Table of Contents
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
REVIEWS
- SRF'ing and SAP'ing – the role of MRTF proteins in cell migration
Summary: This Review provides a comprehensive overview of how MRTF regulates cell migration in physiological and pathological contexts by utilizing its canonical SRF-dependent and SRF-independent modes of action.
- p62-mediated phase separation at the intersection of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy
Summary: This review highlights the recent advances of how the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy can be coordinated by p62-dependent phase separation reactions.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
- Calcium influx mediates the chemoattractant-induced translocation of the arrestin-related protein AdcC in Dictyostelium
Summary: The multimodular arrestin-related protein AdcC from Dictyostelium responds to a calcium increase by translocating to the plasma membrane in a C2- and SAM domain-dependent manner.
- RSPH6A is required for sperm flagellum formation and male fertility in mice
Summary: Removal of RSPH6A via CRISPR/Cas9 results in short-tailed immotile spermatozoa and loss of fertilizing ability in male mice.
- Co-expression of sperm membrane proteins CMTM2A and CMTM2B is essential for ADAM3 localization and male fertility in mice
Highlighted Article: Gene-modification experiments in mice show that co-expression of the testis-specific sperm membrane proteins CMTM2A and CMTM2B is required for fertilization.
- Rab11a–Rab8a cascade regulates the formation of tunneling nanotubes through vesicle recycling
Highlighted Article: Rab11 and Rab8 act to increase the number of TNT-connected cells and the propagation of vesicles between cells in co-culture. These two Rab GTPases act in a cascade, where Rab11 activates Rab8 to form TNTs through VAMP3.
- Chronic starvation induces noncanonical pro-death stress granules
Summary: This work characterizes the mechanisms of formation of a novel type of stress granule that is induced in response to long-term starvation and, unlike previously described stress granules, functions in a pro-death capacity.
- C-type lectin-like receptor 2 (CLEC-2)-dependent dendritic cell migration is controlled by tetraspanin CD37
Highlighted Article: Here, we show that tetraspanin CD37 directly interacts with CLEC-2 in the membrane of dendritic cells, to control dendritic cell migration and podoplanin-induced contractility in lymph node stromal cells.
PREPRINT HIGHLIGHTS
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Cell scientist to watch – Siobhan Braybrook
“…continue to do what you do and the possibilities are immeasurable for what it could do for the world.”
Siobhan Braybrook is Assistant Professor of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles, where her research group focuses on cell wall mechanics and the coordination of cell shape and tissue growth in plants and algae. She spoke to us about how her father’s love of horticulture inspired her passion for shapes, forms and plant biology. Siobham also explains why we should always question how to get the best out of new techniques and how everything we do has the potential to change the world.
Catch up with early-career first authors in our First Person interviews. Recently, we spoke to Ferheen Abbasi and Lotte de Winde
Review – SRF'ing and SAP'ing: the role of MRTF proteins in cell migration
David Gau and Partha Roy provide a comprehensive overview of how MRTF regulates cell migration in physiological and pathological contexts by utilizing its canonical SRF-dependent and SRF-independent modes of action.
Research highlight – Immune cell migration: the tetraspanin CD37 controls the plasma membrane
Annemiek van Spriel and colleagues show that tetraspanin CD37 directly interacts with CLEC-2 in the membrane of dendritic cells, to control dendritic cell migration and podoplanin-induced contractility in lymph node stromal cells. This work establishes the molecular basis for receptor–ligand interactions that control DC migration during the immune response.
Find out more about the story behind the paper in an interview with first author Lotte de Winde.
Review – p62-mediated phase separation at the intersection of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy
Alberto Danieli and Sascha Martens highlight the recent advances of how the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy can be coordinated by p62-dependent phase separation reactions.
Meet the team
Meet the Journal of Cell Science team at conferences throughout October. Executive Editor Sharon Ahmad attends the ASMB meeting in Las Vegas and Reviews Editor Petra Gross will be at the EMBO workshop on ER function in health and disease in Lucca, Italy. Features & Reviews Editor Manuel Breuer will be at the FEBS 2018 Golgi meeting in Sorrento, Italy.
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 apply for your place here.
Journal news – publishing peer review reports
Journal of Cell Science, along with our sister journal Development, has signed an open letter coordinated by ASAPbio signalling our intention to publish peer review reports alongside published papers. This commitment reflects our recognition of the benefits of transparency in the peer review process. Find out more here.
preLights – Transient intracellular acidification regulates the core transcriptional heat shock response
Srivats Venkataramanan highlights a recent pre-print from Allan Drummond and colleagues, showing that a short-lived decrease in the pH of the cellular interior is critical to mount a response to environmental stresses such as increased temperature. This preLight features a response from first author Catherine Triandafillou, outlining the most exciting aspects of the project.
We are also pleased to announce that recent preLights selected for the cell science community will feature regularly as part of our issue Table of Contents.
Articles of interest in our sister journals
Secretory pathway calcium ATPase 1 (SPCA1) controls mouse neural tube closure by regulating cytoskeletal dynamics
Joel M. Brown, María J. García-García. Development 2018 145: dev170019
Multiscale analysis of architecture, cell size and the cell cortex reveals cortical F-actin density and composition are major contributors to mechanical properties during convergent extension
Joseph H. Shawky, Uma L. Balakrishnan, Carsten Stuckenholz, Lance A. Davidson. Development 2018 145: dev161281