scholarly journals Chp1-Tas3 Interaction Is Required To Recruit RITS to Fission Yeast Centromeres and for Maintenance of Centromeric Heterochromatin

2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 2154-2166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. DeBeauchamp ◽  
Arian Moses ◽  
Victoria J. P. Noffsinger ◽  
Dagny L. Ulrich ◽  
Godwin Job ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The maintenance of centromeric heterochromatin in fission yeast relies on the RNA interference-dependent complexes RITS (RNA-induced transcriptional silencing complex) and RDRC (RNA-directed RNA polymerase complex), which cooperate in a positive feedback loop to recruit high levels of histone H3 K9 methyltransferase activity to centromeres and to promote the assembly and maintenance of centromeric heterochromatin. However, it is unclear how these complexes are targeted to chromatin. RITS comprises Chp1, which binds K9-methylated histone H3; Ago1, which binds short interfering (siRNAs); the adaptor protein Tas3, which links Ago1 to Chp1; and centromeric siRNAs. We have generated mutants in RITS to determine the contribution of the two potential chromatin-targeting proteins Chp1 and Ago1 to the centromeric recruitment of RITS. Mutations in Tas3 that disrupt Ago1 binding are permissive for RITS recruitment and maintain centromeric heterochromatin, but the role of Tas3's interaction with Chp1 is unknown. Here, we define the Chp1 interaction domain of Tas3. A strain expressing a tas3 mutant that cannot bind Chp1 (Tas3Δ 10-24) failed to maintain centromeric heterochromatin, with a loss of centromeric siRNAs, a failure to recruit RITS and RDRC to centromeres, and high levels of chromosome loss. These findings suggest a pivotal role for Chp1 and its association with Tas3 for the recruitment of RITS, RDRC, and histone H3 K9 methyltransferase activity to centromeres.

2005 ◽  
Vol 360 (1455) ◽  
pp. 569-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison L Pidoux ◽  
Robin C Allshire

Chromatin at centromeres is distinct from the chromatin in which the remainder of the genome is assembled. Two features consistently distinguish centromeres: the presence of the histone H3 variant CENP-A and, in most organisms, the presence of heterochromatin. In fission yeast, domains of silent ‘heterochromatin’ flank the CENP-A chromatin domain that forms a platform upon which the kinetochore is assembled. Thus, fission yeast centromeres resemble their metazoan counterparts where the kinetochore is embedded in centromeric heterochromatin. The centromeric outer repeat chromatin is underacetylated on histones H3 and H4, and methylated on lysine 9 of histone H3, which provides a binding site for the chromodomain protein Swi6 (orthologue of Heterochromatin Protein 1, HP1). The remarkable demonstration that the assembly of repressive heterochromatin is dependent on the RNA interference machinery provokes many questions about the mechanisms of this process that may be tractable in fission yeast. Heterochromatin ensures that a high density of cohesin is recruited to centromeric regions, but it could have additional roles in centromere architecture and the prevention of merotely, and it might also act as a trigger for kinetochore assembly. In addition, we discuss an epigenetic model for ensuring that CENP-A is targeted and replenished at the kinetochore domain.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (47) ◽  
pp. E11168-E11177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iksung Jin ◽  
Hiroshi Udo ◽  
Russell Nicholls ◽  
Huixiang Zhu ◽  
Eric R. Kandel ◽  
...  

Whereas short-term plasticity is often initiated on one side of the synapse, long-term plasticity involves coordinated changes on both sides, implying extracellular signaling. We have investigated the possible signaling role of an Aplysia neurotrophin (ApNT) in facilitation induced by serotonin (5HT) at sensory-to-motor neuron synapses in culture. ApNT is an ortholog of mammalian BDNF, which has been reported to act as either an anterograde, retrograde, or autocrine signal, so that its pre- and postsynaptic sources and targets remain unclear. We now report that ApNT acts as a presynaptic autocrine signal that forms part of a positive feedback loop with ApTrk and PKA. That loop stimulates spontaneous transmitter release, which recruits postsynaptic mechanisms, and presynaptic protein synthesis during the transition from short- to intermediate-term facilitation and may also initiate gene regulation to trigger the transition to long-term facilitation. These results suggest that a presynaptic ApNT feedback loop plays several key roles during consolidation of learning-related synaptic plasticity.


2013 ◽  
Vol 382 (2) ◽  
pp. 538-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iryna Kozmikova ◽  
Simona Candiani ◽  
Peter Fabian ◽  
Daniela Gurska ◽  
Zbynek Kozmik

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (22) ◽  
pp. 3490-3514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary R. Gergely ◽  
Ammon Crapo ◽  
Loren E. Hough ◽  
J. Richard McIntosh ◽  
Meredith D. Betterton

Kinesin-8 motor proteins destabilize microtubules. Their absence during cell division is associated with disorganized mitotic chromosome movements and chromosome loss. Despite recent work studying effects of kinesin-8s on microtubule dynamics, it remains unclear whether the kinesin-8 mitotic phenotypes are consequences of their effect on microtubule dynamics, their well-established motor activity, or additional, unknown functions. To better understand the role of kinesin-8 proteins in mitosis, we studied the effects of deletion of the fission yeast kinesin-8 proteins Klp5 and Klp6 on chromosome movements and spindle length dynamics. Aberrant microtubule-driven kinetochore pushing movements and tripolar mitotic spindles occurred in cells lacking Klp5 but not Klp6. Kinesin-8–deletion strains showed large fluctuations in metaphase spindle length, suggesting a disruption of spindle length stabilization. Comparison of our results from light microscopy with a mathematical model suggests that kinesin-8–induced effects on microtubule dynamics, kinetochore attachment stability, and sliding force in the spindle can explain the aberrant chromosome movements and spindle length fluctuations seen.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elliot Dine ◽  
Ellen H. Reed ◽  
Jared E. Toettcher

AbstractProtein clusters and condensates are pervasive in mammalian signaling. Yet how the signaling capacity of higher-order assemblies differs from simpler forms of molecular organization is still poorly understood. Here, we present an optogenetic approach to switch between light-induced clusters and simple protein heterodimers with a single point mutation. We apply this system to study how clustering affects signaling from the kinase Zap70 and its substrate LAT, proteins that normally form membrane-localized clusters during T cell activation. We find that light-induced clusters of LAT and Zap70 trigger potent activation of downstream signaling pathways even in non-T cells, whereas one-to-one dimers do not. We provide evidence that clusters harbor a local positive feedback loop between three components: Zap70, LAT, and Src-family kinases that bind to phosphorylated LAT and further activate Zap70. Overall, our study provides evidence for a specific role of protein condensates in cell signaling, and identifies a simple biochemical circuit that can robustly sense protein oligomerization state.Highlights-A general system for studying the role of protein clusters versus dimers.-Membrane clusters of the kinase Zap70 and its substrate LAT trigger potent downstream signaling.-Clustering Zap70 with LAT is required for full activation of Zap70 kinase activity.-A positive feedback loop connects phosphorylated LAT to Zap70 activation via Src-family kinases.


2012 ◽  
Vol 189 (6) ◽  
pp. 3085-3091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mizuho Hasegawa ◽  
Nobuhiko Kamada ◽  
Yizu Jiao ◽  
Meng Zhen Liu ◽  
Gabriel Núñez ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 352-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spoorthy Pathikonda ◽  
Shuk Han Cheng ◽  
Kwan Ngok Yu

ABSTRACT Radiation-induced rescue effect (RIRE) in cells refers to the phenomenon where irradiated cells (IRCs) receive help from feedback signals produced by partnered bystander unirradiated cells (UIRCs) or from the conditioned medium (CM) that has previously conditioned the UIRCs. In the present work, we explored the role of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) regulation in RIRE and the positive feedback loop between PARP1 and nuclear factor-kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell (NF-κB) in RIRE using various cell lines, including HeLa, MCF7, CNE-2 and HCT116 cells. We first found that when the IRCs (irradiated with 2 Gy X-ray) were treated with CM, the relative mRNA expression levels of both tumor suppressor p53-binding protein 1 (53BP1) and PARP1, the co-localization factor between 53BP1 and γH2AX as well as the fluorescent intensity of PARP1 were reduced. We also found that IRCs treated with the PARP1 inhibitor, Olaparib (AZD2281) had a higher 53BP1 expression. These results illustrated that PARP1 was involved in RIRE transcriptionally and translationally. We further revealed that treatment of IRCs with CM together with Olaparib led to significantly lower mRNA expression levels and fluorescent intensities of NF-κB, while treatment of IRCs with CM together the NF-κB inhibitor BAY-11-7082 led to significantly lower mRNA expression levels as well as fluorescent intensities of PARP1. These results illustrated that PARP1 and NF-κB were involved in the positive feedback loop transcriptionally and translationally. Thus, the results supported the occurrence of a PARP1–NF-κB positive feedback loop in RIRE. The present work provided insights into potential exploitation of inhibition of PARP1 and/or the PARP1–NF-κB positive feedback loop in designing adjuncts to cancer radiotherapeutics.


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