Article
Cell Biology
Marion Weber-Boyvat, Jana Kroll, Thorsten Trimbuch, Vesa M. Olkkonen, Christian Rosenmund
Summary: This research identified a dual function of ORP2, serving as a physiological regulator of synaptic cholesterol content and a regulator of neuronal exocytosis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Georgii Pobegalov, Lee-Ya Chu, Jan-Michael Peters, Maxim I. Molodtsov
Summary: The spatial organization of DNA is facilitated by cohesin protein complexes, which move on DNA and extrude DNA loops. However, the mechanistic functioning of cohesin as a molecular machine is not well understood. In this study, we measured the mechanical forces generated by conformational changes in single cohesin molecules and found that bending of SMC coiled coils is driven by random thermal fluctuations, while ATPase head engagement occurs through an ATP dependent head-head movement. Our findings shed light on the force-generating mechanisms of cohesin and provide insights into the cohesin-DNA interaction.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Brian C. Seitz, Xheni Mucelli, Maira Majano, Zoey Wallis, Ashley C. Dodge, Catherine Carmona, Matthew Durant, Sharra Maynard, Linda S. Huang
Summary: This study explores the relationship between meiosis II spindle disassembly and cytokinesis. The results show that SPS1 and AMA1 genes play different roles in the disassembly of meiosis II spindles, and the phenotypic defects of these two genes are also different. In addition, AMA1 regulates the loss of Ase1 and Cin8, while SPS1 regulates the loss of Bim1.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cecilia Rodriguez-Furlan, Roya Campos, Jessica N. Toth, Jaimie M. Van Norman
Summary: Protein polarization is crucial for plant development processes. In this study, the authors demonstrate that IRK and KOIN, two LRR-receptor-kinases in the root meristem, have opposite polarities and rely on distinct mechanisms for polarization. Understanding the mechanisms of protein polarity and its link to cellular functions is important for studying plant development.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
M. Joaquina Delas, Christos M. Kalaitzis, Tamara Fawzi, Madeleine Demuth, Isabel Zhang, Hannah T. Stuart, Elena Costantini, Kenzo Ivanovitch, Elly M. Tanaka, James Briscoe
Summary: In many developing tissues, graded secreted signals organize the patterns of gene expression that assign cell fate. Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) interpret these signals to regulate gene expression, but the mechanism is poorly understood. In the neural tube, a gradient of the morphogen sonic hedgehog (Shh) determines the pattern of neural progenitors. This study identifies distinct ways in which CREs translate graded Shh into differential gene expression in mouse neural progenitors, identifying potential conserved roles for the pioneer factor FOXA2 across tissues.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emilie Montembault, Irene Deduyer, Marie-Charlotte Claverie, Lou Bouit, Nicolas J. J. Tourasse, Denis Dupuy, Derek McCusker, Anne Royou
Summary: Cytokinesis, the process of cellular division, relies on the formation of a contractile ring to partition cellular content. Rho1 GTPase and its RhoGEF (Pbl) play essential roles in this process, but the regulation of Rho1 to maintain correct furrow position remains unclear. In this study, we found that two isoforms of Pbl, with distinct localisation, control Rho1 during asymmetric division in Drosophila neuroblasts. Pbl-A, enriched at the spindlemidzone and furrow, focuses Rho1 to sustain efficient ingression, while Pbl-B, localized on the entire cortex, promotes the broadening of Rho1 activity. This enlarged zone of Rho1 activity is critical for adjusting furrow position and preserving correct daughter cell size asymmetry. Our findings highlight the importance of using isoforms with distinct localisation to enhance the robustness of essential processes.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Florian Muckel, Stephan von Malottki, Christian Holl, Benjamin Pestka, Marco Pratzer, Pavel F. Bessarab, Stefan Heinze, Markus Morgenstern
Summary: Magnetic skyrmions have potential applications in memory, logic, and neuromorphic computing due to their topological protection caused by swirling spin textures. Understanding the microscopic mechanism of unwinding is crucial for enhancing the stability of skyrmions.
Article
Plant Sciences
Takehiko Kanazawa, Ryuichi Nishihama, Takashi Ueda
Summary: Eukaryotic cells possess endomembrane organelles that require a tightly regulated membrane trafficking system for transportation and localization. This study discovered that a mutation in a COPI subunit affects the morphology of oil bodies in Marchantia polymorpha, suggesting the involvement of cell wall biosynthesis in shaping these organelles.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marten A. Hoeksema, Zeyang Shen, Inge R. Holtman, An Zheng, Nathan J. Spann, Isidoro Cobo, Melissa Gymrek, Christopher K. Glass
Summary: The study evaluated how genetic variations in five inbred strains of mice influence macrophage responses to interleukin-4 (IL-4), revealing strain-specific patterns in gene expression induced by IL-4. Through deep learning and motif mutation analysis, the dominant combinations of transcription factors driving IL-4 enhancer activation were identified in macrophages from each strain.
Article
Immunology
Zhirong Zhang, Rossella Venditti, Li Ran, Zengzhen Liu, Karl Vivot, Annette Schurmann, Juan S. Bonifacino, Maria Antonietta De Matteis, Romeo Ricci
Summary: The NLRP3 inflammasome plays a crucial role in the innate immune response, and disruption of the endoplasmic reticulum-endosome membrane contact sites (EECS) leads to NLRP3 accumulation in endosomes and activation of the inflammasome. Lowering endosomal phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P) levels prevents NLRP3 association with endosomes and inhibits inflammasome activation. This discovery helps us better understand the activation mechanism of the inflammasome.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shinji Kishimoto, Yuya Matsubara, Kenji Watanabe
Summary: Ergopeptines are representative ergoline alkaloids with a tripeptide extension on the lysergic acid core. In this study, we characterized newly isolated ergopeptine-like compounds called lentopeptins from Aspergillus lentulus, which differ from traditional ergopeptines in structure and biosynthetic pathway. Targeted deletion of len cluster biosynthetic genes predicted from the genome sequence revealed the atypical biosynthetic pathway of lentopeptins.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kristina Zumer, Kerstin C. Maier, Lucas Farnung, Martin G. Jaeger, Petra Rus, Georg Winter, Patrick Cramer
Summary: Transcription by RNA polymerase II requires elongation factors PAF, RTF1, and SPT6. Depletion of RTF1 reduces RNA Pol II velocity, while depletion of SPT6 impairs RNA Pol II progression through nucleosomes. These findings suggest distinct roles of elongation factors in regulating RNA Pol II activity.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Alex Berlaga, Anatoly B. Kolomeisky
Summary: Antiporters are membrane channel proteins that play a vital role in biological cell functioning by moving species against their concentration gradients. Research indicates that additional kinetic constraints, rather than just thermodynamics, govern the functioning of antiporters, and optimal operating conditions have been discussed for their efficiency. This theoretical analysis sheds light on important aspects of biological membrane transport mechanisms.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Soumajit Dutta, Diwakar Shukla
Summary: Designing selective ligands for cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) is challenging due to their high sequence and structural similarities. In this study, we propose that the subtype selectivity can be explained by the binding of ligands to distinct conformational states between these receptors. By analyzing unbiased simulations using Markov state models and VAMPnets, we identify similarities and differences in the activation mechanism of CB1 and CB2. Our findings reveal the distinction in binding pocket volume changes during CB1 and CB2 activation and provide mechanistic insights into the subtype selectivity of agonists.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Maryam Izadi, David Wolf, Eric Seemann, Alessandro Ori, Lukas Schwintzer, Frank Steiniger, Michael Manfred Kessels, Britta Qualmann
Summary: This study reveals the physical interactions and cooperative functions of members of two fundamentally different superfamilies of membrane shapers, uncovering a previously unknown pivotal principle in neuronal shape development. Membrane-shaping proteins play a crucial role in establishing cell morphology and function, but their reported properties seem inconsistent with physiological membrane topology requirements.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
S. Rivero, M. Ceballos-Chavez, S. S. Bhattacharya, J. C. Reyes
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria P. Gavilan, Marina Arjona, Angel Zurbano, Etienne Formstecher, Juan R. Martinez-Morales, Michel Bornens, Rosa M. Rios
Article
Cell Biology
Ozren Bogdanovic, Mariana Delfino-Machin, Maria Nicolas-Perez, Maria P. Gavilan, Ines Gago-Rodrigues, Ana Fernandez-Minan, Concepcion Lillo, Rosa M. Rios, Joachim Wittbrodt, Juan R. Martinez-Morales
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2012)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria P. Gavilan, Pablo Gandolfo, Fernando R. Balestra, Francisco Arias, Michel Bornens, Rosa M. Rios
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christina F. Chakarova, Hemant Khanna, Amna Z. Shah, Suresh B. Patil, Tina Sedmak, Carlos A. Murga-Zamalloa, Myrto G. Papaioannou, Kerstin Nagel-Wolfrum, Irma Lopez, Peter Munro, Michael Cheetham, Robert K. Koenekoop, Rosa M. Rios, Karl Matter, Uwe Wolfrum, Anand Swaroop, Shomi S. Bhattacharya
HUMAN MOLECULAR GENETICS
(2011)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
M. Paz Gavilan, Cristina Pintado, Elena Gavilan, Luisa M. Garcia-Cuervo, Angelica Castano, Rosa M. Rios, Diego Ruano
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2012)
Article
Immunology
Cristina Pintado, Maria P. Gavilan, Elena Gavilan, Luisa Garcia-Cuervo, Antonia Gutierrez, Javier Vitorica, Angelica Castano, Rosa M. Rios, Diego Ruano
JOURNAL OF NEUROINFLAMMATION
(2012)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Francisco J. Diaz-Corrales, Ikuko Miyazaki, Masato Asanuma, Diego Ruano, Rosa M. Rios
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2012)
Review
Biology
Rosa M. Rios
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2014)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maria Ceballos-Chavez, Sabrina Rivero, Pablo Garcia-Gutierrez, Manuel Rodriguez-Paredes, Mario Garcia-Dominguez, Shomi Bhattacharya, Jose C. Reyes
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2012)
Article
Cell Biology
Sabrina Rivero, Elena Gomez-Marin, Jose A. Guerrero-Martinez, Jorge Garcia-Martinez, Jose C. Reyes
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andres Ernesto Zucchetti, Laurence Bataille, Jean-Marie Carpier, Stephanie Dogniaux, Mabel San Roman-Jouve, Mathieu Maurin, Michael W. Stuck, Rosa M. Rios, Cosima T. Baldari, Gregory J. Pazour, Claire Hivroz
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sabrina Rivero, Guillermo Rodriguez-Real, Ines Marin, Pablo Huertas
Summary: This study demonstrates that MRG domain binding protein (MRGBP) acts as a general inhibitor of DNA double-strand break repair, with its downregulation leading to an overall increase in repair, particularly in stimulating early events of homologous recombination.
Article
Cell Biology
Lucia Iglesias-Ortega, Clara Megias-Fernandez, Paloma Dominguez-Gimenez, Silvia Jimeno-Gonzalez, Sabrina Rivero
Summary: EHMT1 deficiency in cells leads to altered cellular structures and reduced migration capacity, indicating a functional impact on Kleefstra syndrome. The study suggests a potential link between EHMT1 haploinsufficiency, epigenetic regulation, and the cellular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Petra Lorenzo, Eugenia Martin Vazquez, Livia Lopez-Noriega, Esther Fuente-Martin, Jose M. Mellado-Gil, Jaime M. Franco, Nadia Cobo-Vuilleumier, Jose A. Guerrero Martinez, Silvana Y. Romero-Zerbo, Jesus A. Perez-Cabello, Sabrina Rivero Canalejo, Antonio Campos-Caro, Christian Claude Lachaud, Alejandra Crespo Barreda, Manuel Aguilar-Diosdado, Eduardo Garcia Fuentes, Alejandro Martin-Montalvo, Manuel Alvarez Dolado, Franz Martin, Gemma Rojo-Martinez, David Pozo, Francisco J. Bermudez-Silva, Valentine Comaills, Jose C. Reyes, Benoit R. Gauthier
Summary: The study shows that HMG20A is predominantly expressed in hypothalamic astrocytes, with its upregulation in obesity and glucose intolerant conditions playing a key role in maintaining neuronal network and glucose homeostasis. Depletion of HMG20A in astrocytes leads to impaired function, which can be reversed by ORY1001 treatment.