小麦RAN1在酵母系统中影响微管的完整性和核质运输过程

真核生物的小G蛋白Ran在进化过程中比较保守,它可直接参与细胞周期调控过程,它的缺失突变可以影响很多细胞生理进程.我们已经从小麦(Triticum aestivum L.cv.Jingdong No.1)cDNA文库中克隆到一个新的RanGTPase的同源基因TaRAN1.在此基础上利用裂殖酵母模式系统研究了该基因的功能.研究结果表明,TaRAN1基因超表达可产生缺陷的纺锤体微管,这可能是导致我们以前观察到的异常染色体分离现象的原因.反义TaRAN1基因表达的酵母细胞,微管系统受到破坏.我们推测TaRAN1蛋白在细胞有丝分裂的纺锤体组装和维持微管系统的完整与稳定过程中起着重要作用.透射电镜观察实验结果显示,超表达TaRAN1的酵母细胞具有异常的核膜结构,反义表达TaRAN1的酵母细胞有异常的液泡结构和紊乱的膜结构,由此推测,TaRAN1在整个核质运输事件中可能是必须的.     

嗜热四膜虫δ微管蛋白基因的克隆、鉴定及细胞定位

微管蛋白(tubulin)在细胞的结构和功能中发挥着重要作用, α微管蛋白和 β微管蛋白是组成微管的主要因子,γ微管蛋白促使α和β微管蛋白二聚体组装为微管结构. 然而, 4种新的微管蛋白δ-,ε-,ζ-, 和η- tubulin在细胞中的功能并不完全清楚. 本研究从嗜热四膜虫大核基因组数据库中鉴定了一种新的编码δ微管蛋白基因（Tetrahymena delta tubulin 1, TDT1, TTHERM_00335970, http://www. ciliate. org）, TDT1基因转录产生1 326 bp和 1 363 bp两种不同的转录本, 1 326 bp的转录本编码441个氨基酸的多肽; 而1 363 bp的转录本含有37 bp未剪切的内含子序列, 从而导致开发读框发生移码突变现象. 实时荧光定量PCR结果表明, TDT1基因在四膜虫细胞营养生长和有性生殖过程中都有表达, 且在有性生殖过程中的表达显著上调. 免疫荧光定位表明, TDT1蛋白不仅定位于四膜虫基体和有性生殖期conjugation junction结构, 而且在四膜虫的大核和小核中也有定位. TDT1基因敲除发现,该基因不能通过表型分配完全被巴龙霉素抗性基因替代, 结果表明, TDT1蛋白在四膜虫细胞中可能具有多种不同的功能, 它的正常表达对四膜虫细胞的生存是必需的.     

酿酒酵母Sfi1p的结构及生物学功能

纺锤体极体(spindle pole body,SPB)是酵母细胞的微管组织中心,它在细胞分裂及细胞遗传稳定性的维持过程中起着极其重要的作用,是细胞生物学领域热门的研究方向.Sfi1p是酿酒酵母SPB的必需蛋白并且横跨整个半桥,该蛋白与SPB的复制有关,它的缺失或突变会导致SPB复制失败,在哺乳动物的中心体也存在酵母Sfi1p的同源蛋白.本文系统的介绍了酵母Sfi1p及其在人类中心体中的同源蛋白hSfi1p的结构特征,并且阐明了Sfi1p在SPB复制与分离、核配及生孢等细胞周期过程中的作用.对Sfi1p的功能研究,将有助于解决SPB研究过程中重要的科学问题,同时为中心体中Sfi1p同源蛋白的功能研究提供良好的借鉴.     

NUSAP1与恶性肿瘤

核仁纺锤体相关蛋白1(nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1,NUSAP1)是一种微管结合蛋白,它与微管结合后稳定微管并参与细胞分裂,与染色体结合后,促进有丝分裂纺锤体微管的形成;因此NUSAP1与细胞有丝分裂进程、纺锤体的形成有密切关系.NUSAP1的一个关键功能是在有丝...     

NuMA的分布和功能

核有丝分裂器蛋白（Nuclear Mitotic Apparatus Protein,NuMA）是一种在间期细胞核内有大量表达的大分子蛋白。NuMA是微管聚合因子,能使微管锚定于纺锤体极。在细胞有丝分裂,减数分裂过程中对纺锤体的形成和形态的雏持发挥重要作用。     

NuMA 的分布和功能

核有丝分裂器蛋白(Nuclear Mitotic Apparatus Protein,NuMA)是一种在间期细胞核内有大量表达的大分子蛋白。NuMA是微管聚合因子,能使微管锚定于纺锤体极。在细胞有丝分裂,减数分裂过程中对纺锤体的形成和形态的维持发挥重要作用。     

小鼠孤雌胚早期发育过程中γ-微管蛋白的动态变化

微管蛋白是构成微管的主要蛋白,其中α、β亚单位形成异二聚体,而γ-微管蛋白在微管组装中起作用。为了研究小鼠早期孤雌胚中廿微管蛋白的动态变化,本实验采用了免疫荧光化学染色与激光共聚焦显微镜观察相结合的方法,在SrCl2激活的卵母细胞减数分裂以及早期孤雌胚有丝分裂过程中对γ-微管蛋白进行了定位观察。结果显示,SrCl2和细胞松弛素B（cytochalasin B,CB）诱导的第二次减数分裂中期（metaphase Ⅱ ofmeiosis,MII）小鼠卵母细胞恢复减数分裂,并且纺锤体始终与质膜平行,表明纺锤体旋转被抑制,但核分裂不受影响。减数分裂过程中γ-微管蛋白主要定位于中期纺锤体两极和后期分开的染色单体之间;孤雌活化两雌原核形成以后,γ-微管蛋白聚集在两雌原核周围。在早期孤雌胚有丝分裂间期无定形的γ-微管蛋白均匀分布于核;前中期γ-微管蛋白向两极移动,遍布于整个纺锤体区。有丝分裂中期、后期和末期廿微管蛋白的分布变化与减数分裂相似。结果表明,SrCl2和CB激活的MII卯母细胞产生杂合二倍体;γ-微管蛋白具有促微管负极帽形成和稳定微管的功能,从而促进纺锤体的形成;分裂后期和末期廿微管蛋白的重新分布可能是由纺锤体牵引同源染色体分离所诱导的：γ-微管蛋白负责两雌原核的迁移靠近。     

中国组织化学与细胞化学杂志第15卷（2006年）总目录

第1期论著Caspase-3mRNA反义核苷酸对γ-射线诱导的HL-60细胞凋亡的影响(英文)………………………杜宝玲宋天保(1)反义CD151基因转染对大鼠血管平滑肌细胞迁移的影响……………………………………杨军刘正湘蓝荣芳等(7)神经干细胞分化过程中微管蛋白表达变化的光电镜观察………     

活性型粒酶B基因的异位表达导致多核巨细胞产生

粒酶B（granzyme B, GrB）是一种重要的丝氨酸蛋白酶参与细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(CTL)和自然杀伤细胞(NK)介导的细胞杀伤过程.为研究粒酶B在肿瘤细胞中异位表达后能否诱导细胞死亡,将构建的活性型粒酶B（GrBa）基因及其酶活性中心突变型（mGrBa）基因的真核表达载体,以脂质体法瞬时转染HeLa细胞,通过绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)共表达、间接免疫荧光、细胞计数、MTT等方法,观察到GrBa蛋白的异位表达引起多核巨细胞形态异常,并且表达细胞的生长受到抑制.Percoll分离多核巨细胞后,观察到其生长状态较差,是导致生长抑制的直接原因.细胞骨架破坏和具有多极纺锤体的异常有丝分裂,推测是多核巨细胞不断产生的根源.上述结果为GrBa应用于肿瘤基因治疗提供了一定依据.     

酵母纺锤体极体复制缺陷与染色体不稳定性的发生

纺锤体极体作为酵母细胞的微管组织中心,在功能上等同于高等真核细胞的中心体,它在细胞周期中的准确复制是两极纺锤体组装和染色体正确分离的前提。纺锤体极体复制缺陷会导致异倍体和多倍体的形成,造成染色体不稳定性的发生。以酿酒酵母细胞为模型,研究纺锤体极体复制过程相关蛋白质的突变,有助于揭示酵母细胞中染色体不稳定性发生的分子机制,并为动物细胞中心体复制的研究提供良好的借鉴。     

Fission yeast cells undergo nuclear division in the absence of spindle microtubules

Mitosis in eukaryotic cells employs spindle microtubules to drive accurate chromosome segregation at cell division. Cells lacking spindle microtubules arrest in mitosis due to a spindle checkpoint that delays mitotic progression until all chromosomes have achieved stable bipolar attachment to spindle microtubules. In fission yeast, mitosis occurs within an intact nuclear membrane with the mitotic spindle elongating between the spindle pole bodies. We show here that in fission yeast interference with mitotic spindle formation delays mitosis only briefly and cells proceed to an unusual nuclear division process we term nuclear fission, during which cells perform some chromosome segregation and efficiently enter S-phase of the next cell cycle. Nuclear fission is blocked if spindle pole body maturation or sister chromatid separation cannot take place or if actin polymerization is inhibited. We suggest that this process exhibits vestiges of a primitive nuclear division process independent of spindle microtubules, possibly reflecting an evolutionary intermediate state between bacterial and Archeal chromosome segregation where the nucleoid divides without a spindle and a microtubule spindle-based eukaryotic mitosis.     

Vesicle-like biomechanics governs important aspects of nuclear geometry in fission yeast

It has long been known that during the closed mitosis of many unicellular eukaryotes, including the fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe), the nuclear envelope remains intact while the nucleus undergoes a remarkable sequence of shape transformations driven by elongation of an intranuclear mitotic spindle whose ends are capped by spindle pole bodies embedded in the nuclear envelope. However, the mechanical basis of these normal cell cycle transformations, and abnormal nuclear shapes caused by intranuclear elongation of microtubules lacking spindle pole bodies, remain unknown. Although there are models describing the shapes of lipid vesicles deformed by elongation of microtubule bundles, there are no models describing normal or abnormal shape changes in the nucleus. We describe here a novel biophysical model of interphase nuclear geometry in fission yeast that accounts for critical aspects of the mechanics of the fission yeast nucleus, including the biophysical properties of lipid bilayers, forces exerted on the nuclear envelope by elongating microtubules, and access to a lipid reservoir, essential for the large increase in nuclear surface area during the cell cycle. We present experimental confirmation of the novel and non-trivial geometries predicted by our model, which has no free parameters. We also use the model to provide insight into the mechanical basis of previously described defects in nuclear division, including abnormal nuclear shapes and loss of nuclear envelope integrity. The model predicts that (i) despite differences in structure and composition, fission yeast nuclei and vesicles with fluid lipid bilayers have common mechanical properties; (ii) the S. pombe nucleus is not lined with any structure with shear resistance, comparable to the nuclear lamina of higher eukaryotes. We validate the model and its predictions by analyzing wild type cells in which ned1 gene overexpression causes elongation of an intranuclear microtubule bundle that deforms the nucleus of interphase cells.     

Latrunculin A delays anaphase onset in fission yeast by disrupting an Ase1-independent pathway controlling mitotic spindle stability

It has been proposed previously that latrunculin A, an inhibitor of actin polymerization, delays the onset of anaphase by causing spindle misorientation in fission yeast. However, we show that Deltamto1 cells, which are defective in nucleation of cytoplasmic microtubules, have profoundly misoriented spindles but are not delayed in the timing of sister chromatid separation, providing compelling evidence that fission yeast does not possess a spindle orientation checkpoint. Instead, we show that latrunculin A delays anaphase onset by disrupting interpolar microtubule stability. This effect is abolished in a latrunculin A-insensitive actin mutant and exacerbated in cells lacking Ase1, which cross-links antiparallel interpolar microtubules at the spindle midzone both before and after anaphase. These data indicate that both Ase1 and an intact actin cytoskeleton are required for preanaphase spindle stability. Finally, we show that loss of Ase1 activates a checkpoint that requires only the Mad3, Bub1, and Mph1, but not Mad1, Mad2, or Bub3 checkpoint proteins.     

Microtubules and actin cytoskeleton in Cryptococcus neoformans compared with ascomycetous budding and fission yeasts

Actin cytoskeleton and microtubules were studied in a human fungal pathogen, the basidiomycetous yeast Cryptococcus neoformans (haploid phase of Filobasidiella neoformans), during its asexual reproduction by budding using fluorescence and electron microscopy. Staining with rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin revealed an F-actin cytoskeleton consisting of cortical patches, cables and cytokinetic ring. F-actin patches accumulated at the regions of cell wall growth, i. e. in sterigma, bud and septum. In mother cells evenly distributed F-actin patches were joined to F-actin cables, which were directed to the growing sterigma and bud. Some F-actin cables were associated with the cell nucleus. The F-actin cytokinetic ring was located in the bud neck, where the septum originated. Antitubulin TAT1 antibody revealed a microtubular cytoskeleton consisting of cytoplasmic and spindle microtubules. In interphase cells cytoplasmic microtubules pointed to the growing sterigma and bud. As the nucleus was translocated to the bud for mitosis, the cytoplasmic microtubules disassembled and were replaced by a short intranuclear spindle. Astral microtubules then emanated from the spindle poles. Elongation of the mitotic spindle from bud to mother cell preceded nuclear division, followed by cytokinesis (septum formation in the bud neck). Electron microscopy of ultrathin sections of chemically fixed and freeze-substituted cells revealed filamentous bundles directed to the cell cortex. The bundles corresponded in width to the actin microfilament cables. At the bud neck numerous ribosomes accumulated before septum synthesis. We conclude: (i) the topology of F-actin patches, cables and rings in C. neoformans resembles ascomycetous budding yeast Saccharomyces, while the arrangement of interphase and mitotic microtubules resembles ascomycetous fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces. The organization of the cytoskeleton of the mitotic nucleus, however, is characteristic of basidiomycetous yeasts. (ii) A specific feature of C. neoformans was the formation of a cylindrical sterigma, characterized by invasion of F-actin cables and microtubules, followed by accumulation of F-actin patches around its terminal region resulting in development of an isodiametrical bud.     

Fission Yeast Scp3 Potentially Maintains Microtubule Orientation through Bundling

Microtubules play important roles in organelle transport, the maintenance of cell polarity and chromosome segregation and generally form bundles during these processes. The fission yeast gene scp3 ⁺ was identified as a multicopy suppressor of the cps3-81 mutant, which is hypersensitive to isopropyl N-3-chlorophenylcarbamate (CIPC), a poison that induces abnormal multipolar spindle formation in higher eukaryotes. In this study, we investigated the function of Scp3 along with the effect of CIPC in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Microscopic observation revealed that treatment with CIPC, cps3-81 mutation and scp3 ⁺ gene deletion disturbed the orientation of microtubules in interphase cells. Overexpression of scp3 ⁺ suppressed the abnormal orientation of microtubules by promoting bundling. Functional analysis suggested that Scp3 functions independently from Ase1, a protein largely required for the bundling of the mitotic spindle. A strain lacking the ase1 ⁺ gene was more sensitive to CIPC, with the drug affecting the integrity of the mitotic spindle, indicating that CIPC has a mitotic target that has a role redundant with Ase1. These results suggested that multiple systems are independently involved to ensure microtubule orientation by bundling in fission yeast.     

M phase-specific kinetochore proteins in fission yeast: microtubule-associating Dis1 and Mtc1 display rapid separation and segregation during anaphase

BACKGROUND: Kinetochore microtubules are made early in mitosis and link chromosomal kinetochores to the spindle poles. They are required later to move the separated sister chromatids toward the opposite poles upon the onset of anaphase. Very little is known about proteins that are responsible for the connection between kinetochores and mitotic microtubules. RESULTS: We here show that fission yeast Dis1 and the related protein Mtc1/Alp14 are both able to bind microtubules in vitro and share an essential function for viability in vivo. The deletion of mtc1+ results in an instability of cytoplasmic microtubules that can be suppressed by the ectopic expression of dis1+. Dis1 and Mtc1 are localized along interphase cytoplasmic microtubules and are mobilized onto the spindle upon mitotic commitment. In chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHIP) experiments Dis1 coprecipitated with the central centromeric DNA in an M phase-specific manner. Consistently, observations of both living cells in which the native, genomic copy of dis1+ tagged with GFP and cells fixed by immunostaining established that Dis1 behaves as a kinetochore protein during the progression from metaphase to anaphase. The central and C-terminal regions of Dis1 are sufficient for interactions with microtubules and the kinetochore, respectively. In anaphase, the GFP signals of both Dis1 and Mtc1 suddenly separate and move quickly toward opposite spindle poles. CONCLUSIONS: Fission yeast Dis1 and Mtc1 are members of an evolutionarily conserved microtubule binding protein family that includes frog XMAP215. Dis1 and Mtc1 are implicated in stabilizing kinetochore microtubules in metaphase and so counteract the action of microtubule destabilizing factors that dominate in anaphase. Dis1 may play a dual role by becoming a part of the kinetochores in an M phase-specific manner, and it may possibly generate connections between kinetochores and microtubules.     

Microtubules Orient the Mitotic Spindle in Yeast through Dynein-dependent Interactions with the Cell Cortex

Proper orientation of the mitotic spindle is critical for successful cell division in budding yeast. To investigate the mechanism of spindle orientation, we used a green fluorescent protein (GFP)–tubulin fusion protein to observe microtubules in living yeast cells. GFP–tubulin is incorporated into microtubules, allowing visualization of both cytoplasmic and spindle microtubules, and does not interfere with normal microtubule function. Microtubules in yeast cells exhibit dynamic instability, although they grow and shrink more slowly than microtubules in animal cells. The dynamic properties of yeast microtubules are modulated during the cell cycle. The behavior of cytoplasmic microtubules revealed distinct interactions with the cell cortex that result in associated spindle movement and orientation. Dynein-mutant cells had defects in these cortical interactions, resulting in misoriented spindles. In addition, microtubule dynamics were altered in the absence of dynein. These results indicate that microtubules and dynein interact to produce dynamic cortical interactions, and that these interactions result in the force driving spindle orientation.     

Mitotic spindle form and function

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitotic spindle in budding yeast is exemplified by its simplicity and elegance. Microtubules are nucleated from a crystalline array of proteins organized in the nuclear envelope, known as the spindle pole body in yeast (analogous to the centrosome in larger eukaryotes). The spindle has two classes of nuclear microtubules: kinetochore microtubules and interpolar microtubules. One kinetochore microtubule attaches to a single centromere on each chromosome, while approximately four interpolar microtubules emanate from each pole and interdigitate with interpolar microtubules from the opposite spindle to provide stability to the bipolar spindle. On the cytoplasmic face, two to three microtubules extend from the spindle pole toward the cell cortex. Processes requiring microtubule function are limited to spindles in mitosis and to spindle orientation and nuclear positioning in the cytoplasm. Microtubule function is regulated in large part via products of the 6 kinesin gene family and the 1 cytoplasmic dynein gene. A single bipolar kinesin (Cin8, class Kin-5), together with a depolymerase (Kip3, class Kin-8) or minus-end-directed kinesin (Kar3, class Kin-14), can support spindle function and cell viability. The remarkable feature of yeast cells is that they can survive with microtubules and genes for just two motor proteins, thus providing an unparalleled system to dissect microtubule and motor function within the spindle machine.     

The p21-activated kinase, Shk1, is required for proper regulation of microtubule dynamics in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe

The p21-activated kinase, Shk1, is required for the proper establishment of cell polarity in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We showed recently that loss of the essential Shk1 inhibitor, Skb15, causes significant spindle defects in fission yeast, thus implicating Shk1 as a potential regulator of microtubule dynamics. Here, we show that cells deficient in Shk1 function have malformed interphase microtubules and mitotic microtubule spindles, are hypersensitive to the microtubule-destabilizing drug thiabendazole (TBZ) and cold sensitive for growth. TBZ treatment causes a downregulation of Shk1 kinase activity, which increases rapidly after release of cells from the drug, thus providing a correlation between Shk1 kinase function and active microtubule polymerization. Consistent with a role for Shk1 as a regulator of microtubule dynamics, green fluorescent protein (GFP)-Shk1 fusion proteins localize to interphase microtubules and mitotic microtubule spindles, as well as to cell ends and septum-forming regions of fission yeast cells. We show that loss of Tea1, a cell end- and microtubule-localized protein previously implicated as a regulator of microtubule dynamics in fission yeast, exacerbates the growth and microtubule defects resulting from partial loss of Shk1 and that Shk1 localizes to illicit growth tips produced by tea1 mutant cells. Our results demonstrate that Shk1 is required for the proper regulation of microtubule dynamics in fission yeast and implicate Tea1 as a potential Shk1 regulator.