scholarly journals A new actin depolymerase: a Myosin 1 motor

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Pernier ◽  
Remy Kusters ◽  
Hugo Bousquet ◽  
Thibaut Lagny ◽  
Antoine Morchain ◽  
...  

AbstractThe regulation of actin dynamics is essential for various cellular processes. Former evidence suggests a correlation between the function of non-conventional myosin motors and actin dynamics. We investigate the contribution of myosin1b to actin dynamics using sliding motility assays. We observe that sliding on myosin1b immobilized or bound to a fluid bilayer enhances actin depolymerization at the barbed end, while sliding on myosin II, although 5 times faster, has no effect. This work reveals a non-conventional myosin motor as a new type of depolymerase and points to its singular interactions with the actin barbed end.

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Pernier ◽  
Remy Kusters ◽  
Hugo Bousquet ◽  
Thibaut Lagny ◽  
Antoine Morchain ◽  
...  

AbstractThe regulation of actin dynamics is essential for various cellular processes. Former evidence suggests a correlation between the function of non-conventional myosin motors and actin dynamics. Here we investigate the contribution of myosin 1b to actin dynamics using sliding motility assays. We observe that sliding on myosin 1b immobilized or bound to a fluid bilayer enhances actin depolymerization at the barbed end, while sliding on myosin II, although 5 times faster, has no effect. This work reveals a non-conventional myosin motor as another type of depolymerase and points to its singular interactions with the actin barbed end.


Author(s):  
Przemysław Zakrzewski ◽  
Marta Lenartowska ◽  
Folma Buss

AbstractSpermiogenesis is the final stage of spermatogenesis, a differentiation process during which unpolarized spermatids undergo excessive remodeling that results in the formation of sperm. The actin cytoskeleton and associated actin-binding proteins play crucial roles during this process regulating organelle or vesicle delivery/segregation and forming unique testicular structures involved in spermatid remodeling. In addition, several myosin motor proteins including MYO6 generate force and movement during sperm differentiation. MYO6 is highly unusual as it moves towards the minus end of actin filaments in the opposite direction to other myosin motors. This specialized feature of MYO6 may explain the many proposed functions of this myosin in a wide array of cellular processes in animal cells, including endocytosis, secretion, stabilization of the Golgi complex, and regulation of actin dynamics. These diverse roles of MYO6 are mediated by a range of specialized cargo-adaptor proteins that link this myosin to distinct cellular compartments and processes. During sperm development in a number of different organisms, MYO6 carries out pivotal functions. In Drosophila, the MYO6 ortholog regulates actin reorganization during spermatid individualization and male KO flies are sterile. In C. elegans, the MYO6 ortholog mediates asymmetric segregation of cytosolic material and spermatid budding through cytokinesis, whereas in mice, this myosin regulates assembly of highly specialized actin-rich structures and formation of membrane compartments to allow the formation of fully differentiated sperm. In this review, we will present an overview and compare the diverse function of MYO6 in the specialized adaptations of spermiogenesis in flies, worms, and mammals.


2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 3107-3116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anindya Ghosh-Roy ◽  
Bela S. Desai ◽  
Krishanu Ray

Toward the end of spermiogenesis, spermatid nuclei are compacted and the clonally related spermatids individualize to become mature and active sperm. Studies in Drosophila showed that caudal end-directed movement of a microfilament-rich structure, called investment cone, expels the cytoplasmic contents of individual spermatids. F-actin dynamics plays an important role in this process. Here we report that the dynein light chain 1 (DLC1) of Drosophila is involved in two separate cellular processes during sperm individualization. It is enriched around spermatid nuclei during postelongation stages and plays an important role in the dynein-dynactin–dependent rostral retention of the nuclei during this period. In addition, DDLC1 colocalizes with dynamin along investment cones and regulates F-actin assembly at this organelle by retaining dynamin along the cones. Interestingly, we found that this process does not require the other subunits of cytoplasmic dynein-dynactin complex. Altogether, these observations suggest that DLC1 could independently regulate multiple cellular functions and established a novel role of this protein in F-actin assembly in Drosophila.


2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 445-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan M. Durán ◽  
Ferran Valderrama ◽  
Susana Castel ◽  
Juana Magdalena ◽  
Mónica Tomás ◽  
...  

We have previously reported that actin filaments are involved in protein transport from the Golgi complex to the endoplasmic reticulum. Herein, we examined whether myosin motors or actin comets mediate this transport. To address this issue we have used, on one hand, a combination of specific inhibitors such as 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) and 1-[5-isoquinoline sulfonyl]-2-methyl piperazine (ML7), which inhibit myosin and the phosphorylation of myosin II by the myosin light chain kinase, respectively; and a mutant of the nonmuscle myosin II regulatory light chain, which cannot be phosphorylated (MRLC2AA). On the other hand, actin comet tails were induced by the overexpression of phosphatidylinositol phosphate 5-kinase. Cells treated with BDM/ML7 or those that express the MRLC2AA mutant revealed a significant reduction in the brefeldin A (BFA)-induced fusion of Golgi enzymes with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This delay was not caused by an alteration in the formation of the BFA-induced tubules from the Golgi complex. In addition, the Shiga toxin fragment B transport from the Golgi complex to the ER was also altered. This impairment in the retrograde protein transport was not due to depletion of intracellular calcium stores or to the activation of Rho kinase. Neither the reassembly of the Golgi complex after BFA removal nor VSV-G transport from ER to the Golgi was altered in cells treated with BDM/ML7 or expressing MRLC2AA. Finally, transport carriers containing Shiga toxin did not move into the cytosol at the tips of comet tails of polymerizing actin. Collectively, the results indicate that 1) myosin motors move to transport carriers from the Golgi complex to the ER along actin filaments; 2) nonmuscle myosin II mediates in this process; and 3) actin comets are not involved in retrograde transport.


2016 ◽  
Vol 397 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Till Georg Alexander Mack ◽  
Patricia Kreis ◽  
Britta Johanna Eickholt

Abstract Ageing is a complex deteriorating process that coincides with changes in metabolism, replicative senescence, increased resistance to apoptosis, as well as progressive mitochondria dysfunction that lead to an increase production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although controversy on the paradigm of the oxidative damage theory of ageing exists, persuasive studies in Caenorhabditis elegans and yeast have demonstrated that manipulation of ROS can modify the process of ageing and influences the damage of proteins, lipids and DNA. In neurons, ageing impacts on the intrinsic neuronal excitability, it decreases the size of neuronal soma and induces the loss of dendrites and dendritic spines. The actin cytoskeleton is an abundant and broadly expressed system that plays critical functions in many cellular processes ranging from cell motility to controlling cell shape and polarity. It is thus hardly surprising that the expression and the function of actin in neurons is crucial for the morphological changes that occur in the brain throughout life. We propose that alterations in actin filament dynamics in dendritic spines may be one of the key events contributing to the initial phases of ageing in the brain.


Blood ◽  
2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelien G.G. Sprenkeler ◽  
Anton T.J. Tool ◽  
Stefanie Henriet ◽  
Robin van Bruggen ◽  
Taco W. Kuijpers

Neutrophils are important effector cells in the host defense against invading micro-organisms. One of the mechanisms they employ to eliminate pathogens is the release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Although NET release and subsequent cell death known as NETosis have been intensively studied, the cellular components and factors determining or facilitating the formation of NETs remain incompletely understood. Using various actin polymerization and myosin II modulators on neutrophils from healthy individuals, we show that intact F-actin dynamics and myosin II function are essential for NET formation when induced by different stimuli, i.e. phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, monosodium urate crystals and Candida albicans. The role of actin polymerization in NET formation could not be explained by the lack of reactive oxygen species production or granule release, which were normal or enhanced under the given conditions. Neutrophils from patients with very rare inherited actin polymerization defects by either ARPC1B- or MKL1-deficiency also failed to show NETosis. We found that upon inhibition of actin dynamics there is a lack of translocation of NE to the nucleus, which may well explain the impaired NET formation. Collectively, our data illustrate the essential requirement of an intact and active actin polymerization process, as well as active myosin II to enable the release of nuclear DNA by neutrophils during NET formation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (39) ◽  
pp. eabc2648
Author(s):  
Marc Hippler ◽  
Kai Weißenbruch ◽  
Kai Richler ◽  
Enrico D. Lemma ◽  
Masaki Nakahata ◽  
...  

Many essential cellular processes are regulated by mechanical properties of their microenvironment. Here, we introduce stimuli-responsive composite scaffolds fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) laser lithography to simultaneously stretch large numbers of single cells in tailored 3D microenvironments. The key material is a stimuli-responsive photoresist containing cross-links formed by noncovalent, directional interactions between β-cyclodextrin (host) and adamantane (guest). This allows reversible actuation under physiological conditions by application of soluble competitive guests. Cells adhering in these scaffolds build up initial traction forces of ~80 nN. After application of an equibiaxial stretch of up to 25%, cells remodel their actin cytoskeleton, double their traction forces, and equilibrate at a new dynamic set point within 30 min. When the stretch is released, traction forces gradually decrease until the initial set point is retrieved. Pharmacological inhibition or knockout of nonmuscle myosin 2A prevents these adjustments, suggesting that cellular tensional homeostasis strongly depends on functional myosin motors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (19) ◽  
pp. 2107-2114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Zambon ◽  
Saravanan Palani ◽  
Shekhar Sanjay Jadhav ◽  
Pananghat Gayathri ◽  
Mohan K. Balasubramanian

This work reveals an in vivo role for Myosin II in actin dynamics, potentially in its disassembly and turnover. The work uses double mutant analysis to arrive at this conclusion using the fission yeast as a model organism.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 1606-1606
Author(s):  
Monica J. Justice ◽  
Ben T. Kile ◽  
Lanette S. Woodward

Abstract Mouse mutagenesis using forward genetics is valuable as a gene function discovery tool. We are looking for blood defects in a large ENU mutagenesis screen, and have isolated many new mouse mutants that reveal new mechanisms in hematopoiesis. One mutant mouse strain, called redears, is an intriguing model of inflammatory disease and thrombocytopenia. Animals homozygous for the redears (rd) mutation develop spontaneous inflammatory lesions of the ears and tail characterized by neutrophil infiltration and peripheral neutrophila. Unexpectedly, blood platelet numbers are dramatically reduced in rd/rd animals. A thorough analysis of platelet biogenesis shows that the platelet precursor cell, the megakaryocyte, undergoes abnormal maturation, which results in gross morphological abnormalities, increased ploidy and abortive platelet shedding. Here we report a mutation in a novel gene related to the yeast actin-interacting protein Aip1 in rd/rd mice. In yeast, Aip1 interacts with, and increases the activity of cofilin, a key regulator of actin depolymerization. Our data confirm that actin dynamics are dysregulated in rd/rd megakaryocytes and neutrophils. The massive cytoplasmic reorganization that is required for megakaryocyte maturation and platelet shedding has long been assumed to depend on the actin cytoskeleton. Intriguingly, recent studies suggest the process is caspase-dependent, and represents a form of ‘para-apoptosis’. With this in mind, we found that chemotaxis and apoptosis are perturbed in rd/rd neutrophils, suggesting that neutrophils are playing a key role in driving the inflammation. Disrupted actin depolymerization would provide an explanation for chemotactic deficiencies. Further, recent evidence implicating cofilin and other actin regulators in the initiation of apoptosis would suggest that this novel protein may play an essential role in neutrophil cell death. Thus, the redears mouse not only provides the first in vivo demonstration of the critical role of the actin cytoskeleton in megakaryocyte development and platelet production, but also represents a unique reagent to examine the relationship between actin dynamics, cellular maturation, inflammation and apoptosis. Our ongoing mutagenesis efforts continue to reveal new developmental mechanisms. New mutants, genetic tools, and resources can be found at www.mouse-genome.bcm.tmc.edu


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