Cytoskeleton articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    Tubulin post-translational modifications (PTMs) occur spatiotemporally throughout cells, therefore assessing the physiological roles in specific subcellular compartments has been challenging. Here the authors develop a method to rapidly deplete tubulin glutamylation inside the primary cilia by targeting an engineered deglutamylase to the axoneme.

    • Shi-Rong Hong
    • , Cuei-Ling Wang
    •  & Yu-Chun Lin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Centriole duplication is tightly regulated in vivo, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here the authors use high-resolution structural and imaging methods to show that CEP85 directly interacts with STIL and mediates efficient centriolar targeting of STIL, PLK4 activation and centriole assembly.

    • Yi Liu
    • , Gagan D. Gupta
    •  & Mark van Breugel

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Kinesin-13s are microtubule depolymerases that lack motile activity. Here the authors present the cryo-EM structures of kinesin-13 microtubule complexes in different nucleotide bound states, which reveal how ATP hydrolysis is linked to conformational changes and propose a model for kinesin induced depolymerisation.

    • Matthieu P.M.H. Benoit
    • , Ana B. Asenjo
    •  & Hernando Sosa

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Cell membrane protrusions and invaginations are both driven by actin assembly but the mechanism leading to different membrane shapes is unknown. Using a minimal system and modelling the authors reconstitute the deformation modes and identify capping protein as a regulator of both deformation types.

    • Katharina Dürre
    • , Felix C. Keber
    •  & Andreas R. Bausch

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Motor and non-motor microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) bind to the microtubule lattice, but it is unclear how their binding activities are coordinated and how this impacts motor transport. Here the authors show how MAP competition controls microtubule access to determine the distribution and balance of motor activity.

    • Brigette Y. Monroy
    • , Danielle L. Sawyer
    •  & Kassandra M. Ori-McKenney

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Cancer cells are characterised by abnormalities in the number of centrosomes and this phenotype is linked with tumorigenesis. Here the authors report centriole length deregulation in a subset of cancer cell lines and suggest a link with subsequent alterations in centriole numbers and chromosomal instability.

    • Gaëlle Marteil
    • , Adan Guerrero
    •  & Mónica Bettencourt-Dias

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The actomyosin cytoskeleton is known to spontaneously oscillate in many systems but the mechanism of this behavior is not clear. Here Qin et al. define a signaling network involving a ROCK-dependent self-activation loop and recruitment of myosin II to the cortex, followed by a local accumulation of myosin phosphatase that shuts off the signal.

    • Xiang Qin
    • , Edouard Hannezo
    •  & Xiaobo Wang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The epidermis is a multi-layered epithelium formed by the differentiation of basal cells and movement into suprabasal layers. Here the authors define a role for the desmosomal cadherin desmoglein-1 in promoting the delamination of basal cells by remodeling the actin cytoskeleton through interactions with the dynein light chain Tctex-1 and cortactin.

    • Oxana Nekrasova
    • , Robert M. Harmon
    •  & Kathleen J. Green

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Mutations in the gene encoding iRHOM2 are associated with hyperproliferative epidermal disorders. Here, the authors show that iRHOM2 is a target gene of p63, that together they regulate inflammation, cell survival and response to oxidative stress, and inhibition of p63-iRHOM2 signalling with an antioxidant reduces epidermal inflammation.

    • Paola Arcidiacono
    • , Catherine M. Webb
    •  & Anissa Chikh

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) dysfunction is a common feature of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs). Here, Lino Cardenas and colleagues show that the formation of a HDAC9-MALAT1-BRG1 complex promotes VSMC dysfunction in TAA by epigenetically altering the expression of key components of the cytoskeleton in VSMCs.

    • Christian L. Lino Cardenas
    • , Chase W. Kessinger
    •  & Mark E. Lindsay

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A growing number of cargo-specific effector proteins are being identified that interact with both dynein and dynactin and form processive dynein-dynactin-effector complexes. Here the authors identify and characterize a conserved mechanism of interaction between dynein and unrelated effector proteins.

    • In-Gyun Lee
    • , Mara A. Olenick
    •  & Roberto Dominguez

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Microtubule asters are positioned precisely within cells by forces generated by molecular motors, but it is unclear how these are integrated in space and time. Here the authors perform in vivo drag measurements and genetic manipulations to determine the balance of forces that position microtubule asters in C. elegans zygotes.

    • A. De Simone
    • , A. Spahr
    •  & P. Gönczy

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Nanobodies (Nbs) coupled to organic dyes are increasingly used for super-resolution cell imaging, but producing gene-specific Nbs is time-consuming. Here the authors present a peptide-tag/Nb combination for dSTORM imaging which can be easily adapted to different targets in fixed and live cells.

    • David Virant
    • , Bjoern Traenkle
    •  & Ulrich Rothbauer

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Polarisation of metastasising cancer cells in circulation has not been investigated before. Here the authors identify single cell polarity as a distinct polarisation state of single cells in liquid phase, and show that perturbing single cell polarity affects attachment, adhesion, transmigration and metastasis in vitro and in vivo.

    • Anna Lorentzen
    • , Paul F. Becker
    •  & Mathias Heikenwalder

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The trichoplein-Aurora A pathway inhibits ciliogenesis in proliferating cells. Here the authors EGFR-mediated phosphorylation of the deubiquitinating enzyme USP8 leads to its activation, and this suppresses trichoplein degradation, allowing inhibition of ciliogenesis.

    • Kousuke Kasahara
    • , Hiromasa Aoki
    •  & Masaki Inagaki

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Asthenozoospermia is a major cause of male infertility, and multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella (MMAF) is a particularly severe form. Here, using whole-exome sequencing of 78 MMAF patients, the authors identify mutations in two WDR proteins, CFAP43 and CFAP44, and confirm that these proteins are required for flagellogenesis in mouse and Trypanosoma brucei.

    • Charles Coutton
    • , Alexandra S. Vargas
    •  & Pierre F. Ray

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The actomyosin cytoskeleton plays an important role in polarised cell migration. Here the authors identify lymphocyte-specific protein (LSP)-1 as a regulator of actomyosin contractility in macrophages, by competing with supervillin for myosin IIA activators acting specifically on the β-actin isoform.

    • Pasquale Cervero
    • , Christiane Wiesner
    •  & Stefan Linder

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Traveling waves in the cell cortex can propagate much faster than actin waves, and the mechanism is unknown. Here the authors propose a mechanochemical feedback model for traveling waves that incorporates membrane shape changes and recruitment of F-BAR proteins that enables fast wave propagation.

    • Zhanghan Wu
    • , Maohan Su
    •  & Jian Liu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii possess a tubulin-rich structure called the conoid. Here, Long et al. identify a conoid protein that interacts with motor and structural proteins and is required for structural integrity of the conoid, parasite motility, and host cell invasion.

    • Shaojun Long
    • , Bryan Anthony
    •  & L. David Sibley

  • Article
    | Open Access

    CCR5 is a co-receptor for HIV, and loss of function is associated with lower incidence of HIV but also with bone-destructive diseases. Here the authors show that ablation of CCR5 impairs osteoclast function and improves resistance to osteoporosis in mouse models.

    • Ji-Won Lee
    • , Akiyoshi Hoshino
    •  & Tadahiro Iimura

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Dynein is a microtubule motor the motility of which is affected by the microtubule-associated protein She1. Here, the authors show that She1 alters dynein stepping behavior and increases its microtubule affinity through simultaneous interactions with the microtubule and dynein microtubule binding domain.

    • Kari H. Ecklund
    • , Tatsuya Morisaki
    •  & Steven M. Markus

  • Article
    | Open Access

    An actin cap protects the morphology of the nucleus during cellular mechanical stress. Here, the authors show that the nuclear lamina protein lamin A/C mediates the formation of the actin cap in response to stress, and model the distribution of forces in the presence and absence of the actin cap.

    • Jeong-Ki Kim
    • , Arghavan Louhghalam
    •  & Dong-Hwee Kim

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Microtubules are vital and highly conserved components of the cytoskeleton. Here the authors carry out a structural analysis of fission yeast microtubules in the presence and absence of the microtubule end-binding protein Mal3 that demonstrates structural plasticity amongst microtubule polymers.

    • Ottilie von Loeffelholz
    • , Neil A. Venables
    •  & Carolyn A. Moores

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Integrin αβ heterodimer cell surface receptors mediate adhesive interactions that provide traction for cell migration. Here the authors show that actin flow can orient cell surface integrins during leukocyte migration, suggesting integrin activation by cytoskeletal force.

    • Pontus Nordenfelt
    • , Travis I. Moore
    •  & Timothy A. Springer

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Cytokinesis relies on central spindle organization and provides a spatial landmark for lumen formation. Here, the authors show that intraflagellar transport proteins are required for the localization of the cytokinetic regulator Aurora B and subsequent cleavage furrow ingression and lumen positioning.

    • Nicolas Taulet
    • , Benjamin Vitre
    •  & Benedicte Delaval

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, a class of cancer therapeutics, cause thrombocytopenia via an unknown mechanism. Here, the authors show that HDAC6 inhibition impairs proplatelet formation in human megakaryocytes, and show that this is linked to hyperacetylation of the actin-binding protein cortactin.

    • Kahia Messaoudi
    • , Ashfaq Ali
    •  & Najet Debili

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Formation of the vascular lumen initiates the blood flow and it is crucial for tissue homeostasis. Here, Li et. al show that the R-Ras-Akt signaling axis is crucial for reparative angiogenesis in mice because it stabilizes the microtubule cytoskeleton in endothelial cells to promote endothelial lumen formation.

    • Fangfei Li
    • , Junko Sawada
    •  & Masanobu Komatsu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Formins are actin-polymerisation factors that are sensitive to force. Here the authors find that pulling force on an actin filament promoted faster actin polymerisation by the formin mDia1, and also found that the actin filament must be torsionally unconstrained, suggesting that mDia1 can also sense torque.

    • Miao Yu
    • , Xin Yuan
    •  & Jie Yan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASp) is essential for controlling the cytoskeleton, but its function in innate immunity is unclear. Here the authors show that WASp deficiency is associated with dysregulated septin cage formation, excessive inflammasome activation, elevated immune cell death and reduced bacterial clearance.

    • Pamela P. Lee
    • , Damián Lobato-Márquez
    •  & Adrian J. Thrasher

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Intracellular transport is facilitated by a combination of processes including directed transport, advection and diffusion. Here the authors microscopically characterise the dynamics of the Drosophila oocyte and find distinct contributions of cytoskeletal components to advection and active diffusion.

    • Maik Drechsler
    • , Fabio Giavazzi
    •  & Isabel M. Palacios

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In oocytes of most species atypical spindles assembled in the absence of centrosomes drive chromosome segregation, however the forces driving this process are unclear. Here the authors found that spindle poles are largely dispensable and that inter-chromosomal microtubules of the central spindle control chromosomal segregation.

    • Kimberley Laband
    • , Rémi Le Borgne
    •  & Julien Dumont

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Tissue remodeling involves substantial involvement of the contractile actomyosin cytoskeleton. Here the authors model the spatiotemporal evolution of actomyosin densities during Drosophila germband extension and find affine and nonaffine deformations that depend on the magnitude of local contractile stress.

    • Deb Sankar Banerjee
    • , Akankshi Munjal
    •  & Madan Rao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Determination of apical tension, fluidity, and intercellular adhesive forces in an epithelial monolayer are currently disruptive. Here the authors present a method using acoustic force microscopy to measure changes in these parameters upon tight junction structural alterations in a MDCK monolayer.

    • Alexander X. Cartagena-Rivera
    • , Christina M. Van Itallie
    •  & Richard S. Chadwick

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The molecular trigger that establishes cell polarity in the mammalian embryo is unclear. Here, the authors show that de novo polarisation of the mouse embryo at the 8-cell stage is directed by Phospholipase C and Protein kinase C and occurs in two phases: polarisation of actomyosin followed by the Par complex.

    • Meng Zhu
    • , Chuen Yan Leung
    •  & Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) regulates the localization of some mRNAs at cellular protrusions but the underlying mechanisms and functional roles are not known. Here the authors show that APC-dependent RNAs are enriched in contractile protrusions, via detyrosinated microtubules, and enhance cell migration.

    • Tianhong Wang
    • , Susan Hamilla
    •  & Stavroula Mili

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The fission yeast cytokinetic ring assembles by Search-Capture-Pull-Release from precursor nodes that include formin Cdc12 and myosin Myo2. The authors reconstitute Search-Capture-Pull in vitro and find that Myo2 pulling on Cdc12-associated actin filaments mechano-inhibits Cdc12-mediated assembly, which enables proper ring assembly in vivo.

    • Dennis Zimmermann
    • , Kaitlin E. Homa
    •  & David R. Kovar

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Protrusive cellular structures contain a heterogeneous density of actin, but whether this influences motility is not known. Using an in vitro system and modelling, here the authors show that local actin monomer depletion and network architecture can tune the rate of network growth to impose steering during motility.

    • Rajaa Boujemaa-Paterski
    • , Cristian Suarez
    •  & Laurent Blanchoin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Microtubule organization requires γ-tubulin ring complexes (γTuRCs), but the mechanisms that control γTuRC-mediated microtubule nucleation are unclear. Here the authors show that the DNA polymerase δ catalytic subunit controls noncentrosomal γTuRC activity and regulates the organization of Golgi-derived microtubules.

    • Yuehong Shen
    • , Pengfei Liu
    •  & Robert Z. Qi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Recent findings suggest that forces acting on the cell nucleus can cause DNA damage, but the mechanisms are unclear. Here Takakiet al. report that actomyosin is a determinant of nuclear shape and that unrestrained contractility elicits nuclear envelope rupture and genome instability in cancer cells.

    • Tohru Takaki
    • , Marco Montagner
    •  & Mark Petronczki

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Clathrin lattices coat flat membrane regions, called plaques, whose regulation and function are poorly understood. Here the authors find that plaques are regulated by actin dynamics and contain both the endocytic and the cell adhesion machineries, and are involved in endocytosis of specific cargos, and cell migration.

    • Daniela Leyton-Puig
    • , Tadamoto Isogai
    •  & Metello Innocenti

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