Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jorge A. Sierra-Fonseca, Manuel Miranda, Siddhartha Das, Sukla Roychowdhury
Summary: The b gamma subunit of heterotrimeric G proteins interacts with both microtubules and actin filaments, playing a key role in modulating the neuronal cytoskeleton and participating in various aspects of neuronal differentiation. The interaction of Gb gamma with actin is independent of microtubules, and contributes to axon and growth cone formation during neuronal differentiation.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Khem Raj Ghusinga, Timothy C. Elston, Alan M. Jones
Summary: G-proteins are molecular switches that transmit extracellular signals to intracellular targets. In plants, the role of nucleotide exchange in this process is less critical, but under dynamic conditions, the loss of RGS results in a strong phenotype.
Review
Cell Biology
Maria Alvarado Kristensson
Summary: Members of the tubulin superfamily are GTPases essential for life, with mutations linked to developmental brain disorders. Their intricate functions rely on the activities of the GTP-binding domains, impacting the regulation of the gamma-tubulin meshwork and cellular homeostasis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Urko Del Castillo, Rosalind Norkett, Wen Lu, Anna Serpinskaya, Vladimir Gelfand
Summary: Ataxin-2 plays a crucial role in regulating neuronal cytoskeletal dynamics and organelle trafficking, as evidenced by fruit fly models, where its loss led to defects in nervous system development and survival.
Review
Cell Biology
Shih-Chieh Ti
Summary: This article provides an overview of the importance of tubulin in cellular structures and functions, and highlights the characteristics of purified α/β-tubulin heterodimers through in vitro experiments, revealing the regulatory mechanisms of microtubule dynamics and stability.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Victoria Lucia Alonso, Mara Emilia Carloni, Camila Silva Goncalves, Gonzalo Martinez Peralta, Maria Eugenia Chesta, Alejandro Pezza, Luis Emilio Tavernelli, Maria Cristina M. Motta, Esteban Serra
Summary: Trypanosomatids have a simpler cytoskeleton arrangement with stable microtubules, extensively acetylated in Trypanosoma cruzi. The identification of T. cruzi ATAT as a tubulin acetyltransferase sheds light on the role of alpha-tubulin acetylation in regulating cell cycle progression and parasite biology. Over-expression of TcATAT leads to morphological defects, kinetoplast division impairment, and increased resistance to microtubule depolymerizing drugs in T. cruzi, emphasizing the importance of finely regulated alpha-tubulin acetylation levels for normal cell cycle progression.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Zuzanna Cyske, Lidia Gaffke, Karolina Pierzynowska, Grzegorz Wegrzyn
Summary: Neurodegenerative diseases are severe disorders characterized by the gradual loss of neurons and central nervous system functions. Understanding the dysfunctions of the tubulin cytoskeleton, which plays a crucial role in cell physiology, is important for the development of novel therapies. This review focuses on the dysfunctions of the tubulin cytoskeleton in various neurodegenerative diseases and suggests that correcting these dysfunctions may attenuate disease progression and lead to the identification of potential molecular targets for drug development.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2023)
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
Cell Biology
Beibei Guo, Mengwei Qi, Shuai Huang, Run Zhuo, Wenxue Zhang, Yufang Zhang, Man Xu, Mei Liu, Tuchen Guan, Yan Liu
Summary: The study identified Cadherin-12 (CDH12) as a gene that promotes neurite outgrowth by affecting Rac1/Cdc42 phosphorylation. This research provides a preliminary explanation for the mechanism of CDH12 in promoting axonal extension in vitro and in vivo.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eric A. Zizzi, Marco Cavaglia, Jack A. Tuszynski, Marco A. Deriu
Summary: The study investigated the interaction between human tubulin and four volatile anesthetics, predicting binding sites and affinity rankings through docking and Molecular Dynamics simulations. The simulations suggested a transient interaction between anesthetics and microtubules, with interaction strengths consistent with the potencies of the compounds.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Serena Li-Sue Yan, Il-Young Hwang, Olena Kamenyeva, Juraj Kabat, Ji Sung Kim, Chung Park, John H. Kehrl
Summary: This study demonstrates the critical role of RGS protein/G alpha(i) interactions in shaping neutrophil responses to chemoattractant receptor activation. Mutant neutrophils with disabled RGS protein-G alpha(i2) interactions show impaired trafficking and inflammatory responses, providing insights into the importance of these interactions in normal neutrophil function.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Koji Kikuchi, Yasuhisa Sakamoto, Akiyoshi Uezu, Hideyuki Yamamoto, Kei-ichiro Ishiguro, Kenji Shimamura, Taro Saito, Shin-ichi Hisanaga, Hiroyuki Nakanishi
Summary: This study reveals that the MAP7 family proteins Map7D2 and Map7D1 regulate microtubule stability through distinct mechanisms, thus affecting cell motility and neurite outgrowth.
LIFE SCIENCE ALLIANCE
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Marie E. Fina, Junling Wang, Pavan Vedula, Hsin-Yao Tang, Anna Kashina, Dawei W. Dong
Summary: This study demonstrates that G alpha t1, G beta 1, RGS6, and RGS7 undergo arginylation in the retina, and arginylation plays a direct role in regulating their protein levels and G-protein-mediated responses.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kazutoshi Hisano, Shiori Kawase, Tetsuhiko Mimura, Hironori Yoshida, Hiroki Yamada, Hisao Haniu, Tamotsu Tsukahara, Taiga Kurihara, Yoshikazu Matsuda, Naoto Saito, Takeshi Uemura
Summary: Structurally different LPE species, 16:0 LPE and 18:0 LPE, stimulate neurite outgrowth through distinct signaling cascades in cultured cortical neurons, involving different G protein-coupled receptors.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Tamara Tomanic, Claire Martin, Holly Stefen, Esmeralda Paric, Peter Gunning, Thomas Fath
Summary: The knockout of Tpm3 results in decreased neurite length and complexity, while deletion of two amino acid residues at the C-terminus of Tpm3.1 has more detrimental effects on neurite morphology than deletion of six amino acid residues. Tpm3.1 lacking the 6 C-terminal amino acid residues does not associate with stress fibers, segregate to the neurite tips, or impact the actin pool at the axonal growth cones compared to Tpm3.1 lacking the two C-terminal amino acid residues.