The unique biomechanics of intermediate filaments - From single filaments to cells and tissues
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 21;85:102263. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102263. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTTogether with actin filaments and microtubules, intermediate filaments (IFs) constitute the eukaryotic cytoskeleton and each of the three filament types contributes very distinct mechanical properties to this intracellular biopolymer network. IFs assemble hierarchically, rather than polymerizing from nuclei of a small number of monomers or dimers, as is the case with actin filaments and microtubules, respectively. This pathway leads to a molecular architecture specific to IFs and intriguing mechanical and dynamic prope...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 23, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Ulrike R ölleke Pallavi Kumari Ruth Meyer Sarah K öster Source Type: research
Lamins as structural nuclear elements through evolution
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 21;85:102267. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102267. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTLamins are nuclear intermediate filament proteins with important, well-established roles in humans and other vertebrates. Lamins interact with DNA and numerous proteins at the nuclear envelope to determine the mechanical properties of the nucleus, coordinate chromatin organization, and modulate gene expression. Many of these functions are conserved in the lamin homologs found in basal metazoan organisms, including Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans. Lamin homologs have also been recently identified in non-metazoans,...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 23, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Jacob Odell Jan Lammerding Source Type: research
How do disordered head domains assist in the assembly of intermediate filaments?
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 21;85:102262. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102262. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe dominant structural feature of intermediate filament (IF) proteins is a centrally located α-helix. These long α-helical segments become paired in a parallel orientation to form coiled-coil dimers. Pairs of dimers further coalesce in an anti-parallel orientation to form tetramers. These early stages of intermediate filament assembly can be accomplished solely by the central α-helices. By contrast, the assembly of tetramers into mature intermediate filaments is reliant upon an N-terminal head domain. IF head domai...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 23, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Xiaoming Zhou Masato Kato Steven L McKnight Source Type: research
Extracellular vimentin: Battle between the devil and the angel
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 20;85:102265. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102265. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTVimentin, an intracellular cytoskeletal protein, can be secreted by various cells in response to conditions such as injury, stress, senescence, and cancer. Once vimentin is secreted outside of the cell, it is called extracellular vimentin. This extracellular vimentin is significantly involved in pathological conditions, particularly in the areas of viral infection, cancer, immune response, and wound healing. The effects of extracellular vimentin can be either positive or negative, for example it can enhance axonal repa...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 22, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Divyendu Goud Thalla Franziska Lautenschl äger Source Type: research
Stability dynamics of neurofilament and GFAP networks and protein fragments
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 20;85:102266. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102266. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTNeurofilaments (NFs) and GFAP are cytoskeletal intermediate filaments (IFs) that support cellular processes unfolding within the uniquely complex environments of neurons and astrocytes, respectively. This review highlights emerging concepts on the transitions between stable and destabilized IF networks in the nervous system. While self-association between transiently structured low-complexity IF domains promotes filament assembly, the opposing destabilizing actions of phosphorylation-mediated filament severing facilita...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 22, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Cassandra L Phillips Maryam Faridounnia Diane Armao Natasha T Snider Source Type: research
Building and breaking mechanical bridges between the nucleus and cytoskeleton: Regulation of LINC complex assembly and disassembly
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 17;85:102260. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102260. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe nucleus is physically coupled to the cytoskeleton through LINC complexes, macromolecular bridges composed of SUN and KASH proteins that span the nuclear envelope. LINC complexes are involved in a wide variety of critical cellular processes. For these processes to occur, cells regulate the composition, assembly, and disassembly of LINC complexes. Here we discuss recent studies on the regulation of the SUN-KASH interaction that forms the core of the LINC complex. These new findings encompass the stages of LINC comple...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 19, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Rebecca M McGillivary Daniel A Starr G W Gant Luxton Source Type: research
Building and breaking mechanical bridges between the nucleus and cytoskeleton: Regulation of LINC complex assembly and disassembly
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 17;85:102260. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102260. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe nucleus is physically coupled to the cytoskeleton through LINC complexes, macromolecular bridges composed of SUN and KASH proteins that span the nuclear envelope. LINC complexes are involved in a wide variety of critical cellular processes. For these processes to occur, cells regulate the composition, assembly, and disassembly of LINC complexes. Here we discuss recent studies on the regulation of the SUN-KASH interaction that forms the core of the LINC complex. These new findings encompass the stages of LINC comple...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 19, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Rebecca M McGillivary Daniel A Starr G W Gant Luxton Source Type: research
Building and breaking mechanical bridges between the nucleus and cytoskeleton: Regulation of LINC complex assembly and disassembly
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 17;85:102260. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102260. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe nucleus is physically coupled to the cytoskeleton through LINC complexes, macromolecular bridges composed of SUN and KASH proteins that span the nuclear envelope. LINC complexes are involved in a wide variety of critical cellular processes. For these processes to occur, cells regulate the composition, assembly, and disassembly of LINC complexes. Here we discuss recent studies on the regulation of the SUN-KASH interaction that forms the core of the LINC complex. These new findings encompass the stages of LINC comple...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 19, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Rebecca M McGillivary Daniel A Starr G W Gant Luxton Source Type: research
The many dimensions of germline competence
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 16;85:102259. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102259. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTPrimordial germ cell (PGC) specification is the first step in the development of the germline. Recent work has elucidated human-mouse differences in PGC differentiation and identified cell states with enhanced competency for PGC-like cell (PGCLC) differentiation in vitro in both species. However, it remains a subject of debate how different PGC competent states in vitro relate to each other, to embryonic development, and to the origin of PGCs in vivo. Here we review recent literature on human PGCLC differentiation in t...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 18, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Seth Teague LiAng Yao Idse Heemskerk Source Type: research
The many dimensions of germline competence
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 16;85:102259. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102259. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTPrimordial germ cell (PGC) specification is the first step in the development of the germline. Recent work has elucidated human-mouse differences in PGC differentiation and identified cell states with enhanced competency for PGC-like cell (PGCLC) differentiation in vitro in both species. However, it remains a subject of debate how different PGC competent states in vitro relate to each other, to embryonic development, and to the origin of PGCs in vivo. Here we review recent literature on human PGCLC differentiation in t...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 18, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Seth Teague LiAng Yao Idse Heemskerk Source Type: research
Protein condensates as flexible platforms for membrane traffic
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 11;85:102258. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102258. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTWith an essential role in nearly every physiological process and disease state, trafficking vesicles are fundamental to cell biology. Canonical understanding of membrane traffic has been driven by key achievements in structural biology. Nonetheless, discoveries over the past few years progressively point to the critical role of intrinsically disordered domains and proteins, which lack a well-defined secondary structure. From the initiation of endocytosis and the sequestration of synaptic vesicles to the stabilization o...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 13, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Florian Wilfling Marko Kaksonen Jeanne Stachowiak Source Type: research
Notch-mediated cellular interactions between vascular cells
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 11;85:102254. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102254. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTVessel formation and differentiation to a proper hierarchical vasculature requires a coordinated effort from endothelial and mural cells. Over the last decade Notch was identified as a key player in this process by promoting vascular arterialization and modulating endothelial tip-stalk phenotypes. Recent work has identified that Notch fine-tunes the diverse endothelial phenotypes through regulation of canonical cell-cycle and metabolism regulators, such as ERK and Myc. During arterialization, Notch signaling inhibits t...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 13, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Henar Cuervo Severin M ühleder Irene Garc ía-Gónzalez Rui Benedito Source Type: research
Protein condensates as flexible platforms for membrane traffic
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 11;85:102258. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102258. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTWith an essential role in nearly every physiological process and disease state, trafficking vesicles are fundamental to cell biology. Canonical understanding of membrane traffic has been driven by key achievements in structural biology. Nonetheless, discoveries over the past few years progressively point to the critical role of intrinsically disordered domains and proteins, which lack a well-defined secondary structure. From the initiation of endocytosis and the sequestration of synaptic vesicles to the stabilization o...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 13, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Florian Wilfling Marko Kaksonen Jeanne Stachowiak Source Type: research
Notch-mediated cellular interactions between vascular cells
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 11;85:102254. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102254. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTVessel formation and differentiation to a proper hierarchical vasculature requires a coordinated effort from endothelial and mural cells. Over the last decade Notch was identified as a key player in this process by promoting vascular arterialization and modulating endothelial tip-stalk phenotypes. Recent work has identified that Notch fine-tunes the diverse endothelial phenotypes through regulation of canonical cell-cycle and metabolism regulators, such as ERK and Myc. During arterialization, Notch signaling inhibits t...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 13, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Henar Cuervo Severin M ühleder Irene Garc ía-Gónzalez Rui Benedito Source Type: research
Protein condensates as flexible platforms for membrane traffic
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 11;85:102258. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102258. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTWith an essential role in nearly every physiological process and disease state, trafficking vesicles are fundamental to cell biology. Canonical understanding of membrane traffic has been driven by key achievements in structural biology. Nonetheless, discoveries over the past few years progressively point to the critical role of intrinsically disordered domains and proteins, which lack a well-defined secondary structure. From the initiation of endocytosis and the sequestration of synaptic vesicles to the stabilization o...
Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 13, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Florian Wilfling Marko Kaksonen Jeanne Stachowiak Source Type: research
