Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joana Soares-de-Oliveira, Helder Maiato
Summary: This study proposes a new perspective that chromosome biorientation is driven by microtubule self-organization at kinetochores, challenging the previous stochastic models.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fiorella Faienza, Federica Polverino, Girish Rajendraprasad, Giacomo Milletti, Zehan Hu, Barbara Colella, Deborah Gargano, Flavie Strappazzon, Salvatore Rizza, Mette Vixo Vistesen, Yonglun Luo, Manuela Antonioli, Valentina Cianfanelli, Caterina Ferraina, Gian Maria Fimia, Giuseppe Filomeni, Daniela De Zio, Joern Dengjel, Marin Barisic, Giulia Guarguaglini, Sabrina Di Bartolomeo, Francesco Cecconi
Summary: AMBRA1 is a key factor for nervous system development, primarily associated with autophagy and cell proliferation control. This study reveals that AMBRA1 is phosphorylated during mitosis and is critical for spindle function and orientation, driven by NUMA1 protein. The localization and dynamics of NUMA1 are dependent on AMBRA1 presence, phosphorylation, and binding ability. These findings suggest an additional role of AMBRA1 in tissue morphogenesis and differentiation, which could have implications for development and cancer oncogenesis.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Valentina Stimac, Isabella Koprivec, Martina Manenica, Juraj Simunic, Iva M. Tolic
Summary: The augmin complex is essential for the formation of correctly aligned microtubule structures during mitosis, preventing erroneous attachments between sister kinetochores.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yukihiro Sera, Tsuneo Imanaka, Masafumi Yamaguchi
Summary: SDS is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in the SBDS gene, which is involved in ribosome biogenesis. The interaction between SBDS and RNF2 at different stages of the cell cycle may play a role in mitotic progression.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Alex F. Thompson, Patrick R. Blackburn, Noah S. Arons, Sarah N. Stevens, Dusica Babovic-Vuksanovic, Jane B. Lian, Eric W. Klee, Jason Stumpff
Summary: This study reveals that mutations in KIF22 disrupt chromosome segregation in anaphase, leading to reduced proliferation and abnormal cell morphology. It demonstrates the significance of regulating KIF22 activity and maintaining force balance in anaphase.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Peter Tatrai, Fanni Gergely
Summary: This study shows the critical role of CDK5RAP2 and centrosomes in spindle formation during blood production. Lack of CDK5RAP2 leads to defective erythroid differentiation and the emergence of macrocytic anemia. The study suggests that disruption of centrosome and spindle function could contribute to the development of macrocytic anemias.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ayad A. Al-Hamashi, Radhika Koranne, Samkeliso Dlamini, Abdulateef Alqahtani, Endri Karaj, Maisha S. Rashid, Joseph R. Knoff, Matthew Dunworth, Mary Kay H. Pflum, Robert A. Casero, Lalith Perera, William R. Taylor, L. M. Viranga Tillekeratne
Summary: This study describes a new class of antimitotic agents that modulate tubulin polymerization, demonstrating significant cell growth inhibition on cancer cells with limited impact on normal cells. While initially designed to inhibit histone deacetylase enzymes, the compounds showed cytotoxicity through a different mechanism, suggesting potential for targeted anticancer therapy.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Diana Campos-Iglesias, Julia M. Fraile, Gabriel Bretones, Alejandro A. Montero, Elena Bonzon-Kulichenko, Jesus Vazquez, Carlos Lopez-Otin, Jose M. P. Freije
Summary: USP49 deubiquitinase is identified as a novel regulator of the spindle checkpoint. Loss of USP49 impairs proliferation and increases aneuploidy in cancer cell lines. USP49-depleted cells can overcome SAC-induced arrest in presence of nocodazole.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jing Xie, Javad Najafi, Remi Le Borgne, Jean-Marc Verbavatz, Catherine Durieu, Jeremy Salle, Nicolas Minc
Summary: Cells are filled with macromolecules and polymer networks that provide viscous and elastic properties to the cytoplasm. Using magnetic tweezers, researchers found that the cytoplasm can exert reactive forces to move organelles back to their original positions. These findings have important implications for cell division positioning and cellular organization.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mariko Morii, Sho Kubota, Chizu Hasegawa, Yumi Takeda, Shiori Kometani, Kyoko Enomoto, Takayuki Suzuki, Sayuri Yanase, Rika Sato, Aki Akatsu, Kensuke Hirata, Takuya Honda, Takahisa Kuga, Takeshi Tomonaga, Yuji Nakayama, Noritaka Yamaguchi, Naoto Yamaguchi
Summary: The Src-family tyrosine kinases (SFKs) accumulate in the centrosome region at the beginning of mitosis and phosphorylate PRC1 and kinastrin, leading to their delocalization from microtubules during mitosis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Imge Ozugergin, Alisa Piekny
Summary: Cytokinesis, the process of physically dividing a cell into two daughters, has been extensively studied in vitro and early embryos, but its regulation in different animal cell types and developmental contexts remains poorly understood. Recent studies have revealed striking differences in the regulation of cytokinesis between different cell types and organisms, including diverse threshold requirements for structural components and different mechanisms of regulation. This review focuses on these differences, particularly in pathways independent of the mitotic spindle, and associated with the cortex, kinetochores, or chromatin.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anne Nehlig, Cynthia Seiler, Yulia Steblyanko, Florent Dingli, Guillaume Arras, Damarys Loew, Julie Welburn, Claude Prigent, Marin Barisic, Clara Nahmias
Summary: Depletion of microtubule-associated protein ATIP3 reduces metaphase spindle length by interacting with Kif2A and its partner Dda3 in an Aurora kinase A-dependent manner. The absence of ATIP3 leads to the accumulation of Kif2A and Dda3 at spindle poles, affecting poleward microtubule flux and spindle shortening. ATIP3 maintains Aurora A activity on the poles to control Kif2A targeting and spindle size, highlighting their mutual regulation in controlling spindle length.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Grace Y. Liu, Shiau-Chi Chen, Gang-Hui Lee, Kritika Shaiv, Pin-Yu Chen, Hsuan Cheng, Shi-Rong Hong, Wen-Ting Yang, Shih-Han Huang, Ya-Chu Chang, Hsien-Chu Wang, Ching-Lin Kao, Pin-Chiao Sun, Ming-Hong Chao, Yian-Ying Lee, Ming-Jer Tang, Yu-Chun Lin
Summary: Microtubules, a crucial cellular structure, have been studied using chemo and optogenetics methods to disassemble specific types of microtubules. The results provide insights into their roles in cellular trafficking, organelle reorganization, and cell stiffness.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Miguel Santibanez-Andrade, Yesennia Sanchez-Perez, Yolanda Chirino, Rocio Morales-Barcenas, Raul Quintana-Belmares, Claudia M. Garcia-Cuellar
Summary: This study found that PM10 regulates SETD2 and SAC components in A549 lung cancer cells, leading to abnormal mitotic process and chromosomal instability.
Article
Physiology
Mathew Bloomfield, Jing Chen, Daniela Cimini
Summary: This study found that differences in mitotic duration can be explained by variations in spindle microtubule densities and sizes of the cell, spindle, and spindle poles. The study suggests that spindle size does not always scale with cell size in mammalian cells, and cell size alone is not sufficient to explain differences in metaphase duration. Only when considering a number of spindle architectural features along with cell size can the kinetics of SAC silencing, and hence mitotic duration, be explained in different clones.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luisa T. Ferreira, Elsa Logarinho, Joana C. Macedo, Ana Rita R. Maia, Helder Maiato
Summary: Soga1 and Soga2/MTCL1 are proteins that interact with CLASPs during mitosis and are crucial for faithful chromosome segregation in human cells. They exhibit phosphorylation regulation by CDK1, co-localize with different structures during mitosis, and are independently required for distinct aspects of chromosome segregation.
CHROMOSOME RESEARCH
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Liam P. Cheeseman, Helder Maiato
Summary: The attachment of microtubules to kinetochores causes deformation, leading to intrakinetochore stretching. This phenomenon is proposed to be independent of microtubule-pulling forces and plays a role in efficient spindle assembly checkpoint silencing to prevent chromosomal instability.
Review
Cell Biology
T. Ferreira Luisa, Helder Maiato
Summary: Accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis requires a complete restructuring of cellular organization, including the remodeling of microtubules and actin cytoskeleton. These cytoplasmic events must be coordinated with mitotic chromosome condensation and nuclear envelope permeabilization to ensure mitotic timing and fidelity. Recent progress has been made in understanding the regulatory biochemical and mechanical pathways involved in these processes.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Helder Maiato
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joana Soares-de-Oliveira, Helder Maiato
Summary: This study proposes a new perspective that chromosome biorientation is driven by microtubule self-organization at kinetochores, challenging the previous stochastic models.
Article
Cell Biology
Ana C. Almeida, Joana Soares-de-Oliveira, Danica Drpic, Liam P. Cheeseman, Joana Damas, Harris A. Lewin, Denis M. Larkin, Paulo Aguiar, Antonio J. Pereira, Helder Maiato
Summary: Chromosome segregation in mammals relies on the maturation of K-fibers, and augmin plays a key role in this process. Our study reveals that augmin promotes turnover and poleward flux of kinetochore and interpolar microtubules and increases the frequency of microtubule growth through branched microtubule nucleation. These findings are important for understanding the self-organization and maturation of K-fibers in mammals.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ana Margarida Gomes, Bernardo Orr, Marco Novais-Cruz, Filipe De Sousa, Joana Macario-Monteiro, Carolina Lemos, Cristina Ferras, Helder Maiato
Summary: Defects in chromosome alignment may lead to chromosomal/genomic instability, further driving the division of cancer cells. This study uncovers the distinct mechanism of misaligned chromosomes and reveals genetic conditions predisposing to these events.
Article
Cell Biology
Margarida Dantas, Andreia Oliveira, Paulo Aguiar, Helder Maiato, Jorge G. Ferreira
Summary: Mitotic entry is regulated by the activity of cyclin B1-CDK1 complexes. This study demonstrates that actomyosin-dependent nuclear tension during prophase regulates the nuclear translocation of cyclin B1 and has implications for chromosome segregation efficiency.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Talia Feijao, Bruno Marques, Rui D. Silva, Celia Carvalho, Daniel Sobral, Ricardo Matos, Tian Tan, Antonio Pereira, Eurico Morais-de-Sa, Helder Maiato, Steven Z. DeLuca, Rui Goncalo Martinho
Summary: The timely expression of synaptonemal complex (SC) coding genes is essential for successful meiosis, but SC components have a tendency to self-organize into abnormal structures. This study reveals that the Polycomb group protein Sfmbt plays a crucial role in preventing excessive expression of SC genes during prophase I. Depletion of Sfmbt leads to abnormal SC disassembly and the formation of multiple synaptonemal complexes (polycomplexes). Further investigation suggests that other Polycomb group proteins and the overexpression of the SC gene corona are also associated with polycomplex formation during SC disassembly.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Danilo Lopes, Alexandre L. Seabra, Bernardo Orr, Helder Maiato
Summary: This study identifies high alpha-tubulin acetylation as a potential biomarker for cancer cell response to taxol and uncovers a mechanistic link between alpha-tubulin detyrosination and the suppression of MCAK activity in taxol-induced cytotoxicity.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wangxi Luo, Vladimir Demidov, Qi Shen, Hugo Girao, Manas Chakraborty, Aleksandr Maiorov, Fazly I. Ataullakhanov, Chenxiang Lin, Helder Maiato, Ekaterina L. Grishchuk
Summary: CLASPs are universal stabilizers of microtubule dynamics, and this study reveals that clusters of human CLASP2 form a load-bearing bond with terminal non-GTP tubulins at the stabilized microtubule tip. This activity relies on the TOG2 domain of CLASP2, which releases its high-affinity bond with non-GTP tubulins when they convert into polymerization-competent GTP-tubulins. The recognition of nucleotide-specific tubulin conformation by CLASP2 and its ability to stabilize non-GTP tubulins contribute to the suppression of catastrophe at freely assembling microtubule ends and the promotion of persistent tubulin assembly at load-bearing tethered ends.
Review
Cell Biology
Helder Maiato, Sonia Silva
Summary: This article discusses the origin and fate of chromosome segregation errors that satisfy the spindle assembly checkpoint, focusing on anaphase surveillance/correction mechanisms and post-mitotic clearance pathways.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Marco Novais-Cruz, Antonio Pombinho, Mafalda Sousa, Andre F. Maia, Helder Maiato, Cristina Ferras
Summary: DNA damage in mitosis leads to misalignment of chromosomes and causes mitotic delay and micronuclei formation. Chromokinesin-mediated missegregation of polar chromosomes contributes to genomic instability induced by therapeutic DNA damage regimens in cancer cells.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Medicine, General & Internal
Maria P. Silva, Luisa T. Ferreira, Natercia F. Bras, Lurdes Torres, Andreia Brandao, Manuela Pinheiro, Marta Cardoso, Joana Vieira, Carlos M. Palmeira, Gabriela Martins, Sofia Maia, Helder Maiato, Manuel R. Teixeira, Paula Paulo
Meeting Abstract
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
H. Maiato, A. Almeida, J. Soares de-Oliveira, D. Drpic, L. Cheeseman, P. Aguiar, A. Pereira
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
K. Ramki, G. Thiruppathi, Selva Kumar Ramasamy, P. Sundararaj, P. Sakthivel
Summary: A chromone-based ratiometric fluorescent probe L2 was developed for the selective detection of Hg(II) in a semiaqueous solution. The probe exhibited enhanced fluorescence in its aggregated state and even higher fluorescence when chelated with Hg(II). The probe demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for Hg(II) detection and was successfully applied for imaging Hg(II) in a living model.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Qun Zhang, Rui Yang, Gang Liu, Shiyan Jiang, Jiarui Wang, Juqiang Lin, Tingyin Wang, Jing Wang, Zufang Huang
Summary: This research aims to develop a cost-effective and portable method for measuring creatinine levels using the enhanced Tyndall effect phenomenon. The method offers a promising solution for monitoring renal healthcare in resource-limited settings.
