Article
Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
Jean Defourny, Marc Thiry
Summary: Cx26 and Cx30 assemble into heteromeric gap junctions in the cochlea, facilitating K+ removal from sensory hair cells. A new study reveals tricellular adherens junctions play a critical role in connexin trafficking and membrane channel assembly.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yan-Jun Zong, Xiao-Zhou Liu, Lei Tu, Yu Sun
Summary: This review discusses the contribution of the connexin gene family to hearing loss, focusing on the GJB2, GJB6, and GJA1 genes. Mutations in these genes can lead to comprehensive or non-comprehensive genetic deafness in newborns. The precise regulation of connexin biosynthesis, structural composition, and degradation is crucial for proper functioning of gap junctions. This review provides insights into the etiological principles of connexin mutations and offers potential therapeutic strategies for hereditary deafness.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Timothy M. Sveeggen, Colette A. Abbey, Rebecca L. Smith, Michael L. Salinas, Robert S. Chapkin, Kayla J. Bayless
Summary: The intersection of protein and lipid biology is crucial for understanding cell adhesion and migration. The membrane binding protein ANXA2 plays a novel role in modulating specific membrane lipids necessary for cytoskeletal organization and cell junction stabilization.
Article
Oncology
Birte Schulz, Valerie Schumacher, Anaclet Ngezahayo, Daniela Maier-Begandt, Nadine Schadzek, Jochen Wilhelm, Wolfgang Weidner, Adrian Pilatz, Daniela Fietz, Sabine Kliesch, Nadine Schnepel, Nina Hambruch, Kristina Rode, Marion Langeheine, Ralph Brehm
Summary: In this study, a cell culture model consisting of human FS1 Sertoli cells and human TCam-2 seminoma-like cells was used to investigate the role of junctional proteins in seminoma progression. The results showed that Cx43, Cx45, and N-cadherin were expressed in both cell lines at mRNA and/or protein level, confirming their representativeness for Sertoli and seminoma cells.
Article
Cell Biology
Robert M. Harmon, John Devany, Margaret L. Gardel
Summary: This study investigates the mechanism by which the actin assembly factor Dia1 guides cell positioning in multicellular tissues. The results suggest that Dia1 promotes rapid growth of cell-cell adhesions and plays a crucial role in the construction of a highly crowded monolayer. The study also finds a close correlation between Dia1 expression patterns, cell stratification, and differentiation.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chao Kong, Xiaozhan Qu, Mingming Liu, Weiya Xu, Da Chen, Yanshen Zhang, Shan Zhang, Feng Zhu, Zhenbang Liu, Jianchao Li, Chengdong Huang, Chao Wang
Summary: The study reveals the dynamic nature of the complex formation between E-cadherin and AnkG and investigates its functional role in maintaining epithelial cell polarity.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karel Paukner, Ivana Kralova Lesna, Rudolf Poledne
Summary: Membrane cholesterol and serum cholesterol are crucial for cell membrane properties and molecular transport, with the transport of cholesterol between lipid rafts playing a major role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Future research will enhance our understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of lipid raft-associated cholesterol transport.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Nicole M. Novielli-Kuntz, Eric R. Press, Kevin Barr, Marco A. M. Prado, Dale W. Laird
Summary: Studies on mice carrying the human disease-associated A88V Cx30 mutation revealed major morphological changes in the brain, particularly in aging mice. These changes had a more pronounced consequence for cognitive function in female mice, likely linked to the dysregulation of both Cx30 and Cx43 levels in the brain.
DISEASE MODELS & MECHANISMS
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Ke Gong, Qingqi Hong, Huiwen Wu, Fen Wang, Linhai Zhong, Lingjia Shen, Piao Xu, Wenqing Zhang, Hanwei Cao, Yan-yan Zhan, Tianhui Hu, Xiaoting Hong
Summary: In vivo tumor growth is characterized by a necrotic core generated by oxygen and nutrients gradients, which can also be observed in in vitro three-dimensional tumor spheroids. Gap junctions play a critical role in cancer development, and this study found that the connexin 43 (Cx43) protein reduces the area of necrotic core in colon cancer 3D spheroids, promoting tumor growth advantage. This effect is dependent on gap junction channel functions, and the enhanced glucose uptake and altered signaling pathways contribute to the increased ATP content and oxygen consumption rate. The study also revealed a heterogeneous expression pattern of Cx43 in colon cancer compared to normal tissue, and higher levels of Cx43 are associated with worse clinical outcomes. These findings suggest a novel role of connexin in tumor growth and provide insights into the metabolic needs of solid tumors.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Malene Laage Ebstrup, Catarina Dias, Anne Sofie Busk Heitmann, Stine Lauritzen Sonder, Jesper Nylandsted
Summary: Cellular membrane repair is crucial for cell survival, with the cortical actin cytoskeleton playing a key role in both direct support of membrane repair and indirect assistance to other repair mechanisms.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Susana Lechuga, Manuel B. B. Braga-Neto, Nayden G. G. Naydenov, Florian Rieder, Andrei I. I. Ivanov
Summary: Disruption of the intestinal epithelial barrier is a common feature in mucosal inflammation, which leads to an inflammatory response. Previous studies on the breakdown of the gut barrier have mainly utilized colon cancer cell lines, which do not fully represent normal human intestinal epithelial cells. The development of human intestinal organoids provides a more physiologically-relevant platform to study the regulation and dysfunction of the intestinal barrier. This review discusses the use of human intestinal organoids to understand gut barrier disruption during mucosal inflammation, comparing them to conventional cell lines and identifying unique research questions that can be addressed using organoid platforms.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Selma Cetin-Ferra, Sharon C. Francis, Anthonya T. Cooper, Kit Neikirk, Andrea G. Marshall, Antentor Hinton Jr, Sandra A. A. Murray
Summary: Mitochondria contain connexins that form gap junction channels, playing a role in cell-cell communication. However, connexins in mitochondria have also been found to assemble into hemichannels and may be involved in regulating mitochondrial functions such as potassium fluxes and respiration. However, the presence and function of mitochondrial connexins are still poorly understood. Understanding the significance of mitochondrial connexins and their contact sites is crucial for developing therapeutic interventions in mitochondria-related diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bingchen Che, Wei Zhao, Yanan Liu, Dan Sun, Guangyin Jing, Jintao Bai, Xiqiao Feng, Ce Zhang
Summary: The study reveals that under specific conditions, cells are able to collectively respond to stimulation frequencies higher than their intrinsic values by translating chemical stimulation into dynamic mechanical cues through cell-cell connections and cytoskeleton reorganizations.
Article
Biology
Erumbi S. S. Rangarajan, Emmanuel W. W. Smith, Tina Izard
Summary: Cell attachment is crucial and mediated by cadherin receptors binding and alpha-catenin interaction. Alpha-catenin modulates cell migration and adhesion by linking junctions and plasma membrane to actin cytoskeleton. CryoEM structures provide mechanistic insights into alpha-catenin function and its role in cell adhesion and disease.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Ji Xu, Bruce J. Nicholson
Summary: This study investigated the characteristics of Cx30 hemichannels using heterologous expression systems. It was found that Cx30 hemichannels are sensitive to voltage and extracellular Ca2+ and show minimal selectivity for small ions but increased permeability for larger anions. Comparison with Cx26 gap junctions in the cochlea revealed differences in ATP permeability, indicating distinct physiological functions of Cx30 and Cx26 in energy distribution.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
D. V. Onichtchouk, A. S. Voronina
BIOCHEMISTRY-MOSCOW
(2015)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Richard J. Suckling, Pak Phi Poon, Sophie M. Travis, Irina V. Majoul, Frederick M. Hughson, Philip R. Evans, Rainer Duden, David J. Owen
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2015)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eugenia Butkevich, Kai Bodensiek, Nikta Fakhri, Kerstin von Roden, Iwan A. T. Schaap, Irina Majoul, Christoph F. Schmidt, Dieter R. Klopfenstein
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2015)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
R. Schoenherr, M. Klinge, J. M. Rudolph, K. Fita, D. Rehders, F. Luebber, S. Schneegans, I. V. Majoul, M. Duszenko, C. Betzel, A. Brandariz-Nunez, J. Martinez-Costas, R. Duden, L. Redecke
STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS-US
(2015)
Correction
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
D. V. Onichtchouk, A. S. Voronina
BIOCHEMISTRY-MOSCOW
(2016)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dania Onichtchouk
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS
(2016)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chunhong Chen, Aline Stedman, Emmanuelle Havis, Isabelle Anselme, Daria Onichtchouk, Francois Giudicelli, Sylvie Schneider-Maunoury
Editorial Material
Developmental Biology
Haihan Tan, Daria Onichtchouk, Cecilia Winata
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eugenia Butkevich, Wolfgang Haertig, Miroslav Nikolov, Christian Erck, Jens Grosche, Henning Urlaub, Christoph F. Schmidt, Dieter R. Klopfenstein, John Jia En Chua
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2016)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marina Veil, Lev Y. Yampolsky, Bjoern Gruening, Daria Onichtchouk
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Arindam Ghosh, Joerg Enderlein, Eugenia Butkevich
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jan Christoph Thiele, Dominic A. Helmerich, Nazar Oleksiievets, Roman Tsukanov, Eugenia Butkevich, Markus Sauer, Oleksii Nevskyi, Joerg Enderlein
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Eugenia Butkevich, Navneet C. Verma, Nazar Oleksiievets, Ingo Gregor, Christoph F. Schmidt, Joerg Enderlein, Chayan K. Nandi, Alexey I. Chizhik
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2019)
Article
Developmental Biology
Marina Veil, Melanie Anna Schaechtle, Meijiang Gao, Viola Kirner, Lenka Buryanova, Rachel Grethen, Daria Onichtchouk