Article
Neurosciences
Andrea Ketschek, Sabrina M. Holland, Gianluca Gallo
Summary: This study reveals a novel function of SARM1 in regulating axon branching and cytoskeletal dynamics in sensory neurons. Knockout of SARM1 leads to excessive axon branching and filopodia formation, along with increased rates of axonal actin patch formation and microtubule polymerization. These findings highlight the negative regulatory role of SARM1 in axon morphogenesis.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Thanushiyan Poobalasingam, Francesca Bianco, Fazal Oozeer, Phillip R. Gordon-Weeks
Summary: The drebrin/EB3 pathway plays a crucial role in neuritogenesis, with loss-of-function leading to reduced dynamic microtubules at the cell periphery and delayed initiation of neuritogenesis, while overexpression inducing supernumerary neurites. EB3 is more closely located to dynamic microtubule plus-ends than EB1 in growth cone filopodia, facilitating continuous microtubule elongation and neuritogenesis.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Britta Qualmann, Michael M. Kessels
Summary: The development and plasticity of neuronal arbors require tight control of actin filament assembly and dynamics, with arginine methylation playing a crucial role in regulating these processes.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Antonina Alexandrova, Maria Lomakina
Summary: Tumor shrinkage is not the only indicator of treatment success, as cancer progression and metastasis formation play crucial roles. The plasticity of tumor cells in switching between different migration modes contributes to their ability to avoid treatment. Identifying specific markers for migratory plasticity is important for successful treatment.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Raphael Lamprecht
Summary: The study suggests that long-term memory formation creates lasting changes in neuronal morphology within a specific neural network, and these changes may be correlated with memory strength. The formation and elimination of dendritic spines, as well as finer morphological changes in spines, are regulated by the actin cytoskeleton. Maintaining a stable actin cytoskeleton network within spines supports long-lasting spine structure and the maintenance of long-term memory.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Theresa Lauster, Dorothee Stoeckle, Katharina Gabor, Theresa Haller, Natalie Krieger, Pia Lotz, Ravikumar Mayakrishnan, Ellen Spaeth, Steffi Zimmermann, Pantelis Livanos, Sabine Mueller
Summary: In this study, the role of PLECKSTRIN HOMOLOGY GTPase ACTIVATING PROTEINS (PHGAPS) in pavement cell shape establishment was investigated. It was found that PHGAPS interacted with ROP2 and showed distinct enrichment in the indentation regions of pavement cells. This localization was established upon undulation initiation and was maintained throughout cell expansion. These findings highlight the importance of PHGAPS in the establishment of ROP activity gradients and the coordinated establishment of multipolarity in epidermal cells.
Article
Cell Biology
Carolina Flores-Munoz, Francisca Garcia-Rojas, Miguel A. Perez, Odra Santander, Elena Mery, Stefany Ordenes, Javiera Illanes-Gonzalez, Daniela Lopez-Espindola, Arlek M. Gonzalez-Jamett, Marco Fuenzalida, Agustin D. Martinez, Alvaro O. Ardiles
Summary: Enhanced activity and overexpression of Pannexin 1 (Panx1) channels contribute to neuronal pathologies. The absence of Panx1 in the adult brain promotes structural and functional modifications in hippocampal synapses, preserving spontaneous activity. These modifications are related to actin-cytoskeleton dynamics and Rho GTPases.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Balaganesh Kuruba, Nickolas Starks, Mary Rose Josten, Ori Naveh, Gary Wayman, Marina Mikhaylova, Alla S. Kostyukova
Summary: Dendritic spines, actin-rich protrusions that receive signals from axons at synapses, are affected by remodeling of cytoskeletal actin. Tropomodulin 2 (Tmod2), a brain-specific isoform, plays a role in regulating dendritic spine re-organization by binding to the pointed end of actin filaments through actin and tropomyosin binding sites. Overexpression of Tmod2 decreases spine number and increases spine length, and disrupting its binding abilities affects spine motility and stability.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Enni Bertling, Peter Blaesse, Patricia Seja, Elena Kremneva, Gergana Gateva, Mari A. Virtanen, Milla Summanen, Inkeri Spoljaric, Pavel Uvarov, Michael Blaesse, Ville O. Paavilainen, Laszlo Vutskits, Kai Kaila, Pirta Hotulainen, Eva Ruusuvuori
Summary: Intracellular pH is regulated by carbonic anhydrase isoforms CA2 and CA7 in neurons. CA7 interacts with actin, affecting cell morphology, while unique amino acids in CA7 promote actin interaction and influence spine density in neurons.
Article
Cell Biology
Chen Chen, Chien-Hsi Chu, Ying Chu, Ting-Ya Chang, Sheng-Wen Chen, Shu-Yang Liang, Yun-Chi Tsai, Bi-Chang Chen, Hsiung-Lin Tu, Pei-Lin Cheng
Summary: Soft tissue environments play an important role in neuronal morphogenesis. This study reveals that drebrin, a growth cone T-zone protein, modulates growth cone turning in response to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on soft substrates. Structurally, axonal growth cones on soft hydrogels have an expanded T zone with integrated drebrin, F-actin and microtubules. Biochemically, paxillin interacts with drebrin specifically on soft hydrogels. Functionally, BDNF-induced growth cone turning and force generation on soft substrates require phosphorylation of drebrin and association of paxillin with drebrin.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fabian R. Villagomez, Juan D. Diaz-Valencia, Erasmo Ovalle-Garcia, Armando Antillon, Ivan Ortega-Blake, Hector Romero-Ramirez, Jorge F. Cerna-Cortes, Roberto Rosales-Reyes, Leopoldo Santos-Argumedo, Genaro Patino-Lopez
Summary: Cell spreading and phagocytosis are regulated by small GTPases and GAP proteins, with TBC1D10C identified as a dual inhibitory protein with GAP activity. TBC1D10C modulates lymphocyte activation in immune cells, and our study reveals its involvement in reorganizing the cytoskeleton and plasma membrane of macrophages, impacting cell spreading and phagocytic activity.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Parijat Sarkar, G. Aditya Kumar, Sandeep Shrivastava, Amitabha Chattopadhyay
Summary: This study quantitatively measured the changes in F-actin content upon cholesterol depletion and explored the signaling crosstalk between cholesterol and the actin cytoskeleton. The results showed that chronic cholesterol depletion increases F-actin content, while acute cholesterol depletion does not. Additionally, the study revealed the involvement of multiple pathways in the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton.
JOURNAL OF LIPID RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Haleh Alimohamadi, Miriam K. Bell, Shelley Halpain, Padmini Rangamani
Summary: Dendritic spines are small protrusions along neurons' dendrites implicated in synaptic plasticity. A biophysical model was used to explore the mechanical principles behind these spine shapes. The study revealed that cooperation between force generation and ring structures regulates the energy landscape of spine shapes.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Pushpa Khanal, Zoran Boskovic, Lauri Lahti, Aruna Ghimire, Rimante Minkeviciene, Patricio Opazo, Pirta Hotulainen
Summary: The brain stores new information by modifying connections between neurons. Dendritic spines are the protrusions along neuronal dendrites where synapses are located and they play a crucial role in the formation of new connections. However, the molecular mechanisms linking neuronal activity to spine initiation are not well understood.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yanina Ivashko-Pachima, Adva Hadar, Iris Grigg, Vlasta Korenkova, Oxana Kapitansky, Gidon Karmon, Michael Gershovits, C. Laura Sayas, R. Frank Kooy, Johannes Attems, David Gurwitz, Illana Gozes
Summary: The study identified a large number of gene mutations in AD patients, with the ADNP gene potentially being associated with autism, intellectual disabilities, and AD. Results showed that AD patients had a higher mutation frequency, and ADNP could inhibit the toxicity of mutated ADNP-microtubules through the NAP fragment.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Yuqi Liang, Chenchen Song, Mianxin Liu, Pulin Gong, Changsong Zhou, Thomas Knopfel
Summary: Cortical circuits generate patterned activities reflecting intrinsic brain dynamics, laying the foundation for various cognitive processes and behaviors. Investigating wave patterns in different frequency ranges reveals complex spatiotemporal organization properties and principles of population activities in the brain. The interaction of different wave patterns determines the dynamical evolution of spontaneous cortical activities, providing insights into the structural architecture across the cortex.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raziye Karapinar, Jan Claudius Schwitalla, Dennis Eickelbeck, Johanna Pakusch, Brix Mucher, Michelle Grommke, Tatjana Surdin, Thomas Knopfel, Melanie D. Mark, Ida Siveke, Stefan Herlitze
Summary: Opn7b is a non-visual G protein-coupled receptor expressed in zebrafish that can be controlled by light to modulate neuronal activity and neural circuit properties.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Javier Jimenez-Martin, Daniil Potapov, Kay Potapov, Thomas Knopfel, Ruth M. Empson
Summary: Manipulating muscarinic acetylcholine function can reshape sensory-evoked neuronal responses, disrupting sensory adaptation and highlighting the critical role of acetylcholine in sensory discrimination behavior.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Yuki Sakamoto, Anna Ishimoto, Yuuki Sakai, Moeko Sato, Ryuichi Nishihama, Konami Abe, Yoshitake Sano, Teiichi Furuichi, Hiroyuki Tsuji, Takayuki Kohchi, Sachihiro Matsunaga
Summary: Researchers developed an improved tissue clearing method, iTOMEI, for fluorescence microscopy of both plant and animal tissues. This method efficiently removes chlorophyll and autofluorescence signals while preserving the desired fluorescence protein signals.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Georgina Pearson, Chenchen Song, Sonja Hohmann, Tatyana Prokhorova, Tanja Maria Sheldrick-Michel, Thomas Knopfel
Summary: DNA methylation analysis has shown promise in identifying biomarkers for neuropsychiatric disorders, and our study found differential methylation patterns in the GAD1 gene of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rafael Pedrosa, Chenchen Song, Thomas Knopfel, Francesco Battaglia
Summary: A new generation of optogenetic tools has contributed to understanding classical open questions in neuroscience. Voltage imaging technologies using genetically encoded voltage indicators have been increasingly used to observe the dynamics of brain circuits. This article describes a method that combines voltage imaging with electrophysiology to study hippocampal-neocortical interactions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rafael Pedrosa, Mojtaba Nazari, Majid H. Mohajerani, Thomas Knopfel, Federico Stella, Francesco P. Battaglia
Summary: Hippocampus-neocortex interactions play a critical role in memory processes during sleep. Activation transients in the neocortex are associated with communication across remote brain areas and consolidation processes rely on bidirectional signaling between hippocampus and neocortex, with slow gamma rhythms being particularly important.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bogachan Tahirbegi, Alastair J. Magness, Maria Elena Piersimoni, Xiangyu Teng, James Hooper, Yuan Guo, Thomas Knopfel, Keith R. Willison, David R. Klug, Liming Ying
Summary: Aggregation kinetics of proteins and peptides have been extensively studied for their importance in human diseases and physiological processes. However, most studies rely on bulk measurements and cannot directly measure assembly reactions at low protein concentrations. Using single-molecule methods and machine learning models, we developed a high-throughput protocol to study protein oligomers' stoichiometry and aggregation kinetics. Our results show promising classification accuracy.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Mianxin Liu, Yuqi Liang, Chenchen Song, Thomas Knopfel, Changsong Zhou
Summary: In this study, the variability of the brain's response to identical sensory inputs was explored using cortex-wide optical voltage imaging and whisker stimulation in awake mice. The findings suggest that the variability is associated with distinct pathways, behavioral states, and the spatiotemporal features of preceding cortical spontaneous activity patterns.
Article
Biology
Javad Karimi Abadchi, Zahra Rezaei, Thomas Knopfel, Bruce L. McNaughton, Majid H. Mohajerani
Summary: Coordinated peri-ripple activity in the hippocampal-neocortical network is crucial for brain's mnemonic processing. Neocortical activity in awake mice differed from that in sleep, with dominantly seen deactivation and activation in post-ripple voltage and glutamate activity, respectively. The peri-ripple modulation patterns of neocortical activity in sleep versus awake states might explain the functional differences observed in sleep versus awake ripples.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yotaroh Sato, Miho Tsuyusaki, Hiromi Takahashi-Iwanaga, Rena Fujisawa, Atsushi Masamune, Shin Hamada, Ryotaro Matsumoto, Yu Tanaka, Yoichi Kakuta, Yumi Yamaguchi-Kabata, Tamio Furuse, Shigeharu Wakana, Takuya Shimura, Rika Kobayashi, Yo Shinoda, Ryo Goitsuka, So Maezawa, Tetsushi Sadakata, Yoshitake Sano, Teiichi Furuichi
Summary: CAPS2 plays a crucial role in the regulation of the pancreatic exocrine pathway and its deficiency is associated with the risk of pancreatic acinar cell pathology.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Isabell Whiteley, Chenchen Song, Glenn A. Howe, Thomas Knopfel, Christopher J. Rowlands
Summary: A targeted imaging system has been developed for recording stationary samples with high spatiotemporal resolutions. It utilizes sequential illumination of regions of interest and records the signal from the whole field of view onto a single photodetector. The system is cost-effective and can be easily implemented on existing microscopes without compromising their functionality. It was successfully used to record individual action potentials from ASAP-3 expressing neurons in an ex vivo mouse brain slice preparation.
BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tobias Buchborn, Taylor Lyons, Chenchen Song, Amanda Feilding, Thomas Knoepfel
Summary: By using cell type-specific voltage imaging in awake mice, researchers have found that shaking behavior is preceded by high-frequency oscillations and overlaps with low-frequency oscillations in the motor cortex. These oscillations mirror the rhythmics of shaking behavior and reflect the activity of layer 2/3 pyramidal cells. The results provide insights into the cortical fingerprint of serotonin-2A receptor-mediated shaking behavior and offer a promising methodological avenue for studying cell-type specific brain dynamics related to cross-mammalian psychedelic effects.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuqi Liang, Junhao Liang, Chenchen Song, Mianxin Liu, Thomas Knoepfel, Pulin Gong, Changsong Zhou
Summary: By analyzing experimental data, researchers found that the wave patterns in the brain change as it transitions from anesthesia to wakefulness, with a reduction in overall voltage waves and an increase in local wave events and complexity. A neural mass model explains these observations by the dynamics of competition between global and local spatiotemporal patterns and long-range connections, potentially enhancing the integrative processing capabilities of the awake cortex. This study is important for understanding the activity patterns of the brain in different wakefulness states.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Yuqi Liang, Pulin Gong, Chenchen Song, Mianxin Liu, Changsong Zhou, Thomas Knopfel
JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)