Table of Contents
IN THIS ISSUE
STICKY WICKET
CELL SCIENTISTS TO WATCH
MEETING REPORT
COMMENTARIES
- Lamins in the nuclear interior − life outside the lamina
Summary: We discuss recent advances in the regulation of the lamina-independent pool of lamins in the nucleoplasm and their emerging functions in chromatin organization, mechanical regulation and disease.
- Molecular mechanisms of kinesin-14 motors in spindle assembly and chromosome segregation
Summary: During cell division, kinesin-14 motors are conserved regulators of spindle assembly and chromosome segregation. We provide a detailed view of their cellular functions in diverse organisms.
SHORT REPORT
- Substrate stiffness-dependent regulation of the SRF−Mkl1 co-activator complex requires the inner nuclear membrane protein Emerin
Summary: The nuclear lamina regulates SRF−Mkl1 activity specifically in cells grown within stiff mechanical environments.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
- Phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinase regulates early endosomal dynamics during clathrin-mediated endocytosis
Highlighted Article: Phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinase regulates early endosomal dynamics and trafficking of plasma membrane receptors through clathrin-mediated endocytosis in Drosophila cells.
- Crosstalk from cAMP to ERK1/2 emerges during postnatal maturation of nociceptive neurons and is maintained during aging
Summary: Differentiation of nociceptors relies on transcription factors, receptors and neuropeptides. We identify the importance of intracellular signaling, including pathways involved in neuronal memory, for postnatal nociceptor maturation.
- Unique cell biological profiles of retinal disease-causing missense mutations in the polarity protein Crumbs
Highlighted Article: Analysis of Drosophila crb mutations demonstrates that the Crb extracellular region controls protein level and distribution, and suggests that human disease-causing CRB1 missense mutations affect rhodopsin trafficking.
- A Wntless–SEC12 complex on the ER membrane regulates early Wnt secretory vesicle assembly and mature ligand export
Summary: WLS and SEC12 form a stable complex on ER membrane that binds to mature Wnt molecules. We find that several independent protein motifs within WLS are essential for the association of this complex with COPII ER-exiting machinery.
- A dual phenotype of MDA-MB-468 cancer cells reveals mutual regulation of tensin3 and adhesion plasticity
Highlighted Article: The cell−matrix adapter protein Tns3 is identified as a determinant of adhesion plasticity in subcultures of cancer cells. Tns3 gene expression constitutes a feedback loop controling cell adhesion and motility.
- The nuclear export factor CRM1 controls juxta-nuclear microtubule-dependent virus transport
Summary: The mechanism through which macromolecular complexes reach the nuclear pores is incompletely understood. We show that the cytoplasmic perinuclear ecology is tuned by CRM1 to control virus transport to the nuclear pore complex.
- TRPV4 mediates the Ca2+ influx required for the interaction between flightless-1 and non-muscle myosin, and collagen remodeling
Highlighted Article: TRPV4 is a Ca2+-permeable channel in the plasma membrane that regulates FliI–NMMIIA interactions, which in turn affects the cell extension formation necessary for the control of collagen remodeling and matrix biology.
- The Kv1-associated molecules TAG-1 and Caspr2 are selectively targeted to the axon initial segment in hippocampal neurons
Summary: The selective distribution of the cell adhesion molecules Caspr2 and TAG-1 might be responsible for positioning of Kv1 channels at the axon initial segment versus along the axon in hippocampal neurons.
ARTICLES OF INTEREST IN OUR OTHER JOURNALS
From Development
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Other journals from The Company of Biologists
Review – The enigmatic endosome – sorting the ins and outs of endocytic trafficking
Naava Naslavsky and Steve Caplan collate key characteristics of the different types of endosomes and provide a platform for discussion of this unique and fascinating collection of organelles.
Research highlight – Low kinetochore protein levels keep micronuclei in check
Micronuclei, which are common in cancer cells, are prone to missegregation owing to kinetochore assembly defects. Jonne Raaijmakers and co-workers reveal that defects in kinetochore protein levels contribute to a delay in the propagation of defective or excess chromosomes, suggesting a control mechanism to exclude faulty chromatids and prevent subsequent chromothripsis.
Cell scientist to watch – Sandra Rieger
“Scientists need to be able to communicate with the public – what's the point of doing science when the public doesn't understand it?”
Associate Professor Sandra Rieger is currently setting up a laboratory at the University of Miami, Florida, where she will focus on cellular communication mechanisms between sensory neurons and injured epidermal cells. Sandra shares her successes and challenges, the importance of applying for funding early on and the extra pressure women researchers experience in finding that elusive work-life balance.
Have you seen our interviews with the early-career first authors of our papers? We recently caught up with Francesca Nardi, Katherine Fisher, Jean-Philippe Babeu and Susana Peralta.
Research highlight – A PP1–NIPP1 fusion reveals its role in DNA damage
Through expression of a PP1–NIPP1 fusion holoenzyme, Mathieu Bollen and co-workers establish a new strategy to dissect the biological functions of PP1-interacting regulatory proteins. They demonstrate a key role for PP1–NIPP1 in the dephosphorylation of substrates that control the DNA damage response.
JCS Meeting – Cell dynamics: organelle-cytoskeleton interface
The second in our series of cell dynamics meetings now turns to organelles. This May 2019 meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, aims to bring together scientists studying the interface between organelles and the cytoskeleton at different scales and perspectives using a range of model systems. Find out more and register your interest here. Registration opens in September.
preLights – TTL proteins act as scaffolds to assemble a brassinosteroid signalling hub at the plasma membrane
Martin Balcerowicz highlights a new preprint from Miguel A. Botella and colleagues that identifies TTL proteins as crucial components of the brassinosteroid signalling pathway, challenging assumptions on key players in Arabidopsis phytohormone signalling.
Articles of interest in our sister journals
PDGF-A suppresses contact inhibition during directional collective cell migration
Martina Nagel, Rudolf Winklbauer. Development 2018 145: dev162651.
Defective endothelial cell migration in the absence of Cdc42 leads to capillary-venous malformations
Bàrbara Laviña, Marco Castro, Colin Niaudet, Bert Cruys, Alberto Álvarez-Aznar, Peter Carmeliet, Katie Bentley, Cord Brakebusch, Christer Betsholtz, Konstantin Gaengel. Development 2018 145: dev161182.