Article
Oncology
Guillaume Hatte, Claude Prigent, Jean-Pierre Tassan
Summary: Our study examined the formation and activation of the contractile ring in the epithelium of Xenopus embryos and explored the involvement of adherens junctions in this process. We found that proteins related to contractile ring formation and activation accumulate in a polarized manner, starting at the apical cell-cell contacts and spreading towards the basal side within seconds. Additionally, we discovered that adherens junctions play a role in the kinetics of contractile ring formation from the beginning of cytokinesis.
EXPERIMENTAL CELL RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Joseph O. Magliozzi, James B. Moseley
Summary: Cell polarity signaling pathways play a direct role in regulating the contractile actomyosin ring (CAR) during cytokinesis, contributing to both local organization of CAR proteins and structures, as well as global organization of the division plane within a cell. Recent phosphoproteomics studies have identified new connections between cell polarity kinases and CAR proteins, pointing to conserved processes across different organisms. Opportunities for future research exist to further explore the conservation and divergence in the cell division process among organisms.
Editorial Material
Biology
Emma L. Berdan, Thomas Flatt, Genevieve M. Kozak, Katie E. Lotterhos, Ben Wielstra
Summary: This article introduces the concept of supergenes and the limited understanding of their evolution. The genetic architecture of supergenes plays a crucial role in their evolutionary fate, and recent advances in sequencing technology and computer simulations offer new opportunities for studying supergenes. The theme issue brings together various theoretical and empirical studies, highlighting the architectural diversity of supergenes and their connection to critical evolutionary processes.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Giulia Cazzagon, Chantal Roubinet, Buzz Baum
Summary: By studying asymmetrically dividing Drosophila neural stem cells, researchers have found a pool of membrane protrusions that form at the apical cortex during mitosis. These protrusions are enriched in SCAR and depend on SCAR and Arp2/3 complexes for their formation. It is suggested that an apical branched actin filament network plays a role in fine-tuning the actomyosin cortex to precisely control cell shape changes during asymmetric cell division.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hannah Zmuda, Amit Pathak
Summary: The formation of epithelial structures is important for various biological processes. This study investigated the influence of immune cells and mechanical cues on the clustering of mammary epithelial cells. The results showed that the presence of proinflammatory macrophages and a soft matrix promoted faster migration and larger multicellular clusters, while a stiff matrix inhibited clustering.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hannah Zmuda, Amit Pathak
Summary: The presence of soft matrices and M1 macrophages can enhance epithelial cell clustering, while stiff matrices inhibit this process. Both mechanical cues and immune factors play important roles in regulating epithelial cell clustering.
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Alexander Borst, Christian Leibold
Summary: With volumetric EM techniques, large connectomic datasets are created, providing knowledge about neural circuit connectivity. This allows for numerical simulation of detailed neuron models. However, the large number of parameters in these models makes it difficult to determine essential circuit functions. Two mathematical strategies, namely linear dynamical systems analysis and matrix reordering techniques, are reviewed to gain insight into connectomics data and make predictions about information processing and functional units in large networks.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Manqiang Lin, Kimberly Hartl, Julian Heuberger, Giulia Beccaceci, Hilmar Berger, Hao Li, Lichao Liu, Stefanie Muellerke, Thomas Conrad, Felix Heymann, Andrew Woehler, Frank Tacke, Nikolaus Rajewsky, Michael Sigal
Summary: Most intestinal organoid models do not accurately model the interactions between epithelial and stromal cells. Here they establish a colon assembloid system with epithelial and stromal cells and demonstrate that BMP signals from differentiating epithelial cells promote mesenchymal niche organization.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zixin Wang, Jie Zhu, Yanfang Liu, Ziqiao Wang, Xuetao Cao, Yan Gu
Summary: By single-cell sequencing, a tumor-polarized subpopulation of alveolar type 2 (AT2) epithelial cells with increased expression of glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3) and high production of interleukin (IL)-10 in the premetastatic niche (PMN) was identified. These IL-10-producing GPX3(+) AT2 cells inhibited CD4(+) T cell proliferation but enhanced regulatory T cell generation, providing new insights into immune evasion in lung metastasis.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Toru Takahashi, Robert P. Schleimer
Summary: Epithelial-derived microparticles in nasal mucosa are being studied as potential tools for evaluating the status of chronic rhinosinusitis patients and as biomarkers for clinical management and treatment of the disease.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Vicente Jose Planelles-Herrero, Alice Bittleston, Carole Seum, Marcos Gonzalez Gaitan, Emmanuel Derivery
Summary: Asymmetric cell division generates two daughter cells with different fates. This study reveals that polarized trafficking of endosomes, which contain fate determinants, plays a crucial role in the determination of asymmetric cell fate. The Elongator complex, a known protein acetylase and tRNA methylase, is identified as a key factor for central spindle asymmetry, controlling microtubule stability and asymmetric signaling during asymmetric division in Drosophila.
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Youmna Atieh, Thomas Wyatt, Ana Maria Zaske, George T. Eisenhoffer
Summary: The study revealed that cell extrusion is preceded by pulsatile actomyosin contractions, which are crucial for defining the behavioral differences between extruding and non-extruding cells. Local increases in tension are shown to drive cell pulsing, while damage to many cells leads to an overall decrease in the tensile state of the epithelium.
Editorial Material
Biology
Bryan A. Strange
Summary: A new study reveals the connectivity between various regions of the human cortex and the hippocampus, providing insights into the functional organization of this structure.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Sabine Ziesemer, Susann Meyer, Julia Edelmann, Janita Vennmann, Celine Gudra, Denise Arndt, Marcus Effenberg, Olla Hayas, Aref Hayas, Johanna Sophia Thomassen, Barbara Kubickova, Dierk-Christoph Poether, Jan-Peter Hildebrandt
Summary: Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a cyanobacterial toxin that has delayed effects on animals and humans. This study investigated the effects of CYN on protein expression in human bronchial epithelial cells using a proteomic approach. The results showed that CYN affected the expression levels of proteins involved in various cellular functions, including protein stability regulation, cell adhesion and integration, cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation, and cytokinesis. In addition, CYN reduced cell adhesion, attenuated cell proliferation, delayed mitosis completion, and induced genomic instability.
Article
Microbiology
Enzo Kingma, Eveline T. T. Diepeveen, Leila Inigo de la Cruz, Liedewij Laan
Summary: The ability of cells to respond to extracellular cues is crucial for their survival in unpredictable environments. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the cell polarity network can modulate its response to environmental signals, resulting in varying morphologies. This ability depends on the integration of the polarity network with other molecular networks that signal environmental changes. Pleiotropic interactions and mutations in genes involved in sphingolipid synthesis pathway play a significant role in the evolution of networks that are responsive to extracellular cues.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joao Barbosa, Torcato Martins, Tanja Bange, Li Tao, Carlos Conde, Claudio Sunkel
Article
Cell Biology
Sofia Cunha-Silva, Mariana Osswald, Jana Goemann, Joao Barbosa, Luis M. Santos, Pedro Resende, Tanja Bange, Cristina Ferras, Claudio E. Sunkel, Carlos Conde
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Developmental Biology
Guilherme Ventura, Sofia Moreira, Andre Barros-Carvalho, Mariana Osswald, Eurico Morais-de-Sa
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jingwei Zeng, Ana Filipa Santos, Aamir S. Mukadam, Mariana Osswald, David A. Jacques, Claire F. Dickson, Stephen H. McLaughlin, Christopher M. Johnson, Leo Kiss, Jakub Luptak, Nadine Renner, Marina Vaysburd, William A. McEwan, Eurico Morais-de-Sa, Dean Clift, Leo C. James
Summary: The article explains the working principle of Trim-Away, a new technology that utilizes TRIM21's ubiquitination activity for protein degradation, promoting virus neutralization or targeting disease-causing proteins. The study expands the understanding of TRIM21 and broadens the application of Trim-Away.
NATURE STRUCTURAL & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Rita Bras, Augusta Monteiro, Claudio E. Sunkel, Luis Pedro Resende
Summary: Aneuploidy is closely related to cancer development, and studies in Drosophila have shown that inducing aneuploidy can lead to increased proliferation of intestinal stem cells and tissue dysplasia or tumorigenesis. The cellular impact of aneuploidy is highly dependent on the cellular and tissue context, suggesting that genomic instability of resident stem cells can fuel dysplastic and tumorigenic phenotypes in the Drosophila gut.
Article
Oncology
Joana Figueiredo, Rui M. Ferreira, Han Xu, Margarida Goncalves, Andre Barros-Carvalho, Janine Cravo, Andre F. Maia, Patricia Carneiro, Ceu Figueiredo, Michael L. Smith, Dimitrije Stamenovic, Eurico Morais-de-Sa, Raquel Seruca
Summary: Research has shown that mutations in E-cadherin lead to abnormal interactions of cells with specific ECM components, resulting in increased traction forces and activation of Integrin beta 1, which promotes cell scattering and invasion. This crosstalk between E-cadherin and Integrin beta 1 is validated in Drosophila models and human gastric carcinomas, where low E-cadherin and high Integrin beta 1 levels are associated with increased tumour grade and poor survival. Integrin beta 1 is identified as a key mediator of invasion in carcinomas with E-cadherin impairment and a biomarker of poor prognosis in gastric cancer.
Article
Oncology
Joana Figueiredo, Fatima Mercadillo, Soraia Melo, Alicia Barroso, Margarida Goncalves, Jose Diaz-Tasende, Patricia Carneiro, Luis Robles, Francisco Colina, Carolina Ibarrola, Jose Perea, Eurico Morais-de-Sa, Raquel Seruca, Miguel Urioste
Summary: This study identifies a novel CDH1 G212E variant in a family affected by diffuse gastric cancer, providing evidence of its damaging nature and impact on patient management and family screening. The study highlights the importance of effective classification strategies for CDH1 genetic variants in the context of Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC).
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariana Osswald, Andre Barros-Carvalho, Ana M. Carmo, Nicolas Loyer, Patricia C. Gracio, Claudio E. Sunkel, Catarina C. F. Homem, Jens Januschke, Eurico Morais-de-Sa
Summary: Research reveals that aPKC protein in Drosophila plays a crucial role in maintaining epithelial structure, and its dysregulation leads to the formation of epithelial gaps, which are caused by increased epithelial constriction rather than the loss of apical-basal polarity. By manipulating constriction, the incidence of epithelial gaps can be modulated. The study also traces the origin of large epithelial gaps to tissue rupture next to dividing cells. Excessive tissue stress can break the epithelial barrier during proliferation.
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Andre Barros-Carvalho, Eurico Morais-de-Sa
Summary: In this study, PP1 phosphatases were identified as key regulators of C. elegans anterior-posterior polarity by counterbalancing aPKC-mediated phosphorylation of PAR-2. This finding enhances our understanding of how cells spatially organize cellular structures.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Joao Barbosa, Claudio E. Sunkel, Carlos Conde
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Talia Feijao, Bruno Marques, Rui D. Silva, Celia Carvalho, Daniel Sobral, Ricardo Matos, Tian Tan, Antonio Pereira, Eurico Morais-de-Sa, Helder Maiato, Steven Z. DeLuca, Rui Goncalo Martinho
Summary: The timely expression of synaptonemal complex (SC) coding genes is essential for successful meiosis, but SC components have a tendency to self-organize into abnormal structures. This study reveals that the Polycomb group protein Sfmbt plays a crucial role in preventing excessive expression of SC genes during prophase I. Depletion of Sfmbt leads to abnormal SC disassembly and the formation of multiple synaptonemal complexes (polycomplexes). Further investigation suggests that other Polycomb group proteins and the overexpression of the SC gene corona are also associated with polycomplex formation during SC disassembly.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sara Moutinho-Pereira, Eurico Morais-de-Sa, Helena Greenfield, P. Ricardo Pereira
Summary: A study found that a young man with genetic muscular dystrophy developed severe restrictive lung disease due to fibrosing interstitial pneumonia caused by systemic sclerosis. The presence of anti-topoisomerase-I antibodies was also observed. Analysis suggests that mutant sarcomere protein telethonin may serve as an immunogenic target recognized by the antibodies, providing a possible explanation for the development of systemic sclerosis in this patient.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Florencia di Pietro, Mariana Osswald, Jose M. De las Heras, Ines Cristo, Jesus Lopez-Gay, Zhimin Wang, Stephane Pelletier, Isabelle Gaugue, Adrien Leroy, Charlotte Martin, Eurico Morais-de-Sa, Yohanns Bellaïche
Summary: Cell proliferation is essential for the development, repair, and maintenance of epithelial tissues. Through time-lapse microscopy, a transgenic library of fluorescently tagged Rho guanine exchange factors (RhoGEFs) and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) was used to investigate the regulation of RhoGTPases during epithelial cell division. The results revealed the involvement of specific RhoGEFs, such as Cysts and RhoGEF4, in actomyosin dynamics and junctional remodeling during cytokinesis. These findings contribute to the understanding of RhoGTPase-mediated processes in various biological contexts.
Article
Cell Biology
Lidia Faria, Sara Canato, Tito T. Jesus, Margarida Goncalves, Patricia S. Guerreiro, Carla S. Lopes, Isabel Meireles, Eurico Morais-de-Sa, Joana Paredes, Florence Janody
Summary: Alterations in P-cadherin expression or function influence tumor progression. P-cadherin is highly expressed in basal-like breast carcinomas and is involved in cancer cell renewal, migration, and invasion. In this study, a humanized P-cadherin Drosophila model was generated to investigate its role in vivo. The results showed that actin nucleators Mrtf and Srf are main effectors of P-cadherin in flies. These findings were validated in a human mammary epithelial cell line with conditional activation of the SRC oncogene. Knocking down P-cadherin or inhibiting F-actin polymerization impaired SRF transcriptional activity, while blocking Mrtf-A nuclear translocation hindered proliferation, self-renewal, and invasion.
DISEASE MODELS & MECHANISMS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariana Osswald, A. Filipa Santos, Eurico Morais-de-Sa
