1
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Chen X, Portran D, Widmer LA, Stangier MM, Czub MP, Liakopoulos D, Stelling J, Steinmetz MO, Barral Y. The motor domain of the kinesin Kip2 promotes microtubule polymerization at microtubule tips. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:214052. [PMID: 37093124 PMCID: PMC10130750 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202110126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Kinesins are microtubule-dependent motor proteins, some of which moonlight as microtubule polymerases, such as the yeast protein Kip2. Here, we show that the CLIP-170 ortholog Bik1 stabilizes Kip2 at microtubule ends where the motor domain of Kip2 promotes microtubule polymerization. Live-cell imaging and mathematical estimation of Kip2 dynamics reveal that disrupting the Kip2-Bik1 interaction aborts Kip2 dwelling at microtubule ends and abrogates its microtubule polymerization activity. Structural modeling and biochemical experiments identify a patch of positively charged residues that enables the motor domain to bind free tubulin dimers alternatively to the microtubule shaft. Neutralizing this patch abolished the ability of Kip2 to promote microtubule growth both in vivo and in vitro without affecting its ability to walk along microtubules. Our studies suggest that Kip2 utilizes Bik1 as a cofactor to track microtubule tips, where its motor domain then recruits free tubulin and catalyzes microtubule assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuzhen Chen
- Institute of Biochemistry, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich , Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Didier Portran
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier , CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Lukas A Widmer
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marcel M Stangier
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory of Biomolecular Research, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Mateusz P Czub
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory of Biomolecular Research, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Dimitris Liakopoulos
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier , CNRS, Montpellier, France
- Laboratory of Biology, University of Ioannina, Faculty of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Jörg Stelling
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michel O Steinmetz
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory of Biomolecular Research, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Biozentrum , Basel, Switzerland
| | - Yves Barral
- Institute of Biochemistry, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich , Zurich, Switzerland
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2
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Wethekam LC, Moore JK. Tubulin isotype regulation maintains asymmetric requirement for α-tubulin over β-tubulin. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:e202202102. [PMID: 36719400 PMCID: PMC9930134 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202202102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
How cells regulate α- and β-tubulin to meet the demand for αβ-heterodimers and avoid consequences of monomer imbalance is not understood. We investigate the role of gene copy number and how shifting expression of α- or β-tubulin genes impacts tubulin proteostasis and microtubule function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We find that α-tubulin gene copy number is important for maintaining excess α-tubulin protein compared to β-tubulin protein. Excess α-tubulin prevents accumulation of super-stoichiometric β-tubulin, which leads to loss of microtubules, formation of non-microtubule assemblies of tubulin, and disrupts cell proliferation. In contrast, sub-stoichiometric β-tubulin or overexpression of α-tubulin has minor effects. We provide evidence that yeast cells equilibrate α-tubulin protein concentration when α-tubulin isotype expression is increased. We propose an asymmetric relationship between α- and β-tubulins, in which α-tubulins are maintained in excess to supply αβ-heterodimers and limit the accumulation of β-tubulin monomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnea C. Wethekam
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jeffrey K. Moore
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
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3
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Zucca F, Visintin C, Li J, Gygi SP, Visintin R. APC/CCdc20-mediated degradation of Clb4 prompts astral microtubule stabilization at anaphase onset. J Cell Biol 2022; 222:213563. [PMID: 36269172 PMCID: PMC9595209 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202203089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Key for accurate chromosome partitioning to the offspring is the ability of mitotic spindle microtubules to respond to different molecular signals and remodel their dynamics accordingly. Spindle microtubules are conventionally divided into three classes: kinetochore, interpolar, and astral microtubules (kMTs, iMTs, and aMTs, respectively). Among all, aMT regulation remains elusive. Here, we show that aMT dynamics are tightly regulated. aMTs remain unstable up to metaphase and are stabilized at anaphase onset. This switch in aMT dynamics, important for proper spindle orientation, specifically requires the degradation of the mitotic cyclin Clb4 by the Anaphase Promoting Complex bound to its activator subunit Cdc20 (APC/CCdc20). These data highlight a unique role for mitotic cyclin Clb4 in controlling aMT regulating factors, of which Kip2 is a prime candidate, provide a framework to understand aMT regulation in vertebrates, and uncover mechanistic principles of how the APC/CCdc20 choreographs the timing of late mitotic events by sequentially impacting on the three classes of spindle microtubules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Zucca
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Clara Visintin
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Jiaming Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Steven P. Gygi
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Rosella Visintin
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy,Correspondence to Rosella Visintin:
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4
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Mahserejian SM, Scripture JP, Mauro AJ, Lawrence EJ, Jonasson EM, Murray KS, Li J, Gardner M, Alber M, Zanic M, Goodson HV. Quantification of Microtubule Stutters: Dynamic Instability Behaviors that are Strongly Associated with Catastrophe. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:ar22. [PMID: 35108073 PMCID: PMC9250389 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e20-06-0348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubules (MTs) are cytoskeletal fibers that undergo dynamic instability (DI), a remarkable process involving phases of growth and shortening separated by stochastic transitions called catastrophe and rescue. Dissecting DI mechanism(s) requires first characterizing and quantifying these dynamics, a subjective process that often ignores complexity in MT behavior. We present a Statistical Tool for Automated Dynamic Instability Analysis (STADIA) that identifies and quantifies not only growth and shortening, but also a category of intermediate behaviors that we term “stutters.” During stutters, the rate of MT length change tends to be smaller in magnitude than during typical growth or shortening phases. Quantifying stutters and other behaviors with STADIA demonstrates that stutters precede most catastrophes in our in vitro experiments and dimer-scale MT simulations, suggesting that stutters are mechanistically involved in catastrophes. Related to this idea, we show that the anticatastrophe factor CLASP2γ works by promoting the return of stuttering MTs to growth. STADIA enables more comprehensive and data-driven analysis of MT dynamics compared with previous methods. The treatment of stutters as distinct and quantifiable DI behaviors provides new opportunities for analyzing mechanisms of MT dynamics and their regulation by binding proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shant M Mahserejian
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556.,Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352
| | - Jared P Scripture
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Ava J Mauro
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556.,Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst MA, 01003
| | - Elizabeth J Lawrence
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240
| | - Erin M Jonasson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556.,Department of Natural Sciences, Saint Martin's University, Lacey, WA 98503
| | - Kristopher S Murray
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Melissa Gardner
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Mark Alber
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556.,Department of Mathematics, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Marija Zanic
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235.,Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37205
| | - Holly V Goodson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556
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5
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Park K, Hoff KJ, Wethekam L, Stence N, Saenz M, Moore JK. Kinetically Stabilizing Mutations in Beta Tubulins Create Isotype-Specific Brain Malformations. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:765992. [PMID: 34869359 PMCID: PMC8637541 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.765992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the family of genes encoding the tubulin subunits of microtubules are associated with a spectrum of human brain malformations known as tubulinopathies. How these mutations impact tubulin activity to give rise to distinct developmental consequences is poorly understood. Here we report two patients exhibiting brain malformations characteristic of tubulinopathies and heterozygous T178M missense mutations in different β-tubulin genes, TUBB2A or TUBB3. RNAseq analysis indicates that both TUBB2A and TUBB3 are expressed in the brain during development, but only TUBB2A maintains high expression in neurons into adulthood. The T178 residue is highly conserved in β-tubulins and located in the exchangeable GTP-binding pocket of β-tubulin. To determine the impact of T178M on β-tubulin function we created an analogous mutation in the β-tubulin of budding yeast and show that the substitution acts dominantly to produce kinetically stabilized microtubules that assemble and disassemble slowly, with fewer transitions between these states. In vitro experiments with purified mutant tubulin demonstrate that T178M decreases the intrinsic assembly activity of β-tubulin and forms microtubules that rarely transition to disassembly. We provide evidence that the T178M substitution disrupts GTPase-dependent conformational changes in tubulin, providing a mechanistic explanation for kinetic stabilization. Our findings demonstrate the importance of tubulin’s GTPase activity during brain development, and indicate that tubulin isotypes play different, important roles during brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Park
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Katelyn J Hoff
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Linnea Wethekam
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Nicholas Stence
- Section of Pediatric Radiology, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Margarita Saenz
- Section of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Jeffrey K Moore
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
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6
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Schuler MH, English AM, Xiao T, Campbell TJ, Shaw JM, Hughes AL. Mitochondrial-derived compartments facilitate cellular adaptation to amino acid stress. Mol Cell 2021; 81:3786-3802.e13. [PMID: 34547239 PMCID: PMC8513802 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Amino acids are essential building blocks of life. However, increasing evidence suggests that elevated amino acids cause cellular toxicity associated with numerous metabolic disorders. How cells cope with elevated amino acids remains poorly understood. Here, we show that a previously identified cellular structure, the mitochondrial-derived compartment (MDC), functions to protect cells from amino acid stress. In response to amino acid elevation, MDCs are generated from mitochondria, where they selectively sequester and deplete SLC25A nutrient carriers and their associated import receptor Tom70 from the organelle. Generation of MDCs promotes amino acid catabolism, and their formation occurs simultaneously with transporter removal at the plasma membrane via the multivesicular body (MVB) pathway. The combined loss of vacuolar amino acid storage, MVBs, and MDCs renders cells sensitive to high amino acid stress. Thus, we propose that MDCs operate as part of a coordinated cell network that facilitates amino acid homeostasis through post-translational nutrient transporter remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max-Hinderk Schuler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Alyssa M English
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Tianyao Xiao
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Thane J Campbell
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Janet M Shaw
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Adam L Hughes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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7
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English AM, Schuler MH, Xiao T, Kornmann B, Shaw JM, Hughes AL. ER-mitochondria contacts promote mitochondrial-derived compartment biogenesis. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 2020; 219:211482. [PMID: 33090183 PMCID: PMC7588143 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202002144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are dynamic organelles with essential roles in signaling and metabolism. We recently identified a cellular structure called the mitochondrial-derived compartment (MDC) that is generated from mitochondria in response to amino acid overabundance stress. How cells form MDCs is unclear. Here, we show that MDCs are dynamic structures that form and stably persist at sites of contact between the ER and mitochondria. MDC biogenesis requires the ER-mitochondria encounter structure (ERMES) and the conserved GTPase Gem1, factors previously implicated in lipid exchange and membrane tethering at ER-mitochondria contacts. Interestingly, common genetic suppressors of abnormalities displayed by ERMES mutants exhibit distinct abilities to rescue MDC formation in ERMES-depleted strains and are incapable of rescuing MDC formation in cells lacking Gem1. Thus, the function of ERMES and Gem1 in MDC biogenesis may extend beyond their conventional role in maintaining mitochondrial phospholipid homeostasis. Overall, this study identifies an important function for ER-mitochondria contacts in the biogenesis of MDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa M. English
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Max-Hinderk Schuler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Tianyao Xiao
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Benoît Kornmann
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Janet M. Shaw
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Adam L. Hughes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT,Correspondence to Adam L. Hughes:
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8
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Thomas EC, Ismael A, Moore JK. Ase1 domains dynamically slow anaphase spindle elongation and recruit Bim1 to the midzone. Mol Biol Cell 2020; 31:2733-2747. [PMID: 32997572 PMCID: PMC7927185 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e20-07-0493-t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
How cells regulate microtubule cross-linking activity to control the rate and duration of spindle elongation during anaphase is poorly understood. In this study, we test the hypothesis that PRC1/Ase1 proteins use distinct microtubule-binding domains to control the spindle elongation rate. Using the budding yeast Ase1, we identify unique contributions for the spectrin and carboxy-terminal domains during different phases of spindle elongation. We show that the spectrin domain uses conserved basic residues to promote the recruitment of Ase1 to the midzone before anaphase onset and slow spindle elongation during early anaphase. In contrast, a partial Ase1 carboxy-terminal truncation fails to form a stable midzone in late anaphase, produces higher elongation rates after early anaphase, and exhibits frequent spindle collapses. We find that the carboxy-terminal domain interacts with the plus-end tracking protein EB1/Bim1 and recruits Bim1 to the midzone to maintain midzone length. Overall, our results suggest that the Ase1 domains provide cells with a modular system to tune midzone activity and control elongation rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezekiel C Thomas
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Amber Ismael
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045.,Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109
| | - Jeffrey K Moore
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045
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9
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Li G, Moore JK. Microtubule dynamics at low temperature: evidence that tubulin recycling limits assembly. Mol Biol Cell 2020; 31:1154-1166. [PMID: 32213119 PMCID: PMC7353160 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e19-11-0634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
How temperature specifically affects microtubule dynamics and how these lead to changes in microtubule networks in cells have not been established. We investigated these questions in budding yeast, an organism found in diverse environments and therefore predicted to exhibit dynamic microtubules across a broad temperature range. We measured the dynamics of GFP-labeled microtubules in living cells and found that lowering temperature from 37°C to 10°C decreased the rates of both polymerization and depolymerization, decreased the amount of polymer assembled before catastrophes, and decreased the frequency of microtubule emergence from nucleation sites. Lowering to 4°C caused rapid loss of almost all microtubule polymer. We provide evidence that these effects on microtubule dynamics may be explained in part by changes in the cofactor-dependent conformational dynamics of tubulin proteins. Ablation of tubulin-binding cofactors (TBCs) further sensitizes cells and their microtubules to low temperatures, and we highlight a specific role for TBCB/Alf1 in microtubule maintenance at low temperatures. Finally, we show that inhibiting the maturation cycle of tubulin by using a point mutant in β-tubulin confers hyperstable microtubules at low temperatures and rescues the requirement for TBCB/Alf1 in maintaining microtubule polymer at low temperatures. Together, these results reveal an unappreciated step in the tubulin cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Li
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Jeffrey K Moore
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045
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10
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Hughes CE, Coody TK, Jeong MY, Berg JA, Winge DR, Hughes AL. Cysteine Toxicity Drives Age-Related Mitochondrial Decline by Altering Iron Homeostasis. Cell 2020; 180:296-310.e18. [PMID: 31978346 PMCID: PMC7164368 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.12.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondria and lysosomes are functionally linked, and their interdependent decline is a hallmark of aging and disease. Despite the long-standing connection between these organelles, the function(s) of lysosomes required to sustain mitochondrial health remains unclear. Here, working in yeast, we show that the lysosome-like vacuole maintains mitochondrial respiration by spatially compartmentalizing amino acids. Defects in vacuole function result in a breakdown in intracellular amino acid homeostasis, which drives age-related mitochondrial decline. Among amino acids, we find that cysteine is most toxic for mitochondria and show that elevated non-vacuolar cysteine impairs mitochondrial respiration by limiting intracellular iron availability through an oxidant-based mechanism. Cysteine depletion or iron supplementation restores mitochondrial health in vacuole-impaired cells and prevents mitochondrial decline during aging. These results demonstrate that cysteine toxicity is a major driver of age-related mitochondrial deterioration and identify vacuolar amino acid compartmentation as a cellular strategy to minimize amino acid toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey E Hughes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Troy K Coody
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Mi-Young Jeong
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jordan A Berg
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Dennis R Winge
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Adam L Hughes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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11
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Aiken J, Moore JK, Bates EA. TUBA1A mutations identified in lissencephaly patients dominantly disrupt neuronal migration and impair dynein activity. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 28:1227-1243. [PMID: 30517687 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The microtubule cytoskeleton supports diverse cellular morphogenesis and migration processes during brain development. Mutations in tubulin genes are associated with severe human brain malformations known as 'tubulinopathies'; however, it is not understood how molecular-level changes in microtubule subunits lead to brain malformations. In this study, we demonstrate that missense mutations affecting arginine at position 402 (R402) of TUBA1A α-tubulin selectively impair dynein motor activity and severely and dominantly disrupt cortical neuronal migration. TUBA1A is the most commonly affected tubulin gene in tubulinopathy patients, and mutations altering R402 account for 30% of all reported TUBA1A mutations. We show for the first time that ectopic expression of TUBA1A-R402C and TUBA1A-R402H patient alleles is sufficient to dominantly disrupt cortical neuronal migration in the developing mouse brain, strongly supporting a causal role in the pathology of brain malformation. To isolate the precise molecular impact of R402 mutations, we generated analogous R402C and R402H mutations in budding yeast α-tubulin, which exhibit a simplified microtubule cytoskeleton. We find that R402 mutant tubulins assemble into microtubules that support normal kinesin motor activity but fail to support the activity of dynein motors. Importantly, the level of dynein impairment scales with the expression level of the mutant in the cell, suggesting a 'poisoning' mechanism in which R402 mutant α-tubulin acts dominantly by populating microtubules with defective binding sites for dynein. Based on our results, we propose a new model for the molecular pathology of tubulinopathies that may also extend to other tubulin-related neuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayne Aiken
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
| | | | - Emily A Bates
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
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12
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Estrem C, Moore JK. Astral microtubule forces alter nuclear organization and inhibit DNA repair in budding yeast. Mol Biol Cell 2019; 30:2000-2013. [PMID: 31067146 PMCID: PMC6727761 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e18-12-0808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Dividing cells must balance the maintenance of genome integrity with the generation of cytoskeletal forces that control chromosome position. In this study, we investigate how forces on astral microtubules impact the genome during cell division by using live-cell imaging of the cytoskeleton, chromatin, and DNA damage repair in budding yeast. Our results demonstrate that dynein-dependent forces on astral microtubules are propagated through the spindle during nuclear migration and when in excess can increase the frequency of double-stranded breaks (DSBs). Under these conditions, we find that homology-directed repair of DSBs is delayed, indicating antagonism between nuclear migration and the mechanism of homology-directed repair. These effects are partially rescued by mutants that weaken pericentric cohesion or mutants that decrease constriction on the nucleus as it moves through the bud neck. We propose that minimizing nuclear movement aids in finding a donor strand for homologous recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassi Estrem
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Jeffrey K Moore
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045
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13
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Zwetsloot AJ, Tut G, Straube A. Measuring microtubule dynamics. Essays Biochem 2018; 62:725-735. [PMID: 30287587 PMCID: PMC6281472 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20180035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Microtubules are key players in cellular self-organization, acting as structural scaffolds, cellular highways, force generators and signalling platforms. Microtubules are polar filaments that undergo dynamic instability, i.e. transition between phases of growth and shrinkage. This allows microtubules to explore the inner space of the cell, generate pushing and pulling forces and remodel themselves into arrays with different geometry and function such as the mitotic spindle. To do this, eukaryotic cells employ an arsenal of regulatory proteins to control microtubule dynamics spatially and temporally. Plants and microorganisms have developed secondary metabolites that perturb microtubule dynamics, many of which are in active use as cancer chemotherapeutics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Here, we summarize the methods used to visualize microtubules and to measure the parameters of dynamic instability to study both microtubule regulatory proteins and the action of small molecules interfering with microtubule assembly and/or disassembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander James Zwetsloot
- Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K
- MRC Doctoral Training Partnership, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Gokhan Tut
- Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K
- MRC Doctoral Training Partnership, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Anne Straube
- Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K.
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K
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Fees CP, Moore JK. Regulation of microtubule dynamic instability by the carboxy-terminal tail of β-tubulin. Life Sci Alliance 2018; 1. [PMID: 29963657 PMCID: PMC6022761 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.201800054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
This work examines how the carboxy-terminal tail domain of β-tubulin governs microtubule dynamic instability and the structure of plus ends using complementary in vivo and in vitro experiments. Dynamic instability is an intrinsic property of microtubules; however, we do not understand what domains of αβ-tubulins regulate this activity or how these regulate microtubule networks in cells. Here, we define a role for the negatively charged carboxy-terminal tail (CTT) domain of β-tubulin in regulating dynamic instability. By combining in vitro studies with purified mammalian tubulin and in vivo studies with tubulin mutants in budding yeast, we demonstrate that β-tubulin CTT inhibits microtubule stability and regulates the structure and stability of microtubule plus ends. Tubulin that lacks β-tubulin CTT polymerizes faster and depolymerizes slower in vitro and forms microtubules that are more prone to catastrophe. The ends of these microtubules exhibit a more blunted morphology and rapidly switch to disassembly after tubulin depletion. In addition, we show that β-tubulin CTT is required for magnesium cations to promote depolymerization. We propose that β-tubulin CTT regulates the assembly of stable microtubule ends and provides a tunable mechanism to coordinate dynamic instability with ionic strength in the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colby P Fees
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jeffrey K Moore
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
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