Human Miltons associate with mitochondria and induce microtubule-dependent remodeling of mitochondrial networks.

Proper mitochondrial distribution is crucial for cell function. In Drosophila, mitochondrial transport is facilitated by Miro and Milton, which regulate mitochondrial attachment to microtubules via kinesin heavy chain. Mammals contain two sequence orthologs of Milton however, they have been ascribed various functions in intracellular transport.

Alpha-actinin-3 deficiency results in reduced glycogen phosphorylase activity and altered calcium handling in skeletal muscle.

Approximately one billion people worldwide are homozygous for a stop codon polymorphism in the ACTN3 gene (R577X) which results in complete deficiency of the fast fibre muscle protein alpha-actinin-3. ACTN3 genotype is associated with human athletic performance and alpha-actinin-3 deficient mice [Actn3 knockout (KO) mice] have a shift in the properties of fast muscle fibres towards slower fibre properties, with increased activity of multiple enzymes in the aerobic metabolic pathway and slower contractile properties. alpha-Actinins have been shown to interact with a number of muscle proteins including the key metabolic regulator glycogen phosphorylase (GPh).

Spatiotemporal regulation of early lipolytic signaling in adipocytes.

Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) is a key enzyme regulating the acute activation of lipolysis. HSL functionality is controlled by multiple phosphorylation events, which regulate its association with the surface of lipid droplets (LDs). We determined the progression and stability of HSL phosphorylation on individual serine residues both spatially and temporally in adipocytes using phospho-specific antibodies.

Nucleophosmin and nucleolin regulate K-Ras plasma membrane interactions and MAPK signal transduction.

The spatial organization of Ras proteins into nanoclusters on the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane is essential for high fidelity signaling through the MAPK pathway. Here we identify two selective regulators of K-Ras nanoclustering from a proteomic screen for K-Ras interacting proteins. Nucleophosmin (NPM) and nucleolin are predominantly localized to the nucleolus but also have extranuclear functions.

MURC/Cavin-4 and cavin family members form tissue-specific caveolar complexes.

Polymerase I and transcript release factor (PTRF)/Cavin is a cytoplasmic protein whose expression is obligatory for caveola formation. Using biochemistry and fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based approaches, we now show that a family of related proteins, PTRF/Cavin-1, serum deprivation response (SDR)/Cavin-2, SDR-related gene product that binds to C kinase (SRBC)/Cavin-3, and muscle-restricted coiled-coil protein (MURC)/Cavin-4, forms a multiprotein complex that associates with caveolae. This complex can constitutively assemble in the cytosol and associate with caveolin at plasma membrane caveolae.

Vascular defects in a mouse model of hypotrichosis-lymphedema-telangiectasia syndrome indicate a role for SOX18 in blood vessel maturation.

Mutations in the transcription factor gene SOX18 cause vascular, lymphatic and hair follicle defects in humans with dominant and recessive forms of hypotrichosis-lymphedema-telangiectasia (HLT) syndrome. Here, we clarify the role of SOX18 in the vascular dysfunction in HLT by ultrastructural, immunofluorescence, molecular and functional analysis of vascular anomalies in embryos of the naturally occurring Sox18-mutant mouse strain ragged-opossum (Ra(Op)). Early genesis and patterning of vasculature was unimpaired in Ra(Op) embryos, but surface capillaries became enlarged from 12.

Annexin A2-dependent polymerization of actin mediates endosome biogenesis.

Early endosomes give rise to multivesicular intermediates during transport toward late endosomes. Much progress has been made in understanding the sorting of receptors into these intermediates, but the mechanisms responsible for their biogenesis remain unclear. Here, we report that F-actin is necessary for transport beyond early endosomes and endosome formation.

Abnormal nuclear pore formation triggers apoptosis in the intestinal epithelium of elys-deficient zebrafish.

Background & Aims: Zebrafish mutants generated by ethylnitrosourea-mutagenesis provide a powerful tool for dissecting the genetic regulation of developmental processes, including organogenesis. One zebrafish mutant, "flotte lotte" (flo), displays striking defects in intestinal, liver, pancreas, and eye formation at 78 hours postfertilization (hpf). In this study, we sought to identify the underlying mutated gene in flo and link the genetic lesion to its phenotype.

A single method for cryofixation and correlative light, electron microscopy and tomography of zebrafish embryos.

The zebrafish is a powerful vertebrate system for cell and developmental studies. In this study, we have optimized methods for fast freezing and processing of zebrafish embryos for electron microscopy (EM). We show that in the absence of primary chemical fixation, excellent ultrastructure, preservation of green fluorescent protein (GFP) fluorescence, immunogold labelling and electron tomography can be obtained using a single technique involving high-pressure freezing and embedding in Lowicryl resins at low temperature.

The GTPase-activating protein GRAF1 regulates the CLIC/GEEC endocytic pathway.

Clathrin-independent endocytosis is an umbrella term for a variety of endocytic pathways that internalize numerous cargoes independently of the canonical coat protein Clathrin [1, 2]. Electron-microscopy studies have defined the pleiomorphic CLathrin-Independent Carriers (CLICs) and GPI-Enriched Endocytic Compartments (GEECs) as related major players in such uptake [3, 4]. This CLIC/GEEC pathway relies upon cellular signaling and activation through small G proteins, but mechanistic insight into the biogenesis of its tubular and tubulovesicular carriers is lacking.

Cytoskeletal tropomyosin Tm5NM1 is required for normal excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle.

The functional diversity of the actin microfilaments relies in part on the actin binding protein tropomyosin (Tm). The muscle-specific Tms regulate actin-myosin interactions and hence contraction. However, there is less known about the roles of the numerous cytoskeletal isoforms.

Colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) delivers a proatherogenic signal to human macrophages.

M-CSF/CSF-1 supports the proliferation and differentiation of monocytes and macrophages. In mice, CSF-1 also promotes proinflammatory responses in vivo by regulating mature macrophage functions, but little is known about the acute effects of this growth factor on mature human macrophages. Here, we show that in contrast to its effects on mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages, CSF-1 did not induce expression of urokinase plasminogen activator mRNA, repress expression of apolipoprotein E mRNA, or prime LPS-induced TNF and IL-6 secretion in human monocyte-derived macrophages (HMDM) from several independent donors.

Ca2+-regulated pool of phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate produced by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase C2alpha on neurosecretory vesicles.

Phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate [PtdIns(3)P] is a key player in early endosomal trafficking and is mainly produced by class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). In neurosecretory cells, class II PI3K-C2alpha and its lipid product PtdIns(3)P have recently been shown to play a critical role during neuroexocytosis, suggesting that two distinct pools of PtdIns(3)P might coexist in these cells. However, the precise characterization of this additional pool of PtdIns(3)P remains to be established.

Activation of the MAPK module from different spatial locations generates distinct system outputs.

The Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK (MAPK) pathway directs multiple cell fate decisions within a single cell. How different system outputs are generated is unknown. Here we explore whether activating the MAPK module from different membrane environments can rewire system output.

Hrs and SNX3 functions in sorting and membrane invagination within multivesicular bodies.

After internalization, ubiquitinated signaling receptors are delivered to early endosomes. There, they are sorted and incorporated into the intralumenal invaginations of nascent multivesicular bodies, which function as transport intermediates to late endosomes. Receptor sorting is achieved by Hrs--an adaptor--like protein that binds membrane PtdIns3P via a FYVE motif-and then by ESCRT complexes, which presumably also mediate the invagination process.

Lipid droplet-organelle interactions; sharing the fats.

Lipid droplets (LDs) are key cellular organelles involved in lipid storage and mobilisation. While the major signalling cascades and many of the regulators of lipolysis have been identified, the cellular interactions involved in lipid mobilisation and release remain largely undefined. In non-adipocytes, LDs are small, mobile and interact with other cellular compartments.

Lysobisphosphatidic acid controls endosomal cholesterol levels.

Most cell types acquire cholesterol by endocytosis of circulating low density lipoprotein, but little is known about the mechanisms of intra-endosomal cholesterol transport and about the primary cause of its aberrant accumulation in the cholesterol storage disorder Niemann-Pick type C (NPC). Here we report that lysobisphosphatidic acid (LBPA), an unconventional phospholipid that is only detected in late endosomes, regulates endosomal cholesterol levels under the control of Alix/AlP1, which is an LBPA-interacting protein involved in sorting into multivesicular endosomes. We find that Alix down-expression decreases both LBPA levels and the lumenal vesicle content of late endosomes.

Evolutionary analysis and molecular dissection of caveola biogenesis.

Caveolae are an abundant feature of mammalian cells. Integral membrane proteins called caveolins drive the formation of caveolae but the precise mechanisms underlying caveola formation, and the origin of caveolae and caveolins during evolution, are unknown. Systematic evolutionary analysis shows conservation of genes encoding caveolins in metazoans.

Electrostatic interactions positively regulate K-Ras nanocluster formation and function.

The organization of Ras proteins into plasma membrane nanoclusters is essential for high-fidelity signal transmission, but whether the nanoscale environments of different Ras nanoclusters regulate effector interactions is unknown. We show using high-resolution spatial mapping that Raf-1 is recruited to and retained in K-Ras-GTP nanoclusters. In contrast, Raf-1 recruited to the plasma membrane by H-Ras is not retained in H-Ras-GTP nanoclusters.

Characterization of Rab18, a lipid droplet-associated small GTPase.

Lipid droplets are the major intracellular store of lipids in eukaryotic cells. Understanding lipid storage and regulated mobilization of lipids from lipid droplets is essential for understanding the syndromes and diseases associated with excess lipid accumulation. Lipid droplets have been traditionally considered relatively inert structures.

High-resolution 3D quantitative analysis of caveolar ultrastructure and caveola-cytoskeleton interactions.

Caveolae are characteristic invaginations of the mammalian plasma membrane (PM) implicated in lipid regulation, signal transduction and endocytosis. We have employed electron microscope tomography (ET) to quantify caveolae structure-function relationships in three-dimension (3D) at high resolution both in conventionally fixed and in fast-frozen/freeze-substituted (intact) cells as well as immunolabelled PM lawns. Our findings provide a detailed quantitative comparison of the average caveola dimensions for different cell types including tissue endothelial cells and cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Fld1p, a functional homologue of human seipin, regulates the size of lipid droplets in yeast.

Lipid droplets (LDs) are emerging cellular organelles that are of crucial importance in cell biology and human diseases. In this study, we present our screen of approximately 4,700 Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants for abnormalities in the number and morphology of LDs; we identify 17 fld (few LDs) and 116 mld (many LDs) mutants. One of the fld mutants (fld1) is caused by the deletion of YLR404W, a previously uncharacterized open reading frame.

PTRF-Cavin, a conserved cytoplasmic protein required for caveola formation and function.

Caveolae are abundant cell-surface organelles involved in lipid regulation and endocytosis. We used comparative proteomics to identify PTRF (also called Cav-p60, Cavin) as a putative caveolar coat protein. PTRF-Cavin selectively associates with mature caveolae at the plasma membrane but not Golgi-localized caveolin.