Article
Biology
Liangyu Zhang, Weston T. Stauffer, John S. Wang, Fan Wu, Zhouliang Yu, Chenshu Liu, Hyung Jun Kim, Abby F. Dernburg
Summary: Meiotic chromosome segregation relies on synapsis and crossover recombination between homologous chromosomes. In C. elegans, recruitment of Polo-like kinase PLK-2 triggers phosphorylation and inactivation of CHK-2, an early meiotic kinase required for pairing, synapsis, and double-strand break induction. Inactivation of CHK-2 terminates double-strand break formation and enables crossover designation and cell cycle progression. These findings illuminate the mechanisms by which meiotic cells ensure crossover formation and accurate chromosome segregation.
Review
Cell Biology
James N. Brandt, Yumi Kim
Summary: PLK family plays a central role in meiotic chromosome dynamics by controlling homolog pairing, synapsis, and meiotic recombination. In C. elegans, the meiosis-specific PLK-2 targets to pairing centers in early meiotic prophase to facilitate homolog pairing and synapsis, and then relocates to the synaptonemal complex after crossover designation to mediate chromosome remodeling.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Styliani Iliaki, Rudi Beyaert, Inna S. Afonina
Summary: PLK1 is a Ser/Thr kinase that plays crucial roles in cell cycle regulation, DNA damage response, apoptosis, and cancer progression. Overexpression of PLK1 is associated with poor prognosis in cancer, making it an attractive therapeutic target.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Chuanyong Zhang, Chuangye Ni, Hao Lu
Summary: PLK2 plays an important role in the cell cycle, cell differentiation, and maintaining neural homeostasis. Dysfunction of PLK2 can lead to cell cycle disorders and developmental retardation. Additionally, PLK2 may promote cell survival or apoptosis in response to stress stimuli. However, research on the role of PLK2 in immunity to viral infection is limited compared to other family members.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Eun-Ah Park, Juri Kim, Mee Young Shin, Soon-Jung Park
Summary: The study reveals the role of GlPLK in Giardia cell division, especially during cytokinesis, and its involvement in flagella formation.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Samuel J. P. Taylor, Laura Bel Borja, Flavie Soubigou, Jack Houston, Dhanya K. Cheerambathur, Federico Pelisch
Summary: Phosphorylation is an important post-translational modification used for regulating protein localization and activity. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK-1) is crucial for mitotic and meiotic cell divisions, but its specific roles and regulation in meiosis have been unclear. In this study, using C. elegans oocytes, we demonstrate that PLK-1 is involved in spindle assembly, chromosome alignment and segregation, and polar body extrusion during meiosis I. We also uncover the mechanisms of PLK-1 recruitment to meiotic chromosomes. Our findings reveal the essential functions of PLK-1 in oocyte meiosis and provide insights into its targeting mechanisms.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
SeongShick Ryu, Jung-Eun Park, Young Jin Ham, Daniel C. Lim, Nicholas P. Kwiatkowski, Do-Hee Kim, Debabrata Bhunia, Nam Doo Kim, Michael B. Yaffe, Woolim Son, Namkyoung Kim, Tae-Ik Choi, Puspanjali Swain, Cheol-Hee Kim, Jin-Young Lee, Nathanael S. Gray, Kyung S. Lee, Taebo Sim
Summary: This study successfully designed and synthesized a series of macrocyclic peptidomimetics with high selectivity and inhibitory activities against Plk1's PBD. Compound 16e showed more potent inhibitory activity than the previous PMQSpTPL. The pi-π stacking interaction between 16a and Arg516 revealed a new design strategy, and PEGylation of 16h caused delocalization and mitotic failure of Plk1. Furthermore, the number of phospho-H3-positive cells in zebrafish embryos correlated with the amount of 16a. These findings suggest that macrocyclic peptidomimetics can serve as valuable templates for potent and novel Plk1-PBD inhibitors.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wai Shan Yuen, Qing Hua Zhang, Anne Bourdais, Deepak Adhikari, Guillaume Halet, John Carroll
Summary: Through inhibition of Plk1 kinase, we found a new role for Plk1 in the establishment of cortical polarity in highly asymmetric cell divisions of oocyte meiosis. Plk1 inhibitors prevent the recruitment of Cdc42 and N-WASP to the cortex, leading to inhibition of actin polymerization. These findings highlight the essential role of Plk1 in coordinating cortical polarity and asymmetric cell division.
Article
Pathology
Shuyu Chen, Liang Zhong, Xuan Chu, Peng Wan, Zhenyan Liu, Yang Lu, Zhonghui Zhang, Xiao Wang, Ziwei Zhou, Xin Shao, Beizhong Liu
Summary: This study shows that overexpression of PLK4 is involved in tumorigenesis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by regulating cell cycle and inducing apoptosis. Inhibition of PLK4 leads to apoptosis, G2/M arrest, and endoplasmic reticulum stress in AML cells.
PATHOLOGY RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Gabriel Cavin-Meza, Michelle M. Kwan, Sarah M. Wignall
Summary: Multiple motors work synchronously to establish and maintain the bipolarity of oocyte spindles in the absence of centrosomes.
Article
Cell Biology
Sara Gonzalez-Arranz, Isabel Acosta, Jesus A. Carballo, Beatriz Santos, Pedro A. San-Segundo
Summary: This study reveals the mechanism of polo-like kinase Cdc5 during meiotic prophase I to meiosis I transition, showing that its overexpression partially relieves the meiotic delay induced by the checkpoint. However, a mutant version lacking the N-terminal region fails to alleviate the delay. In addition, the double mutant exhibits an exacerbated meiotic block compared to the single mutant.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ricardo Ferrari, Guangzhi Cong, Ansuman Chattopadhyay, B. Xie, E. Assaf, K. Morder, Michael J. Calderon, Simon C. Watkins, Ulka Sachdev
Summary: Research shows that differentiated myoblasts from ischemic muscle have significant differences in gene expression related to DNA-damage checkpoint regulation and cell cycle progress.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Yu Wang, Meghan Lee Arnold, Anna Joelle Smart, Guoqiang Wang, Rebecca J. Androwski, Andres Morera, Ken C. Q. Nguyen, Peter J. Schweinsberg, Ge Bai, Jason Cooper, David H. Hall, Monica Driscoll, Barth D. Grant, Paschalis Kratsios
Summary: Research reveals that exophers produced by mechanosensory neurons in C. elegans are engulfed by surrounding hypodermal skin cells and broken up into smaller vesicles, which are gradually degraded by hypodermal lysosomes. This process relies on factors and pathways in the hypodermis, including actin and molecules related to lysosome activity. Furthermore, specific interaction between the neuron and phagocyte is crucial for an efficient exopher response.
Article
Immunology
Zhenqiang Gao, Cuiting Zheng, Yaqi Xing, Xiyu Zhang, Yunfei Bai, Chen Chen, Yuanyuan Zheng, Wen Wang, Hongbing Zhang, Yan Meng
Summary: In sepsis, Plk-1 promotes the development of SIMD. Inhibition of Plk-1 improves LPS-induced myocardial injury and inflammation, and enhances the survival rate of mice. Plk-1 inhibition also impedes NF-κB signal pathway activation.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Hanna Achache, Roni Falk, Noam Lerner, Tsevi Beatus, Yonatan B. Tzur
Summary: Research has found that in the aging process of worms, germline proliferation decreases after ovulation stops, while apoptosis continues, leading to a gradual reduction in germ cell numbers. Oocyte quality declines during aging, and MAPK signaling controls germline aging.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexander Woglar, Anne M. Villeneuve
Article
Cell Biology
Jana Link, Dimitra Paouneskou, Maria Velkova, Anahita Daryabeigi, Triin Laos, Sara Labella, Consuelo Barroso, Sarai Pacheco Pinol, Alex Montoya, Holger Kramer, Alexander Woglar, Antoine Baudrimont, Sebastian Mathias Markert, Christian Stigloher, Enrique Martinez-Perez, Alexander Dammermann, Manfred Alsheimer, Monique Zetka, Verena Jantsch
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2018)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chloe Girard, Baptiste Roelens, Karl A. Zawadzki, Anne M. Villeneuve
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2018)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ye Hong, Remi Sonneville, Bin Wang, Viktor Scheidt, Bettina Meier, Alexander Woglar, Sarah Demetriou, Karim Labib, Verena Jantsch, Anton Gartner
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2018)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexander Woglar, Kei Yamaya, Baptiste Roelens, Alistair Boettiger, Simone Koehler, Anne M. Villeneuve
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wayne Crismani, Chloe Girard, Andrew Lloyd
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Albert W. Hinman, Hsin-Yi Yeh, Baptiste Roelens, Kei Yamaya, Alexander Woglar, Henri-Marc G. Bourbon, Peter Chi, Anne M. Villeneuve
Summary: Meiotic recombination plays essential roles in genetic diversity and genome inheritance, with DSB-3 identified as a protein promoting DSB formation in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. DSB-3 is interdependent with other DSB proteins and its localization supports its role as a homolog of MEI4 in conserved DSB-promoting complexes. Variations in meiotic programs across diverse organisms may contribute to the diversification of essential meiotic machinery components.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Chloe Girard, Karine Budin, Stephanie Boisnard, Liangran Zhang, Robert Debuchy, Denise Zickler, Eric Espagne
Summary: RNA interference plays crucial roles in the sexual cycle of the filamentous Ascomycete Sordaria macrospora, with Dicer and Argonaute proteins having key functions in ascus/meiocyte formation and meiosis.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Alexandra Bezler, Alexander Woglar, Fabian Schneider, Friso Douma, Leo Buergy, Coralie Busso, Pierre Goenczy
Summary: The study finds that there can be unexpected plasticity in the number of microtubules between centrioles and axonemes.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jocelyn Haversat, Alexander Woglar, Kayla Klatt, Chantal C. Akerib, Victoria Roberts, Shin-Yu Chen, Swathi Arur, Anne M. Villeneuve, Yumi Kim
Summary: This study reveals that Caenorhabditis elegans cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK-2) partners with COSA-1 to promote crossover formation and identifies MSH-5 as a CDK-2 phosphorylation target. The data support a model in which CDK-2-mediated phosphorylation and the scaffold-like properties of the MSH5 C-terminal tail together promote the full recruitment and activity of crossover-promoting complexes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexander Woglar, Marie Pierron, Fabian Zacharias Schneider, Keshav Jha, Coralie Busso, Pierre Gonczy
Summary: This study used U-Ex-STED microscopy and electron microscopy (EM) to reveal the molecular architecture of the C. elegans centriole in unprecedented detail. The researchers found that centriolar and PeriCentriolar Material (PCM) components exhibited a ring-like distribution with distinct diameters and often with a 9-fold radial symmetry. Additionally, they discovered the assembly location of the procentriole and its relationship with other components.