IN THIS ISSUE
CELL SCIENTISTS TO WATCH
CELL SCIENCE AT A GLANCE
- Corneal epithelial stem cells and their niche at a glance
Summary: We summarise the role of the niche microenvironment in regulating corneal epithelial stem cells during homeostasis, repair and disease.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
- Derlin-1 promotes ubiquitylation and degradation of the epithelial Na+ channel, ENaC
Summary: Derlin-1 binds to ENaC and promotes its ubiquitylation and degradation via ER-related degradation. The E3 ligase HUWE1 is required and adds K11-linked ubiquitin chains to ENaC prompting its degradation.
- Caveolae provide a specialized membrane environment for respiratory syncytial virus assembly
Highlighted Article: The assembly of respiratory syncytial virus occurs in caveolar membranes and caveolar coat components are incorporated into the viral envelope.
- The Arabidopsis homolog of Scc4/MAU2 is essential for embryogenesis
Summary: The cohesin-loading complex is evolutionarily conserved across kingdoms. In plants, subunits of the complex are crucial for determining the distribution of auxin maxima and cell fate during embryogenesis.
- A RhoG-mediated signaling pathway that modulates invadopodia dynamics in breast cancer cells
Highlighted Article: We describe a novel signaling pathway involving SGEF, RhoG and paxillin phosphorylation, which functions in the regulation of invadopodia disassembly in breast cancer cells.
- The Aurora-A–Twist1 axis promotes highly aggressive phenotypes in pancreatic carcinoma
Summary: We show that the AURKA–Twist1 axis regulates EMT, xenograft growth and drug resistance in pancreatic cancer. This is the first mechanism linking AURKA activity with tumor metastasis through Twist1.
- The Rap1–cofilin-1 pathway coordinates actin reorganization and MTOC polarization at the B cell immune synapse
Highlighted Article: Consistent with its role as a central regulator of cell polarity, we show that the Rap1 GTPase controls polarization of the microtubule network towards the B cell immune synapse.
- The T cell IFT20 interactome reveals new players in immune synapse assembly
Summary: An unbiased mass spectrometry-based analysis of the interactors of the intraflagellar transport protein IFT20 in T cells revealed new vesicular traffic-related regulators of immune synapse assembly.
- Selective transport of neurotransmitters and modulators by distinct volume-regulated LRRC8 anion channels
Highlighted Article: The ability of volume-regulated heteromeric VRAC channels to conduct organic compounds, including the neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA, depends on LRRC8D and LRRC8E subunits, and suggests new roles in transcellular signal transduction.
- Independent mechanisms recruit the cohesin loader protein NIPBL to sites of DNA damage
Summary: Accumulation of NIPBL, the cohesin loader, at different types of DNA lesions occurs through independent mechanisms. This finding enhances our understanding of the highly dynamic roles for NIPBL in genome stability.
- Endocytic turnover of Rab8 controls cell polarization
Highlighted Article: GRAF1 mediates inactivation and endocytic removal of Rab8 from cell surface protrusions, thereby facilitating dynamic adjustment of the polarity axis.
- miR-450a-5p within rat adipose tissue exosome-like vesicles promotes adipogenic differentiation by targeting WISP2
Summary: Exosome-like vesicles derived from adipose tissue promote adipogenesis through miR-450a-5p by targeting WISP2. This suggests that exosome-like vesicles can be involved in cell-to-cell communication during adipocyte differentiation.
- Ypk1 and Ypk2 kinases maintain Rho1 at the plasma membrane by flippase-dependent lipid remodeling after membrane stresses
Summary: Yeast resists plasma membrane stress by maintaining the cortical localization of Rho GTPase through lipid remodeling mediated by Ypk kinase and flippase.
- Giant FAZ10 is required for flagellum attachment zone stabilization and furrow positioning in Trypanosoma brucei
Summary: Functional characterization of the T. brucei giant protein FAZ10 reveals it has roles in flagellar attachment, nucleus and kinetoplast positioning and, uniquely for a FAZ protein, a direct role in cytokinesis.
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JCS and COVID-19
For more information on measures Journal of Cell Science is taking to support the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, please see here.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hestiate to contact the Editorial Office.
The Company of Biologists commits to the Transformative Journal approach
The Company of Biologists is the first not-for-profit publisher to commit to this approach. The Company’s three hybrid journals - Development, Journal of Cell Science and Journal of Experimental Biology - have chosen the ‘transformative’ route towards Open Access. Find out more in this interview with Claire Moulton, Publisher at The Company of Biologists and on our dedicated Transformative Journals page.
Extended deadline - Special Issue on Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interactions
We have extended the deadline for submissions for our next special issue, which will be guest-edited by Derek Walsh (Northwestern University, USA). Submission deadline is now 15 September 2020 - find out more.
The Corona Files
“Most of the scientists I know are frogs, by which I mean, they will happily lend a hand to their colleagues if their expertise would be helpful in solving an interesting problem.”
Our resident insectivore, Mole, continues his latest series – The Corona Files. Catch up on Mole’s weekly musings on how COVID-19 is changing the landscape for researchers.
Science and art – the not so odd couple?
Over on FocalPlane, Sophie Morgani discusses the somewhat surprising relationship between science and art.
First person interview - Eryn Dixon
Eryn Dixon is first author of a new Tools & Resources paper that presents a new model system that generates kidney tubule-like structures in a dish. Find out more about Eryn and her research in an interview.