1
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Pimm ML, Haarer BK, Nobles AD, Haney LM, Marcin AG, Alcaide Eligio M, Henty-Ridilla JL. Coordination of actin plus-end dynamics by IQGAP1, formin, and capping protein. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202305065. [PMID: 38787349 PMCID: PMC11117073 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202305065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell processes require precise regulation of actin polymerization that is mediated by plus-end regulatory proteins. Detailed mechanisms that explain plus-end dynamics involve regulators with opposing roles, including factors that enhance assembly, e.g., the formin mDia1, and others that stop growth (capping protein, CP). We explore IQGAP1's roles in regulating actin filament plus-ends and the consequences of perturbing its activity in cells. We confirm that IQGAP1 pauses elongation and interacts with plus ends through two residues (C756 and C781). We directly visualize the dynamic interplay between IQGAP1 and mDia1, revealing that IQGAP1 displaces the formin to influence actin assembly. Using four-color TIRF, we show that IQGAP1's displacement activity extends to formin-CP "decision complexes," promoting end-binding protein turnover at plus-ends. Loss of IQGAP1 or its plus-end activities disrupts morphology and migration, emphasizing its essential role. These results reveal a new role for IQGAP1 in promoting protein turnover on filament ends and provide new insights into how plus-end actin assembly is regulated in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L. Pimm
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Brian K. Haarer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Alexander D. Nobles
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Laura M. Haney
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Alexandra G. Marcin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Marcela Alcaide Eligio
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Jessica L. Henty-Ridilla
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
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2
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Xu W, Liu X, Liu X. Modeling the dynamic growth and branching of actin filaments. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:3649-3659. [PMID: 35438124 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00283c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As an essential component of the cytoskeleton, actin filaments play a key role in a variety of cellular physiological activities. To better understand the function of actin filaments, which are a special kind of polymer chain, researchers have started to focus on the Brownian dynamics of polymers. Currently, to study the dynamics of polymers, classical explicit bead-spring models and finite-element methods (FEMs) have both been broadly used. However, compared to bead-spring models, FEMs can address the mechanical properties of actin filaments and actin networks with more detail and better accuracy. However, current FEMs do not consider the dynamic assembly of actin into an actin filament network. Here, we extend the traditional FEM and present a new framework of the FEM based on the co-rotational grid method, which allows us to simulate the dynamic growth and branching of actin filaments. Several examples are studied. The proposed numerical model is capable of capturing the dynamic assembly of actin filaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu Xu
- Department of Mechanics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Luoyu Road 1037, 430074, Wuhan, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Engineering Structural Analysis and Safety Assessment, Luoyu Road 1037, 430074, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuheng Liu
- School of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaohu Liu
- Department of Mechanics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Luoyu Road 1037, 430074, Wuhan, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Engineering Structural Analysis and Safety Assessment, Luoyu Road 1037, 430074, Wuhan, China
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3
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Hoeprich GJ, Sinclair AN, Shekhar S, Goode BL. Single-molecule imaging of IQGAP1 regulating actin filament dynamics. Mol Biol Cell 2021; 33:ar2. [PMID: 34731043 PMCID: PMC8886817 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e21-04-0211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
IQGAP is a conserved family of actin-binding proteins with essential roles in cell motility, cytokinesis, and cell adhesion, yet there remains a limited understanding of how IQGAP proteins directly influence actin filament dynamics. To close this gap, we used single-molecule and single-filament total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to observe IQGAP regulating actin dynamics in real time. To our knowledge, this is the first study to do so. Our results demonstrate that full-length human IQGAP1 forms dimers that stably bind to actin filament sides and transiently cap barbed ends. These interactions organize filaments into thin bundles, suppress barbed end growth, and inhibit filament disassembly. Surprisingly, each activity depends on distinct combinations of IQGAP1 domains and/or dimerization, suggesting that different mechanisms underlie each functional effect on actin. These observations have important implications for how IQGAP functions as an actin regulator in vivo and how it may be regulated in different biological settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory J Hoeprich
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Amy N Sinclair
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Shashank Shekhar
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453, USA.,Present address: Departments of Physics and Cell Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Bruce L Goode
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
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4
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Twinfilin uncaps filament barbed ends to promote turnover of lamellipodial actin networks. Nat Cell Biol 2021; 23:147-159. [PMID: 33558729 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-020-00629-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Coordinated polymerization of actin filaments provides force for cell migration, morphogenesis and endocytosis. Capping protein (CP) is a central regulator of actin dynamics in all eukaryotes. It binds to actin filament (F-actin) barbed ends with high affinity and slow dissociation kinetics to prevent filament polymerization and depolymerization. However, in cells, CP displays remarkably rapid dynamics within F-actin networks, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we report that the conserved cytoskeletal regulator twinfilin is responsible for CP's rapid dynamics and specific localization in cells. Depletion of twinfilin led to stable association between CP and cellular F-actin arrays, as well as to its retrograde movement throughout leading-edge lamellipodia. These were accompanied by diminished F-actin turnover rates. In vitro single-filament imaging approaches revealed that twinfilin directly promotes dissociation of CP from filament barbed ends, while enabling subsequent filament depolymerization. These results uncover a bipartite mechanism that controls how actin cytoskeleton-mediated forces are generated in cells.
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5
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Schneider R, Deutsch K, Hoeprich GJ, Marquez J, Hermle T, Braun DA, Seltzsam S, Kitzler TM, Mao Y, Buerger F, Majmundar AJ, Onuchic-Whitford AC, Kolvenbach CM, Schierbaum L, Schneider S, Halawi AA, Nakayama M, Mann N, Connaughton DM, Klämbt V, Wagner M, Riedhammer KM, Renders L, Katsura Y, Thumkeo D, Soliman NA, Mane S, Lifton RP, Shril S, Khokha MK, Hoefele J, Goode BL, Hildebrandt F. DAAM2 Variants Cause Nephrotic Syndrome via Actin Dysregulation. Am J Hum Genet 2020; 107:1113-1128. [PMID: 33232676 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2020.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of >60 monogenic causes of nephrotic syndrome (NS) has revealed a central role for the actin regulators RhoA/Rac1/Cdc42 and their effectors, including the formin INF2. By whole-exome sequencing (WES), we here discovered bi-allelic variants in the formin DAAM2 in four unrelated families with steroid-resistant NS. We show that DAAM2 localizes to the cytoplasm in podocytes and in kidney sections. Further, the variants impair DAAM2-dependent actin remodeling processes: wild-type DAAM2 cDNA, but not cDNA representing missense variants found in individuals with NS, rescued reduced podocyte migration rate (PMR) and restored reduced filopodia formation in shRNA-induced DAAM2-knockdown podocytes. Filopodia restoration was also induced by the formin-activating molecule IMM-01. DAAM2 also co-localizes and co-immunoprecipitates with INF2, which is intriguing since variants in both formins cause NS. Using in vitro bulk and TIRF microscopy assays, we find that DAAM2 variants alter actin assembly activities of the formin. In a Xenopus daam2-CRISPR knockout model, we demonstrate actin dysregulation in vivo and glomerular maldevelopment that is rescued by WT-DAAM2 mRNA. We conclude that DAAM2 variants are a likely cause of monogenic human SRNS due to actin dysregulation in podocytes. Further, we provide evidence that DAAM2-associated SRNS may be amenable to treatment using actin regulating compounds.
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6
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Cao L, Yonis A, Vaghela M, Barriga EH, Chugh P, Smith MB, Maufront J, Lavoie G, Méant A, Ferber E, Bovellan M, Alberts A, Bertin A, Mayor R, Paluch EK, Roux PP, Jégou A, Romet-Lemonne G, Charras G. SPIN90 associates with mDia1 and the Arp2/3 complex to regulate cortical actin organization. Nat Cell Biol 2020; 22:803-814. [PMID: 32572169 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-020-0531-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Cell shape is controlled by the submembranous cortex, an actomyosin network mainly generated by two actin nucleators: the Arp2/3 complex and the formin mDia1. Changes in relative nucleator activity may alter cortical organization, mechanics and cell shape. Here we investigate how nucleation-promoting factors mediate interactions between nucleators. In vitro, the nucleation-promoting factor SPIN90 promotes formation of unbranched filaments by Arp2/3, a process thought to provide the initial filament for generation of dendritic networks. Paradoxically, in cells, SPIN90 appears to favour a formin-dominated cortex. Our in vitro experiments reveal that this feature stems mainly from two mechanisms: efficient recruitment of mDia1 to SPIN90-Arp2/3 nucleated filaments and formation of a ternary SPIN90-Arp2/3-mDia1 complex that greatly enhances filament nucleation. Both mechanisms yield rapidly elongating filaments with mDia1 at their barbed ends and SPIN90-Arp2/3 at their pointed ends. Thus, in networks, SPIN90 lowers branching densities and increases the proportion of long filaments elongated by mDia1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyan Cao
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France
| | - Amina Yonis
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Malti Vaghela
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, UK
| | - Elias H Barriga
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK.,Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Priyamvada Chugh
- MRC-Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Matthew B Smith
- MRC-Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, UK.,The Francis Crick institute, London, UK
| | - Julien Maufront
- Laboratoire Physico Chimie Curie, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR168, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Geneviève Lavoie
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Antoine Méant
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Emma Ferber
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Miia Bovellan
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Art Alberts
- Van Andel research institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Aurélie Bertin
- Laboratoire Physico Chimie Curie, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR168, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Roberto Mayor
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ewa K Paluch
- MRC-Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, UK.,Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK.,Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Philippe P Roux
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Antoine Jégou
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France.
| | | | - Guillaume Charras
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, UK. .,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK. .,Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK.
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7
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Wioland H, Suzuki E, Cao L, Romet-Lemonne G, Jegou A. The advantages of microfluidics to study actin biochemistry and biomechanics. J Muscle Res Cell Motil 2019; 41:175-188. [PMID: 31749040 PMCID: PMC7109186 DOI: 10.1007/s10974-019-09564-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The regulated assembly of actin filaments is essential in nearly all cell types. Studying actin assembly dynamics can pose many technical challenges. A number of these challenges can be overcome by using microfluidics to observe and manipulate single actin filaments under an optical microscope. In particular, microfluidics can be tremendously useful for applying different mechanical stresses to actin filaments and determining how the physical context of the filaments affects their regulation by biochemical factors. In this review, we summarize the main features of microfluidics for the study of actin assembly dynamics, and we highlight some recent developments that have emerged from the combination of microfluidics and other techniques. We use two case studies to illustrate our points: the rapid assembly of actin filaments by formins and the disassembly of filaments by actin depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin. Both of these protein families play important roles in cells. They regulate actin assembly through complex molecular mechanisms that are sensitive to the filaments’ mechanical context, with multiple activities that need to be quantified separately. Microfluidics-based experiments have been extremely useful for gaining insight into the regulatory actions of these two protein families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Wioland
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, Université de Paris, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Emiko Suzuki
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, Université de Paris, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Luyan Cao
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, Université de Paris, 75013, Paris, France
| | | | - Antoine Jegou
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, Université de Paris, 75013, Paris, France.
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8
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Wioland H, Jegou A, Romet-Lemonne G. Quantitative Variations with pH of Actin Depolymerizing Factor/Cofilin's Multiple Actions on Actin Filaments. Biochemistry 2018; 58:40-47. [PMID: 30499293 PMCID: PMC6358128 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b01001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Actin
depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin is the main protein family
promoting the disassembly of actin filaments, which is essential for
numerous cellular functions. ADF/cofilin proteins disassemble actin
filaments through different reactions, as they bind to their sides,
sever them, and promote the depolymerization of the resulting ADF/cofilin-saturated
filaments. Moreover, the efficiency of ADF/cofilin is known to be
very sensitive to pH. ADF/cofilin thus illustrates two challenges
in actin biochemistry: separating the different regulatory actions
of a single protein and characterizing them as a function of specific
biochemical conditions. Here, we investigate the different reactions
of ADF/cofilin on actin filaments, at four different pH values ranging
from 6.6 to 7.8, using single-filament microfluidics techniques. We
show that decreasing the pH decreases the effective filament severing
rate by increasing the rate at which filaments become saturated by
ADF/cofilin, thereby reducing the number of ADF/cofilin domain boundaries,
where severing can occur. The severing rate per domain boundary, however,
remains unchanged at different pH values. The ADF/cofilin-decorated
filaments (“cofilactin” filaments) depolymerize from
both ends. We show here that, at physiological pH (7.0–7.4),
the pointed end depolymerization of cofilactin filaments is barely
faster than that of bare filaments. In contrast, cofilactin barbed
ends undergo an “unstoppable” depolymerization (depolymerizing
for minutes despite the presence of free actin monomers and capping
protein in solution), throughout our pH range. We thus show that,
at physiological pH, the main contribution of ADF/cofilin to filament
depolymerization is at the barbed end.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Wioland
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, Université Paris-Diderot , 75013 Paris , France
| | - Antoine Jegou
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, Université Paris-Diderot , 75013 Paris , France
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9
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Abstract
Formin is a highly processive motor that offers very unique features to control the elongation of actin filaments. When bound to the filament barbed-end, it enhances the addition of profilin-actin from solution to dramatically accelerate actin assembly. The different aspects of formin activity can be explored using single actin filament assays based on the combination of microfluidics with fluorescence microscopy. This chapter describes methods to conduct single filament experiments and explains how to probe formin renucleation as a case study: purification of the proteins, the design, preparation, and assembly of the flow chamber, and how to specifically anchor formins to the surface.
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10
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Letort G, Politi AZ, Ennomani H, Théry M, Nedelec F, Blanchoin L. Geometrical and mechanical properties control actin filament organization. PLoS Comput Biol 2015; 11:e1004245. [PMID: 26016478 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The different actin structures governing eukaryotic cell shape and movement are not only determined by the properties of the actin filaments and associated proteins, but also by geometrical constraints. We recently demonstrated that limiting nucleation to specific regions was sufficient to obtain actin networks with different organization. To further investigate how spatially constrained actin nucleation determines the emergent actin organization, we performed detailed simulations of the actin filament system using Cytosim. We first calibrated the steric interaction between filaments, by matching, in simulations and experiments, the bundled actin organization observed with a rectangular bar of nucleating factor. We then studied the overall organization of actin filaments generated by more complex pattern geometries used experimentally. We found that the fraction of parallel versus antiparallel bundles is determined by the mechanical properties of actin filament or bundles and the efficiency of nucleation. Thus nucleation geometry, actin filaments local interactions, bundle rigidity, and nucleation efficiency are the key parameters controlling the emergent actin architecture. We finally simulated more complex nucleation patterns and performed the corresponding experiments to confirm the predictive capabilities of the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëlle Letort
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Institut de Recherches en Technologies et Sciences pour le Vivant, iRTSV, CNRS/CEA/UGA, Grenoble, France; Laboratoire d'Imagerie et Systèmes d'Acquisition, CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, Grenoble, France, Univ. Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Hajer Ennomani
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Institut de Recherches en Technologies et Sciences pour le Vivant, iRTSV, CNRS/CEA/UGA, Grenoble, France
| | - Manuel Théry
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Institut de Recherches en Technologies et Sciences pour le Vivant, iRTSV, CNRS/CEA/UGA, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Laurent Blanchoin
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Institut de Recherches en Technologies et Sciences pour le Vivant, iRTSV, CNRS/CEA/UGA, Grenoble, France
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11
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Abstract
We describe how combining microfluidics with TIRF and epifluorescence microscopy can greatly facilitate the quantitative analysis of actin assembly dynamics and its regulation, as well as the exploration of issues that were often out of reach with standard single-filament microscopy, such as the kinetics of processes linked to actin self-assembly or the kinetics of interaction with regulators. We also show how the viscous drag force exerted by fluid flowing on the filaments can be calibrated in order to assess the mechanosensitivity of end-binding protein machineries such as formins or adhesion proteins. We also discuss how microfluidics, in conjunction with other techniques, could be used to address the mechanism of coordination between heterogeneous populations of filaments, or the behavior of individual filaments during regulated treadmilling. These techniques also can be applied to study the assembly and regulation of other cytoskeletal polymers such as microtubules, septins, intermediate filaments, as well as the transport of cargoes by molecular motors under a flow-produced load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-France Carlier
- Laboratoire d'Enzymologie et Biochimie Structurales, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | | | - Antoine Jégou
- Laboratoire d'Enzymologie et Biochimie Structurales, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
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12
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Formin mDia1 senses and generates mechanical forces on actin filaments. Nat Commun 2013; 4:1883. [PMID: 23695677 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2012] [Accepted: 04/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytoskeleton assembly is instrumental in the regulation of biological functions by physical forces. In a number of key cellular processes, actin filaments elongated by formins such as mDia are subject to mechanical tension, yet how mechanical forces modulate the assembly of actin filaments is an open question. Here, using the viscous drag of a microfluidic flow, we apply calibrated piconewton pulling forces to individual actin filaments that are being elongated at their barbed end by surface-anchored mDia1 proteins. We show that mDia1 is mechanosensitive and that the elongation rate of filaments is increased up to two-fold by the application of a pulling force. We also show that mDia1 is able to track a depolymerizing barbed end in spite of an opposing pulling force, which means that mDia1 can efficiently put actin filaments under mechanical tension. Our findings suggest that formin function in cells is tightly coupled to the mechanical activity of other machineries.
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13
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Romet-Lemonne G, Jégou A. Mechanotransduction down to individual actin filaments. Eur J Cell Biol 2013; 92:333-8. [PMID: 24252518 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2013.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2013] [Revised: 10/11/2013] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The actin cytoskeleton plays an essential role in a cell's ability to generate and sense forces, both internally and in interaction with the outside world. The transduction of mechanical cues into biochemical reactions in cells, in particular, is a multi-scale process which requires a variety of approaches to be understood. This review focuses on understanding how mechanical stress applied to an actin filament can affect its assembly dynamics. Today, experiments addressing this issue at the scale of individual actin filaments are emerging and bring novel insight into mechanotransduction. For instance, recent data show that actin filaments can act as mechanosensors, as an applied tension or curvature alters their conformation and their affinity for regulatory proteins. Filaments can also transmit mechanical tension to other proteins, which consequently change the way they interact with the filaments to regulate their assembly. These results provide evidence for mechanotransduction at the scale of individual filaments, showing that forces participate in the regulation of filament assembly and organization. They bring insight into the elementary events coupling mechanics and biochemistry in cells. The experiments presented here are linked to recent technical developments, and certainly announce the advent of more exciting results in the future.
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14
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Gunning P. BioArchitecture: the organization and regulation of biological space. BIOARCHITECTURE 2012; 2:200-3. [PMID: 23267413 PMCID: PMC3527313 DOI: 10.4161/bioa.22726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BioArchitecture is a term used to describe the organization and regulation of biological space. It applies to the principles which govern the structure of molecules, polymers and mutiprotein complexes, organelles, membranes and their organization in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. It also covers the integration of cells into their three dimensional environment at the level of cell-matrix, cell-cell interactions, integration into tissue/organ structure and function and finally into the structure of the organism. This review will highlight studies at all these levels which are providing a new way to think about the relationship between the organization of biological space and the function of biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Gunning
- School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
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15
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