Emmanuel T Nsamba, Abesh Bera, Vaishali Todi, Landon Savoy, Ryan M Gupta, Mohan L Gupta
{"title":"Tubulin isotypes contribute opposing properties to balance anaphase spindle morphogenesis.","authors":"Emmanuel T Nsamba, Abesh Bera, Vaishali Todi, Landon Savoy, Ryan M Gupta, Mohan L Gupta","doi":"10.1083/jcb.202301115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202301115","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Faithful chromosome segregation requires proper function of the mitotic spindle, which is built from, and depends on, the coordinated regulation of many microtubules and the activities of molecular motors and MAPs. In addition, microtubules themselves are assembled from multiple variants, or isotypes of α- and β-tubulin, yet whether they mediate the activities of motors and MAPs required for proper spindle function remains poorly understood. Here, we use budding yeast to reveal that α-tubulin isotypes regulate opposing outward- and inward-directed forces in the spindle midzone that facilitate optimal spindle elongation and length control. Moreover, we show that the isotypes mediate balanced spindle forces by differentially localizing the antagonistic force generators Cin8 (kinesin-5) and Kar3 (kinesin-14) to interpolar microtubules. Our results reveal new roles for tubulin isotypes in orchestrating motor and MAP activities and provide insights into how forces in the spindle are properly calibrated to ensure proper mitotic spindle morphogenesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":15211,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cell Biology","volume":"224 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144707563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kimberly J Morgan, Emma Carley, Alyssa N Coyne, Jeffrey D Rothstein, C Patrick Lusk, Megan C King
{"title":"Visualizing nuclear pore complex plasticity with pan-expansion microscopy.","authors":"Kimberly J Morgan, Emma Carley, Alyssa N Coyne, Jeffrey D Rothstein, C Patrick Lusk, Megan C King","doi":"10.1083/jcb.202409120","DOIUrl":"10.1083/jcb.202409120","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The exploration of cell-type and environmentally responsive nuclear pore complex (NPC) plasticity requires new, accessible tools. Using pan-expansion microscopy (pan-ExM), NPCs were identified by machine learning-facilitated segmentation. They exhibited a large range of diameters with a bias for dilated NPCs at the basal nuclear surface in clusters suggestive of local islands of nuclear envelope tension. Whereas hyperosmotic shock constricted NPCs analogously to those found in annulate lamellae, depletion of LINC complexes specifically eliminated the modest nuclear surface diameter biases. Therefore, LINC complexes may contribute locally to nuclear envelope tension to toggle NPC diameter between dilated, but not constricted, states. Lastly, POM121 shifts from the nuclear ring to the inner ring of the NPC specifically in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons from a patient with C9orf72 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Thus, pan-ExM is a powerful tool to visualize NPC plasticity in physiological and pathological contexts at single NPC resolution.</p>","PeriodicalId":15211,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cell Biology","volume":"224 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12162248/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144274960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Milena Pasolli, Joyce C M Meiring, James P Conboy, Gijsje H Koenderink, Anna Akhmanova
{"title":"Optogenetic and chemical genetic tools for rapid repositioning of vimentin intermediate filaments.","authors":"Milena Pasolli, Joyce C M Meiring, James P Conboy, Gijsje H Koenderink, Anna Akhmanova","doi":"10.1083/jcb.202504004","DOIUrl":"10.1083/jcb.202504004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intermediate filaments (IFs) are a key component of the cytoskeleton, essential for regulating cell mechanics, maintaining nuclear integrity, organelle positioning, and modulating cell signaling. Current insights into IF function primarily come from studies using long-term perturbations, such as protein depletion or mutation. Here, we present tools that allow rapid manipulation of vimentin IFs in the whole cytoplasm or within specific subcellular regions by inducibly coupling them to microtubule motors, either pharmacologically or using light. Rapid perinuclear clustering of vimentin had no major immediate effects on the actin or microtubule organization, cell spreading, or focal adhesion number, but it reduced cell stiffness. Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) sheets were reorganized due to vimentin clustering, whereas lysosomes were only briefly displaced and rapidly regained their normal distribution. Keratin moved along with vimentin in some cell lines but remained intact in others. Our tools help to study the immediate and local effects of vimentin perturbation and identify direct links of vimentin to other cellular structures.</p>","PeriodicalId":15211,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cell Biology","volume":"224 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12237251/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144584017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"PLK-1 suppresses centrosome maturation and microtubule polymerization to ensure faithful oocyte meiosis.","authors":"Juhi G Narula, Sarah M Wignall","doi":"10.1083/jcb.202503080","DOIUrl":"10.1083/jcb.202503080","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sexual reproduction relies on meiosis, a specialized cell division program that produces haploid gametes. Oocytes of most organisms lack centrosomes, and therefore chromosome segregation is mediated by acentrosomal spindles. Here, we explore the role of Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK-1) in Caenorhabditiselegans oocytes, revealing mechanisms that ensure the fidelity of this unique form of cell division. Previously, PLK-1 was shown to be required for nuclear envelope breakdown and chromosome segregation in oocytes. We now find that PLK-1 is also required for establishing and maintaining acentrosomal spindle organization and for preventing excess microtubule polymerization in these cells. Additionally, our studies revealed an unexpected new role for this essential kinase. While PLK-1 is known to be required for centrosome maturation during mitosis, we found that either removal of PLK-1 from oocytes or inhibition of its kinase activity caused premature recruitment of pericentriolar material to the sperm-provided centrioles following fertilization. Thus, PLK-1 suppresses centrosome maturation during oocyte meiosis, which is opposite to its role in mitosis. Taken together, our work identifies PLK-1 as a key player that promotes faithful acentrosomal meiosis in oocytes and demonstrates that its catalytic activity is required for carrying out these important roles.</p>","PeriodicalId":15211,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cell Biology","volume":"224 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12203983/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144505767","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Muziyue Wu, Raj Kumar Sadhu, Kirstin Meyer, Ziqi Tang, Paul Marchando, Derek N Woolfson, Nir S Gov, Orion D Weiner
{"title":"WAVE complex forms linear arrays at negative membrane curvature to instruct lamellipodia formation.","authors":"Muziyue Wu, Raj Kumar Sadhu, Kirstin Meyer, Ziqi Tang, Paul Marchando, Derek N Woolfson, Nir S Gov, Orion D Weiner","doi":"10.1083/jcb.202410098","DOIUrl":"10.1083/jcb.202410098","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Different actin nucleation-promoting factors (NPFs) orchestrate different patterns of cell protrusions, likely reflecting their distinct patterns of self-organization. Here, we leveraged in vivo biochemical approaches to investigate how the WAVE complex instructs the formation of sheet-like lamellipodia. We show that the WAVE complex is a core constituent of a linear multilayered protein array at the plasma membrane, expected for an NPF that builds sheet-like actin-based protrusions. Negative membrane curvature is both necessary and sufficient for WAVE complex linear membrane association in the presence of upstream activators (Rac, Arf1/6, and PIP3) and the PRDs of both WAVE2 and Abi2, providing a potential mechanistic basis for templating of lamellipodia and their emergent behaviors, including barrier avoidance. Through computational modeling, we demonstrate that WAVE complex's linear organization and preference for negative curvature both play important roles in robust lamellipodia formation. Our data reveal key features of mesoscale WAVE complex patterning and highlight an integral relation between NPF self-organization and cell morphogenesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":15211,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cell Biology","volume":"224 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12266138/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144642661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Truc T Losier,Karyn E King,Maxime W C Rousseaux,Ryan C Russell
{"title":"Identification of organelle-specific autophagy regulators from tandem CRISPR screens.","authors":"Truc T Losier,Karyn E King,Maxime W C Rousseaux,Ryan C Russell","doi":"10.1083/jcb.202405138","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202405138","url":null,"abstract":"Autophagy is a conserved degradative process that promotes cellular homeostasis under stress conditions. Under nutrient starvation, autophagy is nonselective, promoting indiscriminate breakdown of cytosolic components. Conversely, selective autophagy is responsible for the specific turnover of damaged organelles. We hypothesized that selective autophagy may be regulated by signaling pathways distinct from those controlling starvation-induced autophagy, thereby promoting organelle turnover. To address this question, we conducted kinome-wide CRISPR screens to identify distinct signaling pathways responsible for the regulation of basal autophagy, starvation-induced autophagy, and two types of selective autophagy, ER-phagy and pexophagy. These parallel screens identified both known and novel autophagy regulators, some common to all conditions and others specific to selective autophagy. More specifically, CDK11A and NME3 were further characterized to be selective ER-phagy regulators. Meanwhile, PAN3 and CDC42BPG were identified as an activator and inhibitor of pexophagy, respectively. Collectively, these datasets provide the first comparative description of the kinase signaling that defines the regulation of selective autophagy and bulk autophagy.","PeriodicalId":15211,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cell Biology","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144930457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Intraflagellar transport selectivity occurs within the proximal portion of the trypanosome flagellum.","authors":"Aline Araujo Alves,Jamin Jung,Gaël Moneron,Humbeline Vaucelle,Cécile Fort,Johanna Buisson,Cataldo Schietroma,Philippe Bastin","doi":"10.1083/jcb.202501088","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202501088","url":null,"abstract":"Intraflagellar transport (IFT) trains move bidirectionally along the doublet microtubules (DMTs) of the axoneme within the flagellum. In Trypanosoma brucei, IFT trains predominantly associate with four of the nine DMTs. Using high-resolution microscopy, we reveal how this selective association is put in place. IFT proteins form a ring surrounding the 9 DMTs above the transition fibers. Volume electron microscopy revealed densities along all DMTs in the proximal portion of the flagellum, exhibiting thinner, shorter profiles with branches absent in mature IFT trains. As the axoneme extends within the flagellar pocket, IFT trains are detected but are often positioned outside DMTs 3-4/7-8. After the axoneme exits the flagellar pocket, IFT trains localize exclusively to DMTs 3-4 and 7-8. Super-resolution and expansion microscopy demonstrated that IFT proteins follow the same distribution as the IFT-like densities. This suggests they represent IFT trains undergoing assembly and/or disassembly and reveals their unexpected ability to shift from one DMT to another.","PeriodicalId":15211,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cell Biology","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144825264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniel Caballero,Benjamin M Sutter,Zheng Xing,Caroline Wang,Emma Choo,Yun Wang,Yu-San Yang,Sina Ghaemmaghami,Andrew Lemoff,Benjamin P Tu
{"title":"The yeast Mkt1/Pbp1 complex promotes adaptive responses to respiratory growth.","authors":"Daniel Caballero,Benjamin M Sutter,Zheng Xing,Caroline Wang,Emma Choo,Yun Wang,Yu-San Yang,Sina Ghaemmaghami,Andrew Lemoff,Benjamin P Tu","doi":"10.1083/jcb.202411169","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202411169","url":null,"abstract":"An amino acid polymorphism in the Rad2/XPG protein Mkt1 (Mkt1-G30D) reportedly underlies variation in mitochondrial phenotypes among laboratory yeast, but the function of Mkt1 and the effects of the polymorphism are unknown. We confirm with genetics and biochemical assays guided by AlphaFold structure predictions that Mkt1 forms a complex with Pbp1, a messenger RNP protein that supports adaptations to respiratory conditions, such as Pumilio protein Puf3-dependent mitochondrial protein expression and TORC1-dependent autophagy. Using CEN.PK (Mkt1-G30) yeast, we show that, like Pbp1, Mkt1 is required for Puf3-dependent mitochondrial protein expression and autophagy during respiratory growth. Notably, we found the Mkt1-G30D mutation destabilizes the Mkt1/Pbp1 complex, helping to explain its loss-of-function effects. A HAP1+ S288C strain exhibited defects in mitochondrial biogenesis and autophagy, which were rescued by replacing its Mkt1-D30 allele with the Mkt1-G30 allele. Thus, the Mkt1/Pbp1 complex supports adaptive processes during respiratory growth, and the Mkt1-G30D mutation is an evolutionary adaptation that tempers respiratory processes by destabilizing the Mkt1/Pbp1 complex.","PeriodicalId":15211,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cell Biology","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144825270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Context is everything: The role of polo-like kinase I during C. elegans oocyte meiosis.","authors":"Needhi Bhalla","doi":"10.1083/jcb.202506208","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202506208","url":null,"abstract":"Meiotic chromosome segregation in oocytes often relies on meiosis-specific modifications of mitotic molecular mechanisms to respond to the unique challenges of this asymmetric division. In this issue, Narula and Wignall (https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202503080) demonstrate how the conserved polo-like kinase in Caenorhabditiselegans, PLK-1, has been repurposed in unexpected ways to ensure accurate meiotic chromosome segregation during oogenesis.","PeriodicalId":15211,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cell Biology","volume":"95 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144797239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Minami Hasegawa-Ogawa,Asako Onda-Ohto,Takumasa Nakajo,Arisa Funabashi,Ayane Ohya,Ryota Yazaki,Hirotaka James Okano
{"title":"Dominant-negative isoform of TDP-43 is regulated by ALS-linked RNA-binding proteins.","authors":"Minami Hasegawa-Ogawa,Asako Onda-Ohto,Takumasa Nakajo,Arisa Funabashi,Ayane Ohya,Ryota Yazaki,Hirotaka James Okano","doi":"10.1083/jcb.202406097","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202406097","url":null,"abstract":"TDP-43, an RNA-binding protein (RBP) encoded by the TARDBP gene, is crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Dysregulated TDP-43 causes motor neuron loss, highlighting the need for proper expression levels. Here, we identify a dominant-negative isoform among the multiple TARDBP splicing variants and validate its endogenous expression using a developed antibody against its translated product. Furthermore, we revealed that ALS-associated RBPs regulate its expression: hnRNP K promotes its splicing and expression, while hnRNP A1 and FUS suppress these processes through distinct mechanisms. hnRNP A1 inhibits hnRNP K-mediated splicing, and FUS represses the dominant-negative isoform through both its translational inhibition and hnRNP K suppression. Notably, ALS-mutant FUS weakens this regulatory mechanism, leading to impaired repression of hnRNP K and the dominant-negative isoform. Our findings suggest a regulatory network involving ALS-linked RBPs that govern TDP-43 isoform expression and provide new insights into how disruptions in this network contribute to ALS pathogenesis.","PeriodicalId":15211,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cell Biology","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144797302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}