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Adult stem cells and cancer. Lgr5+ cells in the oxyntic stomach function as reserve stem cells during regeneration and as cells-of-origin of gastric cancer.
The Nature journals' recently updated reporting requirements for life sciences aim to enhance the quality and transparency of methodological and experimental reporting.
Physical forces influence the growth and development of all organisms. In the second Review in the Series on Mechanobiology, Trepat and co-authors describe techniques to measure forces generated by cells, and discuss their use and limitations.
Several markers of gastric stem cells have been identified in recent years. Now a study demonstrates that Lgr5 marks a population of reserve stem cells located at the base of the corpus glands of the gastric epithelium, and that these cells can also act as a cell-of-origin for gastric tumorigenesis.
The endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT)-III is critical for membrane abscission; however, the mechanism underlying ESCRT-III-mediated membrane constriction remains elusive. A study of the dynamic assembly and disassembly of the ESCRT-III machinery in vitro and in vivo now suggests that the turnover of the observed spiralling filaments is critical for membrane abscission during cytokinesis.
Haem is an iron-containing cofactor required for life. Many cellular processes rely on haem and failure to maintain iron homeostasis results in numerous pathological conditions. A study now identifies a Caenorhabditis elegans inter-organ signalling pathway in which secreted intestinal HRG-7 and neuronally secreted BMP signals coordinate animal haem homeostasis.
The mechanism of action of oncogenes in acute myeloid leukaemia is poorly understood. A study now shows that the fusion oncoprotein AML1-ETO regulates leukaemogenesis by increasing the expression of small nucleolar RNAs through post-transcriptional mechanisms, resulting in increased ribosomal RNA methylation, protein translation, and promotion of leukaemic-cell self-renewal and growth.
Fusion between the inner membranes of two mitochondria requires the GTPase optic atrophy 1 (OPA1), but the molecular mechanism is poorly understood. A study now shows that fusion of two liposomes can be performed by OPA1 tethered to just one liposome, through an interaction with the phospholipid cardiolipin on the opposing liposome.
Graf et al. demonstrate that Pramel7 maintains ground-state pluripotency by repressing DNA methylation through proteasomal degradation of UHRF1, thus linking the proteasome and epigenetics with cell fate regulation.
Leushacke et al. provide insights into the role of Lgr5 cells in the oxyntic stomach, demonstrating that they label a subpopulation of chief cells that function as reserve stem cells during regeneration and cells-of-origin of gastric cancer.
Mierzwa et al. show that ESCRT-III subunit turnover at the cell midbody is driven by Vps4. Rapid turnover sustains the net growth of ESCRT-III assemblies in the presence of inhibitory Vps2 and Vps24 subunits.
Sinclair et al. show in Caenorhabditis elegans that intestinal HRG-7 communicates haem status with extra-intestinal tissues. Reciprocally, a DBL-1-dependent signal from neurons regulates both hrg-7 and haem transport.
Wang et al. show that lipid-induced ROS lead to ACAT2 stabilization by oxidizing a cysteine residue, thereby preventing its ubiquitylation and ACAT2 degradation. They further show that ACAT2 stabilization improves lipotoxicity and insulin resistance.
Yuan et al. show that the MBNL3 splicing factor promotes alternative splicing of the lncRNA-PXN-AS1 antisense transcript of PXN, leading to the stabilization of PXN mRNA and increasing its protein levels to promote liver cancer growth.
Wang et al. show that glucose deprivation causes AMPK-dependent phosphorylation of fumarase leading to ATF2 binding and gene transcription for cell cycle arrest. In cancer cells O-GlcNAcylation of fumarase blocks ATF2 binding to allow proliferation.
Zhou et al. show that in the context of AML1-ETO-driven leukaemia, AES and DDX21 induce small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA)–ribonucleoprotein (RNP) formation and this is important for self-renewal of leukaemic cells.
Ban et al. show that optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) and cardiolipin mediate mitochondrial fusion. In contrast, a homotypic trans-OPA1 interaction independent of cardiolipin mediates membrane tethering to form mitochondrial cristae.
Kronenberg et al. develop a system to record cell–substrate interactions allowing the measurement of horizontal and vertical forces at high resolution, and demonstrate its use by monitoring podosome protrusion and other cell behaviours.
