scholarly journals The role of the lissencephaly protein Pac1 during nuclear migration in budding yeast

2003 ◽  
Vol 160 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Lih Lee ◽  
Jessica R. Oberle ◽  
John A. Cooper

During mitosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the mitotic spindle moves into the mother–bud neck via dynein-dependent sliding of cytoplasmic microtubules along the cortex of the bud. Here we show that Pac1, the yeast homologue of the human lissencephaly protein LIS1, plays a key role in this process. First, genetic interactions placed Pac1 in the dynein/dynactin pathway. Second, cells lacking Pac1 failed to display microtubule sliding in the bud, resulting in defective mitotic spindle movement and nuclear segregation. Third, Pac1 localized to the plus ends (distal tips) of cytoplasmic microtubules in the bud. This localization did not depend on the dynein heavy chain Dyn1. Moreover, the Pac1 fluorescence intensity at the microtubule end was enhanced in cells lacking dynactin or the cortical attachment molecule Num1. Fourth, dynein heavy chain Dyn1 also localized to the tips of cytoplasmic microtubules in wild-type cells. Dynein localization required Pac1 and, like Pac1, was enhanced in cells lacking the dynactin component Arp1 or the cortical attachment molecule Num1. Our results suggest that Pac1 targets dynein to microtubule tips, which is necessary for sliding of microtubules along the bud cortex. Dynein must remain inactive until microtubule ends interact with the bud cortex, at which time dynein and Pac1 appear to be offloaded from the microtubule to the cortex.

1993 ◽  
Vol 90 (23) ◽  
pp. 11172-11176 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Eshel ◽  
L A Urrestarazu ◽  
S Vissers ◽  
J C Jauniaux ◽  
J C van Vliet-Reedijk ◽  
...  

We have identified the gene DYN1, which encodes the heavy chain of cytoplasmic dynein in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The predicted amino acid sequence (M(r) 471,305) reveals the presence of four P-loop motifs, as in all dyneins known so far, and has 28% overall identity to the dynein heavy chain of Dictyostelium [Koonce, M. P., Grissom, P. M. & McIntosh, J. R. (1992) J. Cell Biol. 119, 1597-1604] with 40% identity in the putative motor domain. Disruption of DYN1 causes misalignment of the spindle relative to the bud neck during cell division and results in abnormal distribution of the dividing nuclei between the mother cell and the bud. Cytoplasmic dynein, by generating force along cytoplasmic microtubules, may play an important role in the proper alignment of the mitotic spindle in yeast.


2005 ◽  
Vol 168 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Lih Lee ◽  
Michelle A. Kaiser ◽  
John A. Cooper

During mitosis in budding yeast, dynein moves the mitotic spindle into the mother-bud neck. We have proposed an offloading model to explain how dynein works. Dynein is targeted to the dynamic plus end of a cytoplasmic microtubule, offloads to the cortex, becomes anchored and activated, and then pulls on the microtubule. Here, we perform functional studies of dynein intermediate chain (IC) and light intermediate chain (LIC). IC/Pac11 and LIC/Dyn3 are both essential for dynein function, similar to the heavy chain (HC/Dyn1). IC and LIC are targeted to the distal plus ends of dynamic cytoplasmic microtubules, as is HC, and their targeting depends on HC. Targeting of HC to the plus end depends on IC, but not LIC. IC also localizes as stationary dots at the cell cortex, the presumed result of offloading in our model, as does HC, but not LIC. Localization of HC to cortical dots depends on both IC and LIC. Thus, the IC and LIC accessory chains have different but essential roles in dynein function, providing new insight into the offloading model.


1997 ◽  
Vol 138 (5) ◽  
pp. 1041-1053 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank R. Cottingham ◽  
M. Andrew Hoyt

Proper positioning of the mitotic spindle is often essential for cell division and differentiation processes. The asymmetric cell division characteristic of budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, requires that the spindle be positioned at the mother–bud neck and oriented along the mother–bud axis. The single dynein motor encoded by the S. cerevisiae genome performs an important but nonessential spindle-positioning role. We demonstrate that kinesin-related Kip3p makes a major contribution to spindle positioning in the absence of dynein. The elimination of Kip3p function in dyn1Δ cells severely compromised spindle movement to the mother–bud neck. In dyn1Δ cells that had completed positioning, elimination of Kip3p function caused spindles to mislocalize to distal positions in mother cell bodies. We also demonstrate that the spindle-positioning defects exhibited by dyn1 kip3 cells are caused, to a large extent, by the actions of kinesin- related Kip2p. Microtubules in kip2Δ cells were shorter and more sensitive to benomyl than wild-type, in contrast to the longer and benomyl-resistant microtubules found in dyn1Δ and kip3Δ cells. Most significantly, the deletion of KIP2 greatly suppressed the spindle localization defect and slow growth exhibited by dyn1 kip3 cells. Likewise, induced expression of KIP2 caused spindles to mislocalize in cells deficient for dynein and Kip3p. Our findings indicate that Kip2p participates in normal spindle positioning but antagonizes a positioning mechanism acting in dyn1 kip3 cells. The observation that deletion of KIP2 could also suppress the inviability of dyn1Δ kar3Δ cells suggests that kinesin-related Kar3p also contributes to spindle positioning.


2010 ◽  
Vol 21 (21) ◽  
pp. 3680-3692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandrine Grava ◽  
Peter Philippsen

Ashbya gossypii has a budding yeast-like genome but grows exclusively as multinucleated hyphae. In contrast to budding yeast where positioning of nuclei at the bud neck is a major function of cytoplasmic microtubules (cMTs), A. gossypii nuclei are constantly in motion and positioning is not an issue. To investigate the role of cMTs in nuclear oscillation and bypassing, we constructed mutants potentially affecting cMT lengths. Hyphae lacking the plus (+)end marker Bik1 or the kinesin Kip2 cannot polymerize long cMTs and lose wild-type nuclear movements. Interestingly, hyphae lacking the kinesin Kip3 display longer cMTs concomitant with increased nuclear oscillation and bypassing. Polymerization and depolymerization rates of cMTs are 3 times higher in A. gossypii than in budding yeast and cMT catastrophes are rare. Growing cMTs slide along the hyphal cortex and exert pulling forces on nuclei. Surprisingly, a capture/shrinkage mechanism seems to be absent in A. gossypii. cMTs reaching a hyphal tip do not shrink, and cMT +ends accumulate in hyphal tips. Thus, differences in cMT dynamics and length control between budding yeast and A. gossypii are key elements in the adaptation of the cMT cytoskeleton to much longer cells and much higher degrees of nuclear mobilities.


2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (34) ◽  
pp. E4995-E5004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen Lu ◽  
Michael Winding ◽  
Margot Lakonishok ◽  
Jill Wildonger ◽  
Vladimir I. Gelfand

Cytoplasmic streaming in Drosophila oocytes is a microtubule-based bulk cytoplasmic movement. Streaming efficiently circulates and localizes mRNAs and proteins deposited by the nurse cells across the oocyte. This movement is driven by kinesin-1, a major microtubule motor. Recently, we have shown that kinesin-1 heavy chain (KHC) can transport one microtubule on another microtubule, thus driving microtubule–microtubule sliding in multiple cell types. To study the role of microtubule sliding in oocyte cytoplasmic streaming, we used a Khc mutant that is deficient in microtubule sliding but able to transport a majority of cargoes. We demonstrated that streaming is reduced by genomic replacement of wild-type Khc with this sliding-deficient mutant. Streaming can be fully rescued by wild-type KHC and partially rescued by a chimeric motor that cannot move organelles but is active in microtubule sliding. Consistent with these data, we identified two populations of microtubules in fast-streaming oocytes: a network of stable microtubules anchored to the actin cortex and free cytoplasmic microtubules that moved in the ooplasm. We further demonstrated that the reduced streaming in sliding-deficient oocytes resulted in posterior determination defects. Together, we propose that kinesin-1 slides free cytoplasmic microtubules against cortically immobilized microtubules, generating forces that contribute to cytoplasmic streaming and are essential for the refinement of posterior determinants.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 1916-1924 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Öling ◽  
Rehan Masoom ◽  
Kristian Kvint

Ubp3 is a conserved ubiquitin protease that acts as an antisilencing factor in MAT and telomeric regions. Here we show that ubp3∆ mutants also display increased silencing in ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Consistent with this, RNA polymerase II occupancy is lower in cells lacking Ubp3 than in wild-type cells in all heterochromatic regions. Moreover, in a ubp3∆ mutant, unequal recombination in rDNA is highly suppressed. We present genetic evidence that this effect on rDNA recombination, but not silencing, is entirely dependent on the silencing factor Sir2. Further, ubp3∆ sir2∆ mutants age prematurely at the same rate as sir2∆ mutants. Thus our data suggest that recombination negatively influences replicative life span more so than silencing. However, in ubp3∆ mutants, recombination is not a prerequisite for aging, since cells lacking Ubp3 have a shorter life span than isogenic wild-type cells. We discuss the data in view of different models on how silencing and unequal recombination affect replicative life span and the role of Ubp3 in these processes.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 3603-3612
Author(s):  
S Marcus ◽  
G A Caldwell ◽  
D Miller ◽  
C B Xue ◽  
F Naider ◽  
...  

We have undertaken total synthesis of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae a-factor (NH2-YIIKGVFWDPAC[S-farnesyl]-COOCH3) and several Cys-12 analogs to determine the significance of S-farnesylation and carboxy-terminal methyl esterification to the biological activity of this lipopeptide mating pheromone. Replacement of either the farnesyl group or the carboxy-terminal methyl ester by a hydrogen atom resulted in marked reduction but not total loss of bioactivity as measured by a variety of assays. Moreover, both the farnesyl and methyl ester groups could be replaced by other substituents to produce biologically active analogs. The bioactivity of a-factor decreased as the number of prenyl units on the cysteine sulfur decreased from three to one, and an a-factor analog having the S-farnesyl group replaced by an S-hexadecanyl group was more active than an S-methyl a-factor analog. Thus, with two types of modifications, a-factor activity increased as the S-alkyl group became bulkier and more hydrophobic. MATa cells having deletions of the a-factor structural genes (mfal1 mfa2 mutants) were capable of mating with either sst2 or wild-type MAT alpha cells in the presence of exogenous a-factor, indicating that it is not absolutely essential for MATa cells to actively produce a-factor in order to mate. Various a-factor analogs were found to partially restore mating to these strains as well, and their relative activities in the mating restoration assay were similar to their activities in the other assays used in this study. Mating was not restored by addition of exogenous a-factor to a cross of a wild-type MAT alpha strain and a MATaste6 mutant, indicating a role of the STE6 gene product in mating in addition to its secretion of a-factor.


2004 ◽  
Vol 167 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenton L. Scott ◽  
Jeffrey S. Van Komen ◽  
Hassan Irshad ◽  
Song Liu ◽  
Kirilee A. Wilson ◽  
...  

Sec1 proteins are critical players in membrane trafficking, yet their precise role remains unknown. We have examined the role of Sec1p in the regulation of post-Golgi secretion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Indirect immunofluorescence shows that endogenous Sec1p is found primarily at the bud neck in newly budded cells and in patches broadly distributed within the plasma membrane in unbudded cells. Recombinant Sec1p binds strongly to the t-SNARE complex (Sso1p/Sec9c) as well as to the fully assembled ternary SNARE complex (Sso1p/Sec9c;Snc2p), but also binds weakly to free Sso1p. We used recombinant Sec1p to test Sec1p function using a well-characterized SNARE-mediated membrane fusion assay. The addition of Sec1p to a traditional in vitro fusion assay moderately stimulates fusion; however, when Sec1p is allowed to bind to SNAREs before reconstitution, significantly more Sec1p binding is detected and fusion is stimulated in a concentration-dependent manner. These data strongly argue that Sec1p directly stimulates SNARE-mediated membrane fusion.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 3603-3612 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Marcus ◽  
G A Caldwell ◽  
D Miller ◽  
C B Xue ◽  
F Naider ◽  
...  

We have undertaken total synthesis of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae a-factor (NH2-YIIKGVFWDPAC[S-farnesyl]-COOCH3) and several Cys-12 analogs to determine the significance of S-farnesylation and carboxy-terminal methyl esterification to the biological activity of this lipopeptide mating pheromone. Replacement of either the farnesyl group or the carboxy-terminal methyl ester by a hydrogen atom resulted in marked reduction but not total loss of bioactivity as measured by a variety of assays. Moreover, both the farnesyl and methyl ester groups could be replaced by other substituents to produce biologically active analogs. The bioactivity of a-factor decreased as the number of prenyl units on the cysteine sulfur decreased from three to one, and an a-factor analog having the S-farnesyl group replaced by an S-hexadecanyl group was more active than an S-methyl a-factor analog. Thus, with two types of modifications, a-factor activity increased as the S-alkyl group became bulkier and more hydrophobic. MATa cells having deletions of the a-factor structural genes (mfal1 mfa2 mutants) were capable of mating with either sst2 or wild-type MAT alpha cells in the presence of exogenous a-factor, indicating that it is not absolutely essential for MATa cells to actively produce a-factor in order to mate. Various a-factor analogs were found to partially restore mating to these strains as well, and their relative activities in the mating restoration assay were similar to their activities in the other assays used in this study. Mating was not restored by addition of exogenous a-factor to a cross of a wild-type MAT alpha strain and a MATaste6 mutant, indicating a role of the STE6 gene product in mating in addition to its secretion of a-factor.


1993 ◽  
Vol 105 (2) ◽  
pp. 519-528
Author(s):  
F. Boschelli ◽  
S.M. Uptain ◽  
J.J. Lightbody

The lethal effects of the expression of the oncogenic protein tyrosine kinase p60v-src in Saccharomyces cerevisiae are associated with a loss of cell cycle control at the G1/S and G2/M checkpoints. Results described here indicate that the ability of v-Src to kill yeast is dependent on the integrity of the SH2 domain, a region of the Src protein involved in recognition of proteins phosphorylated on tyrosine. Catalytically active v-Src proteins with deletions in the SH2 domain have little effect on yeast growth, unlike wild-type v-Src protein, which causes accumulation of large-budded cells, perturbation of spindle microtubules and increased DNA content when expressed. The proteins phosphorylated on tyrosine in cells expressing v-Src differ from those in cells expressing a Src protein with a deletion in the SH2 domain. Also, unlike the wild-type v-Src protein, which drastically increases histone H1-associated Cdc28 kinase activity, c-Src and an altered v-Src protein have no effect on Cdc28 kinase activity. These results indicate that the SH2 domain is functionally important in the disruption of the yeast cell cycle by v-Src.


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