Article
Biophysics
Parsa Zareiesfandabadi, Mary Williard Elting
Summary: The mitotic spindle plays a critical role in chromosome segregation during cell division. Through laser ablation experiments, the collapse of the spindle was found to require microtubule dynamics and specific motor proteins.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lina Carlini, Fioranna Renda, Melissa C. Pamula, Alexey Khodjakov, Tarun M. Kapoor
Summary: Research has found that the midzone of the spindle has multiple connections between microtubule bundles, which reinforce its structure and isolate individual bundles from local perturbations. This feature allows the midzone to accommodate disruptions and achieve proper chromosome separation.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Da-Jie Deng, Xi Wang, Kai-Ye Yue, Yamei Wang, Quan-Wen Jin
Summary: This study investigated the role of fission yeast PP2A in SAC silencing. The results showed that the absence of two B56 regulatory subunits of PP2A only slightly delayed SAC inactivation. Overexpression of individual PP2A subunits could only slightly suppress the SAC silencing defects in PP1 deletion cells. Therefore, fission yeast PP2A is not a key regulator actively involved in SAC inactivation.
Article
Microbiology
Benjamin Liffner, Sabrina Absalon
Summary: The study utilizes ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) to investigate mitosis in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, revealing various intranuclear microtubule structures. Depletion of MCMBP results in abnormal parasites, which were further analyzed using U-ExM with a newly developed nuclear stain specifically for P. falciparum.
Article
Biology
Hayato Hirai, Yuki Shogaki, Masamitsu Sato
Summary: This study reveals that the inner kinetochore proteins Mis6 (CENP-I) and Mis15 (CENP-N) play a crucial role in maintaining the presence of CENP-A during mitosis in fission yeast. They achieve this by blocking the indiscriminate transcription of non-coding RNAs at the core centromere region.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Jeroen de Keijzer, Ruben van Spoordonk, Joanne E. E. van der Meer-verweij, Marcel Janson, Tijs Ketelaar
Summary: Tip-growing cells of plants and fungi secrete wall materials in a polarized manner for efficient colonization. In this study, a kinesin-4 protein was found to suppress encounters between antiparallel microtubules, leading to a stable growth direction. This discovery provides a new organizing principle within unipolar microtubule arrays.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Kenta Tsuchiya, Gohta Goshima
Summary: In human colon cancer cells, four microtubule-associated proteins have been identified that are involved in gamma-tubulin-independent microtubule generation. These proteins can promote microtubule nucleation in the absence of gamma-tubulin, forming noncentriolar microtubule organizing centers. Depletion of certain proteins delays the formation of these centers, indicating their role in microtubule nucleation without gamma-tubulin.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Mamika Minagawa, Minamo Shirato, Mika Toya, Masamitsu Sato
Summary: The study characterized the mutant beta-tubulin Nda3-TB101 which stabilizes microtubules and is insensitive to benzimidazole drugs, providing insights into the binding mechanism of benzimidazole to beta-tubulin.
Article
Microbiology
Pengfei Miao, Xuzhao Mao, Shuang Chen, Yakubu Saddeeq Abubakar, Yulong Li, Wenhui Zheng, Jie Zhou, Zonghua Wang, Huawei Zheng
Summary: In this study, the researchers identified a small GTPase FgTem1 that is involved in the mitotic exit of the wheat head blight fungus Fusarium graminearum. They demonstrated that FgTem1 is required for fungal pathogenicity and regulates infection structures formation and invasive hyphal growth on wheat spikelets and wheat coleoptiles. The study also revealed the regulatory mechanisms of FgTem1 and its important role in the phytopathogen's pathogenicity.
Article
Biology
Nicolas Macaisne, Laura Bellutti, Kimberley Laband, Frances Edwards, Laras Pitayu-Nugroho, Alison Gervais, Thadshagine Ganeswaran, Helene Geoffroy, Gilliane Maton, Julie C. Canman, Benjamin Lacroix, Julien Dumont
Summary: During cell division, the microtubule-based spindle plays a crucial role in chromosome segregation. The interaction between spindle microtubules and kinetochores is essential for the proper alignment and segregation of chromosomes. This study focuses on a kinetochore module called the BHC module, which consists of BUB-1, HCP-1/2, and CLS-2, and shows that it stabilizes microtubules, promoting spindle formation and accurate chromosome segregation.
Article
Cell Biology
Anna Frappaolo, Roberto Piergentili, Maria Grazia Giansanti
Summary: Drosophila dividing spermatocytes provide a suitable cell system to study the reorganization of microtubule and actin cytoskeleton systems during cell division. The unique characteristics of Drosophila male meiotic cells make them amenable to investigate the molecular pathways regulating spindle microtubules and cytokinesis, with important implications for cancer and other diseases.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Masashi Yukawa, Mitsuki Ohishi, Yusuke Yamada, Takashi Toda
Summary: In the absence of kinesin-5, deletion of the dri1 gene in fission yeast can rescue temperature sensitivity caused by kinesin-5 mutants. This deletion also significantly reduces the levels of kinesin-14/Klp2 on the spindles in the kinesin-5 mutants. The RNA-binding motifs of Dri1 are essential for its cytoplasmic localization and function.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Yanze Jian, Lingyun Nie, Sikai Liu, Yueyue Jiang, Zhen Dou, Xing Liu, Xuebiao Yao, Chuanhai Fu
Summary: The outer kinetochore acts as a platform for SAC initiation and mediating kinetochore-microtubule attachments. The inner kinetochore subcomplex CENP-S-CENP-X's involvement in regulating the SAC and kinetochore-microtubule attachments is not well characterized.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Meghan D. Jones, Kari Naylor
Summary: Mitochondria are essential organelles that provide energy for cell function. The maintenance of their structure relies on mitochondrial dynamics, which is regulated by the cytoskeleton. Understanding the role of the cytoskeleton in mitochondrial dynamics is crucial for studying and treating neurodegenerative diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ikumi Fujita, Akatsuki Kimura, Akira Yamashita
Summary: In this study, it was found that fission yeast undergoes premeiotic nuclear oscillation, which is dependent on microtubules and is driven by cytoplasmic dynein. The oscillation frequency is cell length-dependent and is controlled by a balance between microtubule and viscous drag forces, as well as microtubule dynamics. These findings provide a basis for understanding the physical properties of microtubule-dependent nuclear movements.
Article
Cell Biology
Ting Gang Chew, Junqi Huang, Saravanan Palani, Ruth Sommese, Anton Kamnev, Tomoyuki Hatano, Ying Gu, Snezhana Oliferenko, Sivaraj Sivaramakrishnan, Mohan K. Balasubramanian
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2017)
Review
Cell Biology
Snezhana Oliferenko
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2018)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Makarova, Maria Peter, Gabor Balogh, Attila Glatz, James I. MacRae, Nestor Lopez Mora, Paula Booth, Eugene Makeyev, Laszlo Vigh, Snezhana Oliferenko
Article
Cell Biology
Gerard H. Pieper, Simon Sprenger, David Teis, Snezhana Oliferenko
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2020)
Article
Cell Biology
Janet Chenevert, Marianne Roca, Lydia Besnardeau, Antonella Ruggiero, Dalileh Nabi, Alex McDougall, Richard R. Copley, Elisabeth Christians, Stefania Castagnetti
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Risa Mori, Snezhana Oliferenko
Article
Cell Biology
Ying Gu, Snezhana Oliferenko
Summary: Cellular dimensions play a crucial role in cellular physiology, ecology, and evolution. The morphology of cells is governed by scaling rules, and cells of different sizes may exhibit size-dependent variations in cellular processes. Cells in fungi, algae, and plants with rigid cell walls may experience immediate changes in geometry when dividing at smaller sizes, impacting cell fitness.
CURRENT OPINION IN CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Anne-Sophie Pavaux, David Velasquez-Carjaval, Kevin Drouet, Anais Lebrun, Alan Hiroux, Sophie Marro, Elisabeth Christians, Stefania Castagnetti, Rodolphe Lemee
Summary: A study conducted in the Villefranche bay in France monitored the abundance of Ostreopsis cf. ovata over three consecutive years, showing significant variations in the quantities of this benthic dinoflagellate in different light periods and locations in the water column. The research found that sampling time and water column depth have a significant impact on the abundance of benthic dinoflagellate cells, providing insights for designing new monitoring strategies to reduce variability.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Kim M. Rutherford, Midori A. Harris, Snezhana Oliferenko, Valerie Wood
Summary: The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus has become an important system for studying cellular process evolution, utilizing similarities and differences with the established model organism Schizosaccharomyces pombe. By deploying open-source code and tools, JaponicusDB provides a central resource for S. japonicus researchers, supporting their studies and integration of new data.
Article
Cell Biology
Tomoyuki Hatano, Tzer Chyn Lim, Ingrid Billault-Chaumartin, Anubhav Dhar, Ying Gu, Teresa Massam-Wu, William Scott, Sushmitha Adishesha, Bernardo Chapa-y-Lazo, Luke Springall, Lavanya Sivashanmugam, Masanori Mishima, Sophie G. Martin, Snezhana Oliferenko, Saravanan Palani, Mohan K. Balasubramanian
Summary: In this study, a new tool for observing the dynamics of tropomyosin was reported and successfully applied in different organisms. The study revealed the important role of tropomyosin in cytoskeletal regulation and its functions in cell division and mating processes.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Marianne Roca, Lydia Besnardeau, Elisabeth Christians, Alex McDougall, Janet Chenevert, Stefania Castagnetti
Summary: The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is responsible for delaying anaphase onset until all chromosomes are correctly attached to spindle microtubules, maintaining genome integrity. In chordate embryos, SAC is inactive or cell-cycle target machinery is unresponsive during early development, allowing mitotic progression despite spindle defects. However, in Phallusia mammillata embryos, the SAC delays mitotic progression from the 8th cleavage divisions and unattached kinetochores are recognized by the SAC machinery after the 7th cell cycle. The strength of SAC and its modulation by cell fate and size resemble SAC control in non-chordate embryos.
Article
Cell Biology
Sherman Foo, Amaury Cazenave-Gassiot, Markus R. Wenk, Snezhana Oliferenko
Summary: The expansion of the nuclear envelope (NE) is crucial for maintaining nuclear shape and function during cell division. The depletion of diacylglycerol (DG) from the inner nuclear membrane and the rerouting of phosphatidic acid (PA) to membrane synthesis contribute to NE expansion. The conversion of DG to PA by diacylglycerol kinase Dgk1 and the synthesis of glycerophospholipids from DG through diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferase/ ethanolaminephosphotransferase Ept1 play important roles in controlling NE expansion and mitotic fidelity.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sara Alam, Ying Gu, Polina Reichert, Jurg Bahler, Snezhana Oliferenko
Summary: Most eukaryotes rely on oxygen respiration for biomass and energy production, but some organisms have lost this capacity. Studying how these organisms manage biomass and energy production can provide insights into the optimization of respiration and central carbon metabolism. In this study, two related fission yeasts, S. pombe and S. japonicus, were compared. It was found that S. japonicus, which does not respire oxygen, has optimized NADH oxidation, amino acid synthesis, and ATP generation through glycerol-3-phosphate synthesis, bifurcated TCA pathway, and optimized glycolysis. This research highlights the versatility and plasticity of central carbon metabolism in eukaryotes and the adaptations that support the preferential use of glycolysis over oxidative phosphorylation.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Suzi A. Aleksander, James Balhoff, Seth Carbon, J. Michael Cherry, Harold J. Drabkin, Dustin Ebert, Marc Feuermann, Pascale Gaudet, Nomi L. Harris, David P. Hill, Raymond Lee, Huaiyu Mi, Sierra Moxon, Christopher J. Mungall, Anushya Muruganugan, Tremayne Mushayahama, Paul W. Sternberg, Paul D. Thomas, Kimberly Van Auken, Jolene Ramsey, Deborah A. Siegele, Rex L. Chisholm, Petra Fey, Maria Cristina Aspromonte, Maria Victoria Nugnes, Federica Quaglia, Silvio Tosatto, Michelle Giglio, Suvarna Nadendla, Giulia Antonazzo, Helen Attrill, Gil dos Santos, Steven Marygold, Victor Strelets, Christopher J. Tabone, Jim Thurmond, Pinglei Zhou, Saadullah H. Ahmed, Praoparn Asanitthong, Diana Luna Buitrago, Meltem N. Erdol, Matthew C. Gage, Mohamed Ali Kadhum, Kan Yan Chloe Li, Miao Long, Aleksandra Michalak, Angeline Pesala, Armalya Pritazahra, Shirin C. C. Saverimuttu, Renzhi Su, Kate E. Thurlow, Ruth C. Lovering, Colin Logie, Snezhana Oliferenko, Judith Blake, Karen Christie, Lori Corbani, Mary E. Dolan, Dmitry Sitnikov, Cynthia Smith, Alayne Cuzick, James Seager, Laurel Cooper, Justin Elser, Pankaj Jaiswal, Parul Gupta, Sushma Naithani, Manuel Lera-Ramirez, Kim Rutherford, Valerie Wood, Jeffrey L. De Pons, Melinda R. Dwinell, G. Thomas Hayman, Mary L. Kaldunski, Anne E. Kwitek, Stanley J. F. Laulederkind, Marek A. Tutaj, Mahima Vedi, Shur-Jen Wang, Peter D'Eustachio, Lucila Aimo, Kristian Axelsen, Alan Bridge, Nevila Hyka-Nouspikel, Anne Morgat, Stacia R. Engel, Kalpana Karra, Stuart R. Miyasato, Robert S. Nash, Marek S. Skrzypek, Shuai Weng, Edith D. Wong, Erika Bakker, Tanya Z. Berardini, Leonore Reiser, Andrea Auchincloss, Ghislaine Argoud-Puy, Marie-Claude Blatter, Emmanuel Boutet, Lionel Breuza, Cristina Casals-Casas, Elisabeth Coudert, Anne Estreicher, Maria Livia Famiglietti, Arnaud Gos, Nadine Gruaz-Gumowski, Chantal Hulo, Florence Jungo, Philippe Le Mercier, Damien Lieberherr, Patrick Masson, Ivo Pedruzzi, Lucille Pourcel, Sylvain Poux, Catherine Rivoire, Shyamala Sundaram, Alex Bateman, Emily Bowler-Barnett, Hema Bye-A-Jee, Paul Denny, Alexandr Ignatchenko, Rizwan Ishtiaq, Antonia Lock, Yvonne Lussi, Michele Magrane, Maria J. Martin, Sandra Orchard, Pedro Raposo, Elena Speretta, Nidhi Tyagi, Kate Warner, Rossana Zaru, Alexander D. Diehl, Juancarlos Chan, Stavros Diamantakis, Daniela Raciti, Magdalena Zarowiecki, Malcolm Fisher, Christina James-Zorn, Virgilio Ponferrada, Aaron Zorn, Sridhar Ramachandran, Leyla Ruzicka, Monte Westerfield
Summary: The Gene Ontology (GO) knowledgebase is a comprehensive resource that provides information about the functions of genes and gene products. It covers a wide range of organisms and receives updates from a consortium of scientists. The knowledgebase consists of three components: GO, which describes gene functionality; GO annotations, which provide evidence-supported statements about gene products; and GO-CAMs, which are models of molecular pathways. The knowledgebase is continuously updated and reviewed, and guidance is provided to users on how to make the best use of the data.
Article
Biology
James J. Russell, Julie A. Theriot, Pranidhi Sood, Wallace F. Marshall, Laura F. Landweber, Lillian Fritz-Laylin, Jessica K. Polka, Snezhana Oliferenko, Therese Gerbich, Amy Gladfelter, James Umen, Magdalena Bezanilla, Madeline A. Lancaster, Shuonan He, Matthew C. Gibson, Bob Goldstein, Elly M. Tanaka, Chi-Kuo Hu, Anne Brunet