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Contractile ring mechanosensation and its anillin-dependent tuning during early embryogenesis
Contractile ring formation, positioning, and closure is influenced by tissue mechanics, though how this information is transmitted is unclear. Here they show that Anillin is critical for a mechanosensitive pathway that drives cytokinesis and contractile ring closure.
- Christina Rou Hsu
- , Gaganpreet Sangha
- & Kenji Sugioka
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| Open Access
Two RhoGEF isoforms with distinct localisation control furrow position during asymmetric cell division
This study provides evidence that two RhoGEF isoforms displaying distinct localisation concurrently modulate Rho1 activity to promote robust furrow ingression while preserving cell size asymmetry during neural stem cell division.
- Emilie Montembault
- , Irène Deduyer
- & Anne Royou
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| Open Access
Homeotic compartment curvature and tension control spatiotemporal folding dynamics
Morphogenetic shape changes are regulated by mechanical properties of interacting tissues, but other factors remain less studied. By exploring how homeotic genes regulate morphogenesis, Villedieu et al. uncover how the interplay between genetic patterning and initial tissue geometry drives morphogenesis during development.
- Aurélien Villedieu
- , Lale Alpar
- & Yohanns Bellaïche
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Caldesmon controls stress fiber force-balance through dynamic cross-linking of myosin II and actin-tropomyosin filaments
In this study the authors report that Caldesmon controls force-balance and architecture of stress fibers through dynamic cross-linking of actin and myosin filaments. Caldesmon depletion led to consequent problems in cell morphogenesis, motility and mechanosensing.
- Shrikant B. Kokate
- , Katarzyna Ciuba
- & Pekka Lappalainen
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| Open Access
Mechanical instability generated by Myosin 19 contributes to mitochondria cristae architecture and OXPHOS
The structure of the mitochondrial inner membrane, or cristae, is important for functional oxidative phosphorylation and energy production. Here, the authors show that loss of myosin 19 impairs cristae structure as well as energy production, connecting motor activity to membrane potential.
- Peng Shi
- , Xiaoyu Ren
- & Congying Wu
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| Open Access
Regulation of the evolutionarily conserved muscle myofibrillar matrix by cell type dependent and independent mechanisms
Recent work has shown that mammalian muscle cells are comprised of multiple branching sarcomeres, though how this connectivity is regulated has remained unknown. Here the authors show three different mechanisms which regulate connectivity of the muscle contractile apparatus.
- Peter T. Ajayi
- , Prasanna Katti
- & Brian Glancy
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| Open Access
Extent of myosin penetration within the actin cortex regulates cell surface mechanics
Cellular deformations are largely driven by contractile forces generated by myosin motors in the submembraneous actin cortex. Here we show that these forces are controlled not simply by cortical myosin levels, but rather by myosins spatial arrangement, specifically the extent of their overlap with cortical actin.
- Binh An Truong Quang
- , Ruby Peters
- & Ewa K. Paluch
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| Open Access
Molecular-scale visualization of sarcomere contraction within native cardiomyocytes
Sarcomeres, the building blocks of striated muscles, comprise ordered actomyosin arrays involved in force production. Here, the authors visualize sarcomere organization in neonatal cardiomyocytes with in situ cryo-electron tomography, revealing a reduced order of the thin filaments, their sliding and functional states enabling contraction.
- Laura Burbaum
- , Jonathan Schneider
- & Marion Jasnin
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| Open Access
NEK9 regulates primary cilia formation by acting as a selective autophagy adaptor for MYH9/myosin IIA
Ciliogenesis is a tightly regulated process, although the role of selective autophagy is unclear. Here, the authors show NIMA-related kinase 9 controls actin network stabilization and subsequently ciliogenesis by targeting myosin MYH9 for autophagic degradation via GABARAP interaction.
- Yasuhiro Yamamoto
- , Haruka Chino
- & Noboru Mizushima
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A binding protein regulates myosin-7a dimerization and actin bundle assembly
Myosin-7a is found in actin bundles, microvilli and stereocilia, and plays conserved roles in hearing and vision. Here the authors identify M7BP, a myosin-7a binding protein that activates and dimerizes myosin-7a, enabling cargo transport and assembly of actin bundles and filopodia-like protrusions
- Rong Liu
- , Neil Billington
- & James R. Sellers
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| Open Access
Complementary mesoscale dynamics of spectrin and acto-myosin shape membrane territories during mechanoresponse
The cell cortex that supports the plasma membrane contains spectrin, a protein that interacts with the acto-myosin cytoskeleton. Here, the authors analyze spectrin behavior during cellular mechanoresponse and membrane trafficking, and observe spectrin regulation by myosin-driven contractility.
- Andrea Ghisleni
- , Camilla Galli
- & Nils C. Gauthier
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| Open Access
Deconstructing sarcomeric structure–function relations in titin-BioID knock-in mice
Titin determines the elasticity of the sarcomere and integrates into both the Z-disc and the M-band. Here, the authors generate a BioID mouse to study the titin interactome at the Z-disc region in neonatal and adult heart and skeletal muscle.
- Franziska Rudolph
- , Claudia Fink
- & Michael Gotthardt
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| Open Access
Artificially decreasing cortical tension generates aneuploidy in mouse oocytes
The developmental potential of human and murine oocytes is predicted by their mechanical properties. Here the authors show that artificial reduction of cortex tension produces aneuploid mouse oocytes and speculate that this may contribute to the high aneuploidy rate typical of female meiosis.
- Isma Bennabi
- , Flora Crozet
- & Marie-Emilie Terret
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| Open Access
Modular actin nano-architecture enables podosome protrusion and mechanosensing
Podosomes are actin-based protrusions used by cells for invasion and local degradation but the structure underlying their protrusiveness and mechanosensitivity is unclear. Here, the authors report that podosomes have a modular actin nano-architecture whose organization differs on stiff or soft substrates.
- Koen van den Dries
- , Leila Nahidiazar
- & Alessandra Cambi
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| Open Access
Structure of Myosin VI/Tom1 complex reveals a cargo recognition mode of Myosin VI for tethering
Myosin VI can facilitate the maturation of autophagosomes in autophagy through interactions with Tom1 and autophagy receptors. Here authors report the structure of the cargobinding domain of Myosin VI in complex with Tom1, which provides insights into Myosin IV’s cargo recognition modes.
- Shichen Hu
- , Yujiao Guo
- & Lifeng Pan
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| Open Access
Mechanical impact of epithelial−mesenchymal transition on epithelial morphogenesis in Drosophila
Tissue folding is a critical process during developmental morphogenesis. Here, Gracia et al. use live imaging, laser ablation and in silico modelling to demonstrate that cells entering EMT generate orthogonal forces necessary to drive mesoderm invagination in Drosophila.
- Mélanie Gracia
- , Sophie Theis
- & Magali Suzanne
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| Open Access
Actomyosin-driven force patterning controls endocytosis at the immune synapse
The immune synapse promotes cellular information exchange but the role of biophysical forces in synapse function is unclear. Here, the authors show that B cells exert two types of forces, a centripetal myosin II-driven force and a central actin protrusive force at the site of antigen extraction.
- Anita Kumari
- , Judith Pineau
- & Paolo Pierobon
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| Open Access
Membrane-cytoskeletal crosstalk mediated by myosin-I regulates adhesion turnover during phagocytosis
Phagocytosis of pathogens is thought to proceed through the sequential engagement of Fc-receptors on the phagocyte with antibodies on the target surface. Here authors show that myosin 1e and myosin 1f link the actin cytoskeleton to the membrane and are required for efficient phagocytosis of antibody-opsonized targets.
- Sarah R. Barger
- , Nicholas S. Reilly
- & Nils C. Gauthier
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| Open Access
Endothelial cell rearrangements during vascular patterning require PI3-kinase-mediated inhibition of actomyosin contractility
Angiogenesis requires dynamic endothelial rearrangements and relative position changes within the vascular tubes. Here the authors show that a PI3K/NUAK1/MYPT1/MLCP pathway regulates actomyosin contractility in endothelial cells and cellular rearrangement during vascular patterning.
- Ana Angulo-Urarte
- , Pedro Casado
- & Mariona Graupera
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| Open Access
Syncytial germline architecture is actively maintained by contraction of an internal actomyosin corset
Germline cells in many species are fused to form a syncytium but the mechanics behind the maintenance of these structures are poorly defined. Here, the authors propose an inner contractile actomyosin corset provides a supportive framework to maintain germline architecture in C. elegans.
- Agarwal Priti
- , Hui Ting Ong
- & Ronen Zaidel-Bar
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| Open Access
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy disease results from disparate impairments of cardiac myosin function and auto-inhibition
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is caused by point mutations in sarcomeric proteins. Here the authors develop an optimized model of the sequestered state of cardiac myosin and define the features affecting the lever arm compliance, allowing them to group mutations in classes and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms leading to cardiac dysfunction in HCM.
- Julien Robert-Paganin
- , Daniel Auguin
- & Anne Houdusse
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| Open Access
A biochemical network controlling basal myosin oscillation
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
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| Open Access
Lymphocyte-specific protein 1 regulates mechanosensory oscillation of podosomes and actin isoform-based actomyosin symmetry breaking
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
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| Open Access
Induced cortical tension restores functional junctions in adhesion-defective carcinoma cells
Cancer cells can disrupt cell-to-cell junctions, thus allowing migration and metastasis. Here starting from a chemical screening, Ito et al. reconstitute a step-by-step mechanism linking microtubule depolymerization and epithelial cell junction restoration.
- Shoko Ito
- , Satoru Okuda
- & Masatoshi Takeichi
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| Open Access
The giant protein titin regulates the length of the striated muscle thick filament
Thick filaments in skeletal muscle and heart are composed of myosin. The authors show that the length of thick filaments is defined by titin, and that alterations in titin length affect force generation and lead to dilated cardiomyopathy in mice.
- Paola Tonino
- , Balazs Kiss
- & Henk Granzier
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Mechanoregulated inhibition of formin facilitates contractile actomyosin ring assembly
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
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| Open Access
Myosin-dependent cell-cell communication controls synchronicity of division in acute and chronic stages of Toxoplasma gondii
The mechanism by whichToxoplasma gondiiachieves synchronized cell division is incompletely understood. Here, the authors identify an intravacuolar cell-cell communication that ensures synchronized division and depends on myosin I.
- Karine Frénal
- , Damien Jacot
- & Dominique Soldati-Favre
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| Open Access
Myosin Va molecular motors manoeuvre liposome cargo through suspended actin filament intersections in vitro
Cellular cargo transported along actin filaments is faced with a directional choice at an intersection. Here the authors show that myosin Va-bound cargo prefers to go straight through the intersection, and propose a model to explain this by a tug-of-war between motors on the lipid cargo that engage the actin tracks.
- Andrew T. Lombardo
- , Shane R. Nelson
- & David M. Warshaw
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| Open Access
Actomyosin meshwork mechanosensing enables tissue shape to orient cell force
Large-scale tissue reorganization requires the generation of directional tension, which requires orientation of the cytoskeleton. Here Chanetet al. alter tissue shape and tension in the Drosophilaembryo to show that geometric and mechanical constraints act as cues to orient the cytoskeleton and tension.
- Soline Chanet
- , Callie J. Miller
- & Adam C. Martin
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| Open Access
Actomyosin-dependent dynamic spatial patterns of cytoskeletal components drive mesoscale podosome organization
Podosomes are adhesive cytoskeletal structures found in several cell types, but whether or how they are interconnected is not known. Here the authors demonstrate mesoscale connectivity of podosome clusters by imaging directional flow patterns of podosome components vinculin, talin and F-actin.
- Marjolein B. M. Meddens
- , Elvis Pandzic
- & Alessandra Cambi
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| Open Access
Still and rotating myosin clusters determine cytokinetic ring constriction
The cytokinetic ring consists of actin and myosin, but their organisation prior to and during constriction has not been observed. Here the authors observe that mammalian and yeast cells organise their rings differently, with mammalian cells forming a periodic pattern of myosin clusters and yeast rotating myosin clusters during constriction.
- Viktoria Wollrab
- , Raghavan Thiagarajan
- & Daniel Riveline
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| Open Access
Active diffusion and microtubule-based transport oppose myosin forces to position organelles in cells
The mechanisms underlying the positioning of eukaryotic organelles remain elusive. Here Lin et al. use imaging and a mathematical model to show that microtubule-based transport and active diffusion and actin-based polar drift act together to facilitate even distribution of peroxisomes in filamentous fungi.
- Congping Lin
- , Martin Schuster
- & Gero Steinberg
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| Open Access
Microtubule-dependent balanced cell contraction and luminal-matrix modification accelerate epithelial tube fusion
During tracheal tube fusion in Drosophila, a pair of tip cells form an adherens junction and then fuse their plasma membranes. Here the authors show that a balanced pulling force mediated by myosin and microtubules, as well as localized deposition of matrix, promotes plasma membrane fusion.
- Kagayaki Kato
- , Bo Dong
- & Shigeo Hayashi
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| Open Access
The unconventional myosin CRINKLED and its mammalian orthologue MYO7A regulate caspases in their signalling roles
In addition to their role in apoptosis, caspases are also involved in mediating non-apoptotic events. Here the authors show that the Drosophilamyosin family member CRINKLED and its mammalian counterpart act as substrate adaptor that facilitate caspase-mediated cleavage and localised kinase activity.
- Mariam H. Orme
- , Gianmaria Liccardi
- & Pascal Meier
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| Open Access
Stereocilia-staircase spacing is influenced by myosin III motors and their cargos espin-1 and espin-like
Stereocilia of the inner ear have graded heights that are thought to be regulated by the myosin-III family members MYO3A and MYO3B. Here the authors identify espin-1 and espin-like (ESPNL) as cargo that differentially influence the functions of both motors to regulate stereocilia length.
- Seham Ebrahim
- , Matthew R. Avenarius
- & Bechara Kachar
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| Open Access
Harmonic force spectroscopy measures load-dependent kinetics of individual human β-cardiac myosin molecules
Single molecule methods for measuring load dependence are fundamental for molecular motor research. Here, Sung et al. introduce harmonic force spectroscopy, a method that randomly applies varying loads at high frequency, allowing the determination of load dependent parameters of human β-cardiac myosin at physiological ATP concentration.
- Jongmin Sung
- , Suman Nag
- & James A. Spudich
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The non-muscle-myosin-II heavy chain Myh9 mediates colitis-induced epithelium injury by restricting Lgr5+ stem cells
Colitis is a common human disorder but the clinical interventions are limited as the pathological mechanisms are not very clear. Here the authors find an elevated expression of non-muscle-myosin-II heavy chain Myh9 in a colitis mouse model, and show that Myh9 expression reduction or activity inhibition ameliorates epithelial injuries.
- Bing Zhao
- , Zhen Qi
- & Ye-Guang Chen
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Activity-driven relaxation of the cortical actomyosin II network synchronizes Munc18-1-dependent neurosecretory vesicle docking
Secretory vesicles must cross a dense cortical actin network to dock and fuse with the plasma membrane. Papadopulos et al. reveal that, in neurosecretory cells, relaxation of this network acts as a 'casting net', driving tethered vesicles towards the plasma membrane.
- Andreas Papadopulos
- , Guillermo A. Gomez
- & Frederic A. Meunier
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Catch-bond behaviour facilitates membrane tubulation by non-processive myosin 1b
The non-processive motor protein myosin 1b is required for Golgi membrane tubulation. Using a minimal reconstituted system and theoretical analysis, Yamada et al.demonstrate that the mechanism of tubule extraction depends on the catch bond properties of myosin 1b.
- Ayako Yamada
- , Alexandre Mamane
- & Patricia Bassereau
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Dual role of myosin II during Drosophila imaginal disc metamorphosis
The motor protein myosin II is implicated in three-dimensional organ development. In this study, the authors apply live imaging techniques to describe the dynamics of the developing Drosophilawing and the involvement of myosin II in this process.
- Silvia Aldaz
- , Luis M. Escudero
- & Matthew Freeman
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Article
| Open Access
Interplay between myosin IIA-mediated contractility and actin network integrity orchestrates podosome composition and oscillations
Dendritic cells use protrusive structures called podosomes to probe the extracellular environment. Here the authors reveal how interplay between actin-mediated core growth and myosin-mediated tension regulates podosome protrusion.
- K. van den Dries
- , M.B.M Meddens
- & A. Cambi
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Article
| Open Access
Switching of myosin-V motion between the lever-arm swing and Brownian search-and-catch
The motor protein myosin-V transports cargo along actin filaments, but the biophysical mechanisms by which myosin-V generates force are unclear. Here, optical tweezers and a DNA handle are used to study the forces generated by myosin-V: the mechanism of force generation is found to depend on the load applied.
- Keisuke Fujita
- , Mitsuhiro Iwaki
- & Toshio Yanagida
Myosin-binding protein C regulates the sarcomere lattice and stabilizes the OFF states of myosin heads