interplay between these proteins. Equatorially enriched proteins including cortexillin I, IQGAP2, and myosin II recovered much more slowly than actin and polar crosslinkers. The mobility of equatorial proteins was greatly reduced at the furrow compared to the interphase cortex, suggesting their stabilization during cytokinesis. This mobility shift did not arise from a single biochemical event, but rather from a global inhibition of protein dynamics by mechanical-stress-associated changes in the cytoskeletal structure. Mechanical tuning of contractile protein dynamics provides robustness to the cytoskeletal framework responsible for regulating cell shape and contributes to cytokinesis fidelity.

Dynamic network morphology and tension buildup in a 3D model of cytokinetic ring assembly

During fission yeast cytokinesis, actin filaments nucleated by cortical formin Cdc12 are captured by myosin motors bound to a band of cortical nodes and bundled by cross-linking proteins. The myosin motors exert forces on the actin filaments, resulting in a net pulling of the nodes into a contractile ring, while cross-linking interactions help align actin filaments and nodes into a single bundle. We used these mechanisms in a three-dimensional computational model of contractile ring assembly, with semiflexible actin filaments growing from formins at cortical nodes, capturing of filaments by neighboring nodes, and cross-linking among filaments through attractive interactions. The model was used to predict profiles of actin filament density at the cell cortex, morphologies of condensing node-filament networks, and regimes of cortical tension by varying the node pulling force and strength of cross-linking among actin filaments. Results show that cross-linking interactions can lead to confinement of actin filaments at the simulated cortical boundary. We show that the ring-formation region in parameter space lies close to regions leading to clumps, meshworks or double rings, and stars/cables. Since boundaries between regions are not sharp, transient structures that resemble clumps, stars, and meshworks can appear in the process of ring assembly. These results are consistent with prior experiments with mutations in actin-filament turnover regulators, myosin motor activity, and changes in the concentration of cross-linkers that alter the morphology of the condensing network. Transient star shapes appear in some simulations, and these morphologies offer an explanation for star structures observed in prior experimental images. Finally, we quantify tension along actin filaments and forces on nodes during ring assembly and show that the mechanisms describing ring assembly can also drive ring constriction once the ring is formed.

Genetic suppression of a phosphomimic myosin II identifies system-level factors that promote myosin II cleavage furrow accumulation

How myosin II localizes to the cleavage furrow in Dictyostelium and metazoan cells remains largely unknown despite significant advances in understanding its regulation. We designed a genetic selection using cDNA library suppression of 3xAsp myosin II to identify factors involved in myosin cleavage furrow accumulation. The 3xAsp mutant is deficient in bipolar thick filament assembly, fails to accumulate at the cleavage furrow, cannot rescue myoII-null cytokinesis, and has impaired mechanosensitive accumulation. Eleven genes suppressed this dominant cytokinesis deficiency when 3xAsp was expressed in wild-type cells. 3xAsp myosin II's localization to the cleavage furrow was rescued by constructs encoding rcdBB, mmsdh, RMD1, actin, one novel protein, and a 14-3-3 hairpin. Further characterization showed that RMD1 is required for myosin II cleavage furrow accumulation, acting in parallel with mechanical stress. Analysis of several mutant strains revealed that different thresholds of myosin II activity are required for daughter cell symmetry than for furrow ingression dynamics. Finally, an engineered myosin II with a longer lever arm (2xELC), producing a highly mechanosensitive motor, could also partially suppress the intragenic 3xAsp. Overall, myosin II accumulation is the result of multiple parallel and partially redundant pathways that comprise a cellular contractility control system.

Furrow constriction in animal cell cytokinesis

Cytokinesis is the process of physical cleavage at the end of cell division; it proceeds by ingression of an acto-myosin furrow at the equator of the cell. Its failure leads to multinucleated cells and is a possible cause of tumorigenesis. Here, we calculate the full dynamics of furrow ingression and predict cytokinesis completion above a well-defined threshold of equatorial contractility. The cortical acto-myosin is identified as the main source of mechanical dissipation and active forces. Thereupon, we propose a viscous active nonlinear membrane theory of the cortex that explicitly includes actin turnover and where the active RhoA signal leads to an equatorial band of myosin overactivity. The resulting cortex deformation is calculated numerically, and reproduces well the features of cytokinesis such as cell shape and cortical flows toward the equator. Our theory gives a physical explanation of the independence of cytokinesis duration on cell size in embryos. It also predicts a critical role of turnover on the rate and success of furrow constriction. Scaling arguments allow for a simple interpretation of the numerical results and unveil the key mechanism that generates the threshold for cytokinesis completion: cytoplasmic incompressibility results in a competition between the furrow line tension and the cell poles' surface tension.

Force to divide: structural and mechanical requirements for actomyosin ring contraction

One of the unresolved questions in the field of cell division is how the actomyosin cytoskeleton remains structurally organized while generating the contractile force to divide one cell into two. In analogy to the actomyosin-based force production mechanism in striated muscle, it was originally proposed that contractile stress in the actomyosin ring is generated via a sliding filament mechanism within an organized sarcomere-like array. However, over the last 30 years, ultrastructural and functional studies have noted important distinctions between cytokinetic structures in dividing cells and muscle sarcomeres. Myosin-II motor activity is not always required, and there is evidence that actin depolymerization contributes to contraction. In this Review, the architecture and contractile dynamics of the actomyosin ring at the cell division plane will be discussed. We will report the interdisciplinary advances in the field as well as their integration into a mechanistic understanding of contraction in cell division and in other biological processes that rely on an actomyosin-based force-generating system.

An excitable signal integrator couples to an idling cytoskeletal oscillator to drive cell migration

It is generally believed that cytoskeletal activities drive random cell migration while signal transduction events initiated by receptors regulate the cytoskeleton to guide cells. However, we find that the cytoskeletal network, involving Scar/Wave, Arp 2/3, and actin binding proteins, is only capable of generating rapid oscillations and undulations of the cell boundary. The signal transduction network, comprising multiple pathways that include Ras GTPases, PI3K, and Rac GTPases, is required to generate the sustained protrusions of migrating cells. The signal transduction network is excitable, displaying wave propagation, refractoriness, and maximal response to suprathreshold stimuli, even in the absence of the cytoskeleton. We suggest that cell motility results from coupling of “pacemaker” signal transduction and “idling motor” cytoskeletal networks, and various guidance cues that modulate the threshold for triggering signal transduction events are integrated to control the mode and direction of migration.

Supervillin binding to myosin II and synergism with anillin are required for cytokinesis

Cytokinesis, the process by which cytoplasm is apportioned between dividing daughter cells, requires coordination of myosin II function, membrane trafficking, and central spindle organization. Most known regulators act during late cytokinesis; a few, including the myosin II-binding proteins anillin and supervillin, act earlier. Anillin's role in scaffolding the membrane cortex with the central spindle is well established, but the mechanism of supervillin action is relatively uncharacterized. We show here that two regions within supervillin affect cell division: residues 831-1281, which bind central spindle proteins, and residues 1-170, which bind the myosin II heavy chain (MHC) and the long form of myosin light-chain kinase. MHC binding is required to rescue supervillin deficiency, and mutagenesis of this site creates a dominant-negative phenotype. Supervillin concentrates activated and total myosin II at the furrow, and simultaneous knockdown of supervillin and anillin additively increases cell division failure. Knockdown of either protein causes mislocalization of the other, and endogenous anillin increases upon supervillin knockdown. Proteomic identification of interaction partners recovered using a high-affinity green fluorescent protein nanobody suggests that supervillin and anillin regulate the myosin II and actin cortical cytoskeletons through separate pathways. We conclude that supervillin and anillin play complementary roles during vertebrate cytokinesis.

Interphase cytofission maintains genomic integrity of human cells after failed cytokinesis

In cell division, cytokinesis is tightly coupled with mitosis to maintain genomic integrity. Failed cytokinesis in humans can result in tetraploid cells that can become aneuploid and promote cancer. However, the likelihood of aneuploidy and cancer after a failed cytokinesis event is unknown. Here we evaluated cell fate after failed cytokinesis. We interrupted cytokinesis by brief chemical treatments in cell populations of human epithelial lines. Surprisingly, up to 50% of the resulting binucleate cells generated colonies. In RPE1 cells, 90% of colonies obtained from binucleate founders had a karyotype that matched the parental cell type. Time-lapse videomicroscopy demonstrated that binucleate cells are delayed in the first growth phase of the cell cycle (G1) and undergo interphase cellular fission (cytofission) that distributes nuclei into separate daughters. The fission is not compatible with delayed cytokinesis because events occur in the absence of polymerized microtubules and without canonical components of the cytokinetic machinery. However, the cytofission can be interrupted by inhibiting function of actin or myosin II. Fission events occur in both two- and three-dimensional culture. Our data demonstrate that cytofission can preserve genomic integrity after failed cytokinesis. Thus, traction-mediated cytofission, originally observed in Dictyostelium, is relevant to human biology--where it seems to be an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that can preserve genomic integrity.

Interaction of motility, directional sensing, and polarity modules recreates the behaviors of chemotaxing cells

Chemotaxis involves the coordinated action of separable but interrelated processes: motility, gradient sensing, and polarization. We have hypothesized that these are mediated by separate modules that account for these processes individually and that, when combined, recreate most of the behaviors of chemotactic cells. Here, we describe a mathematical model where the modules are implemented in terms of reaction-diffusion equations. Migration and the accompanying changes in cellular morphology are demonstrated in simulations using a mechanical model of the cell cortex implemented in the level set framework. The central module is an excitable network that accounts for random migration. The response to combinations of uniform stimuli and gradients is mediated by a local excitation, global inhibition module that biases the direction in which excitability is directed. A polarization module linked to the excitable network through the cytoskeleton allows unstimulated cells to move persistently and, for cells in gradients, to gradually acquire distinct sensitivity between front and back. Finally, by varying the strengths of various feedback loops in the model we obtain cellular behaviors that mirror those of genetically altered cell lines.

Chemotaxis is the movement of cells in response to spatial gradients of chemical cues. While single-celled organisms rely on sensing and responding to chemical gradients to search for nutrients, chemotaxis is also an essential component of the mammalian immune system. However, chemotaxis can also be deleterious, since chemotactic tumor cells can lead to metastasis. Due to its importance, understanding the process by which cells sense and respond to chemical gradients has attracted considerable interest. Moreover, because of the complexity of chemotactic signaling, which includes multiple feedback loops and redundant pathways, this has been a research area in which computational models have had a significant impact in understanding experimental findings. Here, we propose a modular description of the signaling network that regulates chemotaxis. The modules describe different processes that are observed in chemotactic cells. In addition to accounting for these behaviors individually, we show that the overall system recreates many features of the directed motion of migrating cells. The signaling described by our modules is implemented as a series of equations, whereas movement and the accompanying cellular deformations are simulated using a mechanical model of the cell and implemented using level set methods, a method that allows simulations of cells as they change morphology.

Dynamics of traction stress field during cell division

We report a quantitative measurement of traction stress exerted by dividing eukaryotic cells. The stress field was highly dynamic and sequentially changed as follows: (1) strong and localized as two spots, (2) weak and broadly distributed, and (3) strong and localized as four spots. At the final stage of cytokinesis, the dividing cells exerted strong tensile force on the intercellular bridge. The asymmetry of the traction stress and the orientation of the division axis matched throughout the division process, suggesting the possible role of the mechanical force as a "store" of the orientational information.

Bringing the physical sciences into your cell biology research

Historically, much of biology was studied by physicists and mathematicians. With the advent of modern molecular biology, a wave of researchers became trained in a new scientific discipline filled with the language of genes, mutants, and the central dogma. These new molecular approaches have provided volumes of information on biomolecules and molecular pathways from the cellular to the organismal level. The challenge now is to determine how this seemingly endless list of components works together to promote the healthy function of complex living systems. This effort requires an interdisciplinary approach by investigators from both the biological and the physical sciences.

Comparing contractile apparatus-driven cytokinesis mechanisms across kingdoms

Cytokinesis is the final stage of the cell cycle during which a cell physically divides into two daughters through the assembly of new membranes (and cell wall in some cases) between the forming daughters. New membrane assembly can either proceed centripetally behind a contractile apparatus, as in the case of prokaryotes, archaea, fungi, and animals or expand centrifugally, as in the case of higher plants. In this article, we compare the mechanisms of cytokinesis in diverse organisms dividing through the use of a contractile apparatus. While an actomyosin ring participates in cytokinesis in almost all centripetally dividing eukaryotes, the majority of bacteria and archaea (except Crenarchaea) divide using a ring composed of the tubulin-related protein FtsZ. Curiously, despite molecular conservation of the division machinery components, division site placement and its cell cycle regulation occur by a variety of unrelated mechanisms even among organisms from the same kingdom. While molecular motors and cytoskeletal polymer dynamics contribute to force generation during eukaryotic cytokinesis, cytoskeletal polymer dynamics alone appears to be sufficient for force generation during prokaryotic cytokinesis. Intriguingly, there are life forms on this planet that appear to lack molecules currently known to participate in cytokinesis and how these cells perform cytokinesis remains a mystery waiting to be unravelled.

Cytokinesis mechanics and mechanosensing

Cytokinesis shape change occurs through the interfacing of three modules, cell mechanics, myosin II-mediated contractile stress generation and sensing, and a control system of regulatory proteins, which together ensure flexibility and robustness. This integrated system then defines the stereotypical shape changes of successful cytokinesis, which occurs under a diversity of mechanical contexts and environmental conditions.

Separation anxiety: stress, tension and cytokinesis

Cytokinesis, the physical separation of a mother cell into two daughter cells, progresses through a series of well-defined changes in morphology. These changes involve distinct biochemical and mechanical processes. Here, we review the mechanical features of cells during cytokinesis, discussing both the material properties as well as sources of stresses, both active and passive, which lead to the observed changes in morphology. We also describe a mechanosensory feedback control system that regulates protein localization and shape progression during cytokinesis.