Review
Cell Biology
Ping Zhou, Guiwen Yang, Wei Xie
Summary: The remodeling of microtubules during cell differentiation is a critical process that involves microtubule-binding proteins, cell junctions, and centrosomes. Recent studies have shed light on the dynamic changes in microtubule organization and functions during cell differentiation, revealing the regulatory mechanisms and physiological functions of this process.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yuliya Krasylenko, George Komis, Sofiia Hlynska, Tereza Vavrdova, Miroslav Ovecka, Tomas Pospisil, Jozef Samaj
Summary: Strigolactones regulate developmental events in roots by affecting the organization and dynamics of cortical microtubules. Chemical and genetic manipulation of strigolactone signaling impacts microtubule remodeling, especially under light conditions. The application of strigolactones in dark conditions partially alleviates cytoskeletal rearrangement, suggesting a new mechanistic connection between cytoskeletal behavior and light-dependent strigolactone signaling.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiaolei Liu, Xiaoyun Tan
Summary: In this study, the Arabidopsis MOR1 gene was found to play important roles in filament functions and anther dehiscence. The mor1-1 mutant exhibited an indehiscence phenotype at higher temperature, with disrupted CMT organization and plasma membrane homeostasis in filament cells. These results indicate that MOR1 mediated CMT organization is crucial for clathrin-mediated endocytosis in filament cells, and critical for anther dehiscence under thermosensitivity.
PLANT GROWTH REGULATION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tatsuya Fukuyama, Lucan Yan, Masahito Tanaka, Megumi Yamaoka, Kei Saito, Shih-Chieh Ti, Chung-Chi Liao, Kuo-Chiang Hsia, Yusuke T. Maeda, Yuta Shimamoto
Summary: The spindle is a dynamic intracellular structure essential for chromosome segregation during cell division. It can exhibit varied shape morphologies through nonrandom, bistable self-organization paths. The emergence of different spindle shapes is influenced by both physical and molecular factors.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maelys Loh, Antoine Guichet, Fred Bernard
Summary: Live cell imaging is crucial for understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating organelle movements, cytoskeleton rearrangements, and polarity patterning. The Drosophila egg chamber serves as an excellent model system due to its multicellular structure and abundance of genetic tools, allowing for the study of nuclear migration mechanisms. By developing a live imaging protocol, the dynamic events of nucleus migration can be captured, providing insight into its role in determining polarity axes in embryos and adult flies.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Daniel Hlavaty, Terry Lechler
Summary: Recent studies have expanded research on microtubule dynamics and organization to tissues ex vivo and organisms in vivo, demonstrating the important roles microtubules play in stratified epithelia of the epidermis. These findings not only reveal the various roles of microtubules in supporting epidermal function, but also uncover new principles of microtubule regulation.
CURRENT OPINION IN CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Masaki Ishikawa, Mitsuyasu Hasebe
Summary: This article summarizes the genetic networks regulating cellular reprogramming in P. patens and the role of STEMIN1, and discusses the generality and divergence of the molecular mechanisms underlying cellular reprogramming in land plants and animals.
CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Pai Li, Ze Zhang, Yiying Tong, Bardees M. Foda, Brad Day
Summary: Li and Zhang et al. introduce Implicit Laplacian of Enhanced Edge (ILEE), an algorithm and toolbox for unbiased, quantitative, and cytoskeletal image analysis. ILEE solves historical challenges and improves the accuracy, stability, and robustness of cytoskeletal quantification, as well as extending the number of quantifiable cytoskeletal features.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Frank Bradke
Summary: Axons rapidly grow to their targets during development, but lose the ability to regenerate in the adult CNS. Recent progress has revealed the developmental mechanisms and molecular regulators of axon regeneration, leading to translational approaches for inducing CNS axon regeneration.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
William Conway, Robert Kiewisz, Gunar Fabig, Colm P. Kelleher, Hai-Yin Wu, Maya Anjur-Dietrich, Thomas Mueller-Reichert, Daniel J. Needleman
Summary: During eukaryotic cell division, the distribution of kinetochore microtubules (KMTs) in the mitotic spindle is crucial for accurate chromosome segregation. This study investigates the processes that give rise to the observed distribution of KMTs in human cells. The results suggest that KMTs grow away from kinetochores along defined trajectories, with longer KMTs growing more slowly than shorter ones, leading to a mathematical model of kinetochore-fiber self-organization in human mitotic spindles.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Allison L. Zajac, Sally Horne-Badovinac
Summary: This research reveals how epithelial cells control the secretion site of basement membrane proteins through transport, which subsequently affects tissue migration and morphological structure.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maria S. Tikhomirova, Avihay Kadosh, Aksel J. Saukko-Paavola, Tom Shemesh, Robin W. Klemm
Summary: This study reveals the important role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) dynamics in distributing microtubules (MTs) in cells. The research shows that spatial inhomogeneity in the density of ER tubule junctions leads to an overall contractile force on MTs, and cells rapidly compensate for local variability of ER junction density through dynamic formation and movement of ER junctions. Perturbation of ER junction tethering and fusion disrupts the dynamics of junction equilibration, causing the formation of MT bundles.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Brianna R. King, Janet B. Meehl, Tamira Vojnar, Mark Winey, Eric G. Muller, Trisha N. Davis
Summary: The study utilized an inducible ectopic microtubule nucleation site in the nucleus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to investigate the formation of a bipolar array and identified novel roles of microtubule-associated proteins and motors in microtubule nucleation.
Review
Cell Biology
Ralph Graef, Marianne Grafe, Irene Meyer, Kristina Mitic, Valentin Pitzen
Summary: The centrosome of Dictyostelium amoebae consists of a cylindrical layered core structure without centrioles, surrounded by a corona harboring microtubule-nucleating gamma-tubulin complexes. Proteomics, protein interaction studies, and superresolution microscopy methods have significantly advanced our understanding of the composition, structure, and function of this centrosome type. Comparisons of the components of the Dictyostelium centrosome with those of animals and yeasts have been discussed.
Article
Cell Biology
Zhenzhen Chu, Oliver J. Gruss
Summary: Centrosomes play a crucial role in animal cell division. In this study, the researchers investigated the roles of centriolar satellite proteins SSX2IP and WDR8, as well as centriolar protein CEP135, in centrosome assembly and function. They found that the loss of SSX2IP and WDR8 could be compensated for, but the loss of CEP135 resulted in compromised centrosome function.
Article
Cell Biology
Oane J. Gros, Hugo G. J. Damstra, Lukas C. Kapitein, Anna Akhmanova, Florian Berger
Summary: During T-cell activation, dynein self-organizes into a cluster and causes stalk formation by attaching to mobile membrane anchors. This organization occurs in both systems, but results obtained with MT-sliding dynein are more robust and display a stalk morphology consistent with experimental data obtained with expansion microscopy.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL
(2021)
Article
Biology
Eugene A. Katrukha, Daphne Jurriens, Desiree M. Salas Pastene, Lukas C. Kapitein
Summary: The study reveals the nanoscale organization of neuronal microtubule network in rat hippocampal neurons, showing enrichment of acetylated microtubules in the core of dendrites and tyrosinated microtubules near the plasma membrane. The absolute number of acetylated and tyrosinated microtubules within dendrites was quantified, providing insights into the spatial regulation of intracellular transport facilitated by different motor proteins.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Donglong Fu, J. J. Erik Maris, Katarina Stanciakova, Nikolaos Nikolopoulos, Onno van Der Heijden, Laurens D. B. Mandemaker, Marijn E. Siemons, Desiree Salas Pastene, Lukas C. Kapitein, Freddy T. Rabouw, Florian Meirer, Bert M. Weckhuysen
Summary: This study utilizes advanced techniques to track the diffusion of single molecules in zeolite materials, revealing different motion behaviors of guest molecules in different zeolite channels, with the geometry of the zeolite channels determining diffusion anisotropy. Additionally, the study shows that the addition of secondary pore networks primarily enhances the diffusivity of sinusoidal zeolite channels, alleviating diffusion limitations of microporous zeolites.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Ivar Noordstra, Cyntha M. van den Berg, Fransje W. J. Boot, Eugene A. Katrukha, Ka Lou Yu, Roderick P. Tas, Sybren Portegies, Bastiaan J. Viergever, Esther de Graaff, Casper C. Hoogenraad, Eelco J. P. de Koning, Francoise Carlotti, Lukas C. Kapitein, Anna Akhmanova
Summary: Insulin secretion in pancreatic beta-cells is regulated by cortical complexes that are enriched at the sites of adhesion to the extracellular matrix. Non-neuronal proteins LL5 beta and KANK1 are also present at insulin secretion sites and are involved in organizing exocytotic machinery. The dynamics of ELKS, an essential component of secretory complexes, is driven by binding and unbinding to low-mobility scaffolds, which are stimulated by glucose treatment. This study provides insights into the spatial organization of glucose-stimulated insulin release.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Henk Karst, Femke S. den Boon, Niek Vervoort, Max Adrian, Lukas C. Kapitein, Marian Joels
Summary: The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) in the mammalian brain mediates both genomic and non-genomic actions, possibly located near or translocated to the cell membrane. Although it is challenging to convincingly visualize membrane localization of endogenous MR or GFP-MR molecules, there is evidence suggesting that MR may be trafficked via beta-arrestin.
MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ankit Rai, Tianyang Liu, Eugene A. Katrukha, Juan Estevez-Gallego, Szymon W. Manka, Ian Paterson, J. Fernando Diaz, Lukas C. Kapitein, Carolyn A. Moores, Anna Akhmanova
Summary: Microtubule lattice defects can affect growth at the plus end, leading to frequent catastrophes. Severing at the site of the defect is sufficient to suppress catastrophes. Structural defects can exert effects that propagate over long distances and affect the dynamic state of the microtubule end.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biology
Hugo G. J. Damstra, Boaz Mohar, Mark Eddison, Anna Akhmanova, Lukas C. Kapitein, Paul W. Tillberg
Summary: Expansion microscopy (ExM) is a powerful technique that enhances the resolution of light microscopy. In this study, a new method called Ten-fold Robust Expansion Microscopy (TREx) is developed, which allows for a ten-fold expansion and is easy to use. TREx enables high-resolution subcellular imaging and provides ultrastructural context for protein localization.
Article
Optics
Marijn E. Siemons, Lukas C. Kapitein, Sjoerd Stallinga
Summary: This article discusses the possible axial localization errors in the process of three-dimensional localization in single-molecule localization microscopy, and proposes methods to mitigate these errors.
Article
Biology
Fangrui Chen, Jingchao Wu, Malina K. Iwanski, Daphne Jurriens, Arianna Sandron, Milena Pasolli, Gianmarco Puma, Jannes Z. Kromhout, Chao Yang, Wilco Nijenhuis, Lukas C. Kapitein, Florian Berger, Anna Akhmanova
Summary: This study reveals the self-assembly properties of interphase PCM in animal cells and its sensitivity to motor- and microtubule-based rearrangement.
Article
Biology
Gimano D. Amatngalim, Lisa W. Rodenburg, Bente L. Aalbers, Henriette H. M. Raeven, Ellen M. Aarts, Dounia Sarhane, Sacha Spelier, Juliet W. Lefferts, Iris A. L. Silva, Wilco Nijenhuis, Sacha Vrendenbarg, Evelien Kruisselbrink, Jesse E. Brunsveld, Cornelis M. van Drunen, Sabine Michel, Karin M. de Winter-de Groot, Harry G. Heijerman, Lukas C. Kapitein, Magarida D. Amaral, Cornelis K. van der Ent, Jeffrey M. Beekman
Summary: This study introduces an alternative method of culturing nasal-brushing-derived airway organoids, enabling consistent detection of CFTR modulator responses in patients with cystic fibrosis.
LIFE SCIENCE ALLIANCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joyce C. M. Meiring, Ilya Grigoriev, Wilco Nijenhuis, Lukas C. Kapitein, Anna Akhmanova
Summary: Microtubules play important roles in chromosome separation, intracellular transport, and organelle positioning. This study introduces a light-activated system called opto-katanin for precise subcellular control of microtubules. The system allows localized recruitment of the microtubule-severing enzyme katanin, resulting in rapid and reversible microtubule depolymerization. This tool can be used to selectively clear microtubules in specific regions of cells and study their role in vesicle transport, organelle morphology, and cell mechanics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mithila Burute, Klara I. Jansen, Marko Mihajlovic, Tina Vermonden, Lukas C. Kapitein
Summary: This study reveals the importance of microtubule network mobility in the process of neuronal polarization, which is regulated by Rho GTPase signaling and extracellular cues. The differences in microtubule mobility determine the ability of Kinesin-1 to enter specific neurites, thus affecting the polarization specificity of neurons. These findings provide new insights into the cytoskeletal mechanism of neuronal polarization.
Review
Cell Biology
Malina K. Iwanski, Lukas C. Kapitein
Summary: Microtubules are essential for neuronal development and function, serving as tracks for intracellular transport and being involved in various neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. The polar nature and composition of microtubules, including tubulin isotypes, post-translational modifications, associated proteins, stability, and orientation, play important roles in their function. Understanding these features and their effects on transport and organization in neurons is crucial.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Li Gao, Joyce C. M. Meiring, Yvonne Kraus, Maximilian Wranik, Tobias Weinert, Stefanie D. Pritzl, Rebekkah Bingham, Evangelia Ntouliou, Klara Jansen, Natacha Olieric, Jorg Standfuss, Lukas C. Kapitein, Theobald Lohmuller, Julia Ahlfeld, Anna Akhmanova, Michel O. Steinmetz, Oliver Thorn-Seshold
Summary: Researchers have designed a photoswitchable SBT scaffold to create metabolically stable and fully GFP/YFP-orthogonal SBTub photopharmaceuticals for precise control of microtubule dynamics and organization. These photopharmaceuticals have great potential applications in cell biology and are favorable for intracellular biological control in in vivo settings. The robustness and imaging orthogonality of the SBT scaffold may inspire further derivatizations for photocontrol of a range of other biological targets.
CELL CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2021)