scholarly journals Nuclear Mechanics in the Fission Yeast

Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 1285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Gallardo ◽  
Ramón R. Barrales ◽  
Rafael R. Daga ◽  
Silvia Salas-Pino

In eukaryotic cells, the organization of the genome within the nucleus requires the nuclear envelope (NE) and its associated proteins. The nucleus is subjected to mechanical forces produced by the cytoskeleton. The physical properties of the NE and the linkage of chromatin in compacted conformation at sites of cytoskeleton contacts seem to be key for withstanding nuclear mechanical stress. Mechanical perturbations of the nucleus normally occur during nuclear positioning and migration. In addition, cell contraction or expansion occurring for instance during cell migration or upon changes in osmotic conditions also result innuclear mechanical stress. Recent studies in Schizosaccharomyces pombe (fission yeast) have revealed unexpected functions of cytoplasmic microtubules in nuclear architecture and chromosome behavior, and have pointed to NE-chromatin tethers as protective elements during nuclear mechanics. Here, we review and discuss how fission yeast cells can be used to understand principles underlying the dynamic interplay between genome organization and function and the effect of forces applied to the nucleus by the microtubule cytoskeleton.

Author(s):  
Masashi Yukawa ◽  
Mitsuki Ohishi ◽  
Yusuke Yamada ◽  
Takashi Toda

Cells form a bipolar spindle during mitosis to ensure accurate chromosome segregation. Proper spindle architecture is established by a set of kinesin motors and microtubule-associated proteins. In most eukaryotes, kinesin-5 motors are essential for this process, and genetic or chemical inhibition of their activity leads to the emergence of monopolar spindles and cell death. However, these deficiencies can be rescued by simultaneous inactivation of kinesin-14 motors, as they counteract kinesin-5. We conducted detailed genetic analyses in fission yeast to understand the mechanisms driving spindle assembly in the absence of kinesin-5. Here we show that deletion of the nrp1 gene, which encodes a putative RNA-binding protein with unknown function, can rescue temperature sensitivity caused by cut7-22, a fission yeast kinesin-5 mutant. Interestingly, kinesin-14/Klp2 levels on the spindles in the cut7 mutants were significantly reduced by the nrp1 deletion, although the total levels of Klp2 and the stability of spindle microtubules remained unaffected. Moreover, RNA-binding motifs of Nrp1 are essential for its cytoplasmic localization and function. We have also found that a portion of Nrp1 is spatially and functionally sequestered by chaperone-based protein aggregates upon mild heat stress and limits cell division at high temperatures. We propose that Nrp1 might be involved in post-transcriptional regulation through its RNA-binding ability to promote the loading of Klp2 on the spindle microtubules.


2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 3052-3063 ◽  
Author(s):  
Srinivas Venkatram ◽  
Jennifer L. Jennings ◽  
Andrew Link ◽  
Kathleen L. Gould

Microtubules regulate diverse cellular processes, including chromosome segregation, nuclear positioning, and cytokinesis. In many organisms, microtubule nucleation requires γ-tubulin and associated proteins present at specific microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs). In fission yeast, interphase cytoplasmic microtubules originate from poorly characterized interphase MTOCs and spindle pole body (SPB), and during late anaphase from the equatorial MTOC (EMTOC). It has been previously shown that Mto1p (Mbo1p/Mod20p) function is important for the organization/nucleation of all cytoplasmic microtubules. Here, we show that Mto2p, a novel protein, interacts with Mto1p and is important for establishing a normal interphase cytoplasmic microtubule array. In addition, mto2Δ cells fail to establish a stable EMTOC and localize γ-tubulin complex members to this medial structure. As predicted from these functions, Mto2p localizes to microtubules, the SPB, and the EMTOC in an Mto1p-dependent manner. mto2Δ cells fail to anchor the cytokinetic actin ring in the medial region of the cell and under conditions that mildly perturb actin structures, these rings unravel in mto2Δ cells. Our results suggest that the Mto2p and the EMTOC are critical for anchoring the cytokinetic actin ring to the medial region of the cell and for proper coordination of mitosis with cytokinesis.


1997 ◽  
Vol 139 (3) ◽  
pp. 717-728 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens D. Beinhauer ◽  
Iain M. Hagan ◽  
Johannes H. Hegemann ◽  
Ursula Fleig

Through a screen designed to isolate novel fission yeast genes required for chromosome segregation, we have identified mal3+. The mal3-1 mutation decreased the transmission fidelity of a nonessential minichromosome and altered sensitivity to microtubule-destabilizing drugs. Sequence analysis revealed that the 35-kD Mal3 is a member of an evolutionary conserved protein family. Its human counterpart EB-1 was identified in an interaction screen with the tumour suppressor protein APC. EB-1 was able to substitute for the complete loss of the mal3+ gene product suggesting that the two proteins might have similar functions. Cells containing a mal3 null allele were viable but showed a variety of phenotypes, including impaired control of cell shape. A fusion protein of Mal3 with the Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein led to in vivo visualization of both cytoplasmic and mitotic microtubule structures indicating association of Mal3 with microtubules. The absence of Mal3 protein led to abnormally short, often faint cytoplasmic microtubules as seen by indirect antitubulin immunofluorescence. While loss of the mal3+ gene product had no gross effect on mitotic spindle morphology, overexpression of mal3+ compromised spindle formation and function and led to severe growth inhibition and abnormal cell morphology. We propose that Mal3 plays a role in regulating the integrity of microtubules possibly by influencing their stability.


2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 1793-1801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred Chang ◽  
Fabio Re ◽  
Sarah Sebastian ◽  
Shelley Sazer ◽  
Jeremy Luban

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vpr is a 15-kDa accessory protein that contributes to several steps in the viral replication cycle and promotes virus-associated pathology. Previous studies demonstrated that Vpr inhibits G2/M cell cycle progression in both human cells and in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Here, we report that, upon induction of vpr expression, fission yeast exhibited numerous defects in the assembly and function of the mitotic spindle. In particular, two spindle pole body proteins, sad1p and the polo kinase plo1p, were delocalized in vpr-expressing yeast cells, suggesting that spindle pole body integrity was perturbed. In addition, nuclear envelope structure, contractile actin ring formation, and cytokinesis were also disrupted. Similar Vpr-induced defects in mitosis and cytokinesis were observed in human cells, including aberrant mitotic spindles, multiple centrosomes, and multinucleate cells. These defects in cell division and centrosomes might account for some of the pathological effects associated with HIV-1 infection.


1990 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
pp. 705-713
Author(s):  
R. Balczon ◽  
M.A. Accavitti ◽  
B.R. Brinkley

Monoclonal antibodies were raised against a complex of proteins that was purified following the crosslinking of tubulin to the centromeres of CHO chromosomes using Lomant's reagent. One of the clones, hybridoma 32–9, produced antibodies that reacted with a 40 × 10(3) Mr protein present in the crosslinked complex. Furthermore, immunoblot analysis demonstrated that the 40 × 10(3) Mr antigen was present in various mammalian cell types from several different species. Indirect immunofluorescence using the antibody produced by clone 32–9 demonstrated that the 40 × 10(3) Mr antigen was associated with both spindle and cytoplasmic microtubules. In addition, centromere/kinetochore staining was detected in metaphase-arrested cells, while staining of prekinetochores in interphase nuclei was not observed. Unlike microtubule-associated proteins and microtubule-dependent ATPases, the 40 × 10(3) Mr protein did not copurify with microtubules when tubules were assembled from cellular homogenates using taxol and either GTP or GTP and AMP-PNP. Instead, the 40 × 10(3) Mr protein remained associated with the insoluble cellular material. The 40 × 10(3) Mr antigen could be released from the insoluble pelleted material by extraction with 1 M NaCl. Once solubilized, the 40 × 10(3) Mr protein was able to copurify with microtubules in assembly assays in vitro. This monoclonal antibody should serve as a valuable probe for studies of centromere/kinetochore structure and function.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4795
Author(s):  
Masashi Yukawa ◽  
Mitsuki Ohishi ◽  
Yusuke Yamada ◽  
Takashi Toda

Cells form a bipolar spindle during mitosis to ensure accurate chromosome segregation. Proper spindle architecture is established by a set of kinesin motors and microtubule-associated proteins. In most eukaryotes, kinesin-5 motors are essential for this process, and genetic or chemical inhibition of their activity leads to the emergence of monopolar spindles and cell death. However, these deficiencies can be rescued by simultaneous inactivation of kinesin-14 motors, as they counteract kinesin-5. We conducted detailed genetic analyses in fission yeast to understand the mechanisms driving spindle assembly in the absence of kinesin-5. Here, we show that deletion of the dri1 gene, which encodes a putative RNA-binding protein, can rescue temperature sensitivity caused by cut7-22, a fission yeast kinesin-5 mutant. Interestingly, kinesin-14/Klp2 levels on the spindles in the cut7 mutants were significantly reduced by the dri1 deletion, although the total levels of Klp2 and the stability of spindle microtubules remained unaffected. Moreover, RNA-binding motifs of Dri1 are essential for its cytoplasmic localization and function. We have also found that a portion of Dri1 is spatially and functionally sequestered by chaperone-based protein aggregates upon mild heat stress and limits cell division at high temperatures. We propose that Dri1 might be involved in post-transcriptional regulation through its RNA-binding ability to promote the loading of Klp2 on the spindle microtubules.


Author(s):  
Nobutaka Hirokawa

In this symposium I will present our studies about the molecular architecture and function of the cytomatrix of the nerve cells. The nerve cell is a highly polarized cell composed of highly branched dendrites, cell body, and a single long axon along the direction of the impulse propagation. Each part of the neuron takes characteristic shapes for which the cytoskeleton provides the framework. The neuronal cytoskeletons play important roles on neuronal morphogenesis, organelle transport and the synaptic transmission. In the axon neurofilaments (NF) form dense arrays, while microtubules (MT) are arranged as small clusters among the NFs. On the other hand, MTs are distributed uniformly, whereas NFs tend to run solitarily or form small fascicles in the dendrites Quick freeze deep etch electron microscopy revealed various kinds of strands among MTs, NFs and membranous organelles (MO). These structures form major elements of the cytomatrix in the neuron. To investigate molecular nature and function of these filaments first we studied molecular structures of microtubule associated proteins (MAP1A, MAP1B, MAP2, MAP2C and tau), and microtubules reconstituted from MAPs and tubulin in vitro. These MAPs were all fibrous molecules with different length and formed arm like projections from the microtubule surface.


Impact ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (3) ◽  
pp. 89-91
Author(s):  
Shin-ichi Tate

The field of molecular biology has provided great insights into the structure and function of key molecules. Thanks to this area of research, we can now grasp the biological details of DNA and have characterised an enormous number of molecules in massive data bases. These 'biological periodic tables' have allowed scientists to connect molecules to particular cellular events, furthering scientific understanding of biological processes. However, molecular biology has yet to answer questions regarding 'higher-order' molecular architecture, such as that of chromatin. Chromatin is the molecular material that serves as the building block for chromosomes, the structures that carry an organism's genetic information inside of the cell's nucleus. Understanding the physical properties of chromatin is crucial in developing a more thorough picture of how chromatin's structure relate to its key cellular functions. Moreover, by establishing a physical model of chromatin, scientists will be able to open the doors into the true inner workings of the cell nucleus. Professor Shin-ichi Tate and his team of researchers at Hiroshima University's Research Center for the Mathematics on Chromatin Live Dynamics (RcMcD), are attempting to do just that. Through a five-year grant funded by the Platform for Dynamic Approaches to Living Systems from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Tate is aiming to gain a clearer understanding of the structure and dynamics of chromatin.


Author(s):  
Robert Stojanov ◽  
Sarah Rosengaertner ◽  
Alex de Sherbinin ◽  
Raphael Nawrotzki

AbstractDevelopment cooperation actors have been addressing climate change as a cross-cutting issue and investing in climate adaptation projects since the early 2000s. More recently, as concern has risen about the potential impacts of climate variability and change on human mobility, development cooperation actors have begun to design projects that intentionally address the drivers of migration, including climate impacts on livelihoods. However, to date, we know little about the development cooperation’s role and function in responding to climate related mobility and migration. As such, the main aim of this paper is to outline the policy frameworks and approaches shaping development cooperation actors’ engagement and to identify areas for further exploration and investment. First, we frame the concept of climate mobility and migration and discuss some applicable policy frameworks that govern the issue from various perspectives; secondly, we review the toolbox of approaches that development cooperation actors bring to climate mobility; and third, we discuss the implications of the current Covid-19 pandemic and identify avenues for the way forward. We conclude that ensuring safe and orderly mobility and the decent reception and long-term inclusion of migrants and displaced persons under conditions of more severe climate hazards, and in the context of rising nationalism and xenophobia, poses significant challenges. Integrated approaches across multiple policy sectors and levels of governance are needed. In addition to resources, development cooperation actors can bring data to help empower the most affected communities and regions and leverage their convening power to foster more coordinated approaches within and across countries.


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