Publications by authors named "Stephen Ireland"

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative stress has been associated with diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke, and cancer. While the effect of ROS on mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has been well documented, its consequence on the Golgi apparatus is less well understood. In this study, we characterized the Golgi structure and function in HeLa cells after exposure to hydrogen peroxide (HO), a reagent commonly used to introduce ROS to cells.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

It has been well documented that the ER responds to cellular stresses through the unfolded protein response (UPR), but it is unknown how the Golgi responds to similar stresses. In this study, we treated HeLa cells with ER stress inducers, thapsigargin (TG), tunicamycin (Tm), and dithiothreitol (DTT), and found that only TG treatment resulted in Golgi fragmentation. TG induced Golgi fragmentation at a low dose and short time when UPR was undetectable, indicating that Golgi fragmentation occurs independently of ER stress.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

It has been indicated that the Golgi apparatus contributes to autophagy, but how it is involved in autophagosome formation and maturation is not well understood. Here we show that amino acid starvation causes -Golgi derived membrane fragments to colocalize with autophagosomes. Depletion of the Golgi stacking protein GORASP2/GRASP55, but not GORASP1/GRASP65, increases both MAP1LC3 (LC3)-II and SQSTM1/p62 levels.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In mammalian cells, the Golgi reassembly stacking protein of 65 kDa (GRASP65) has been implicated in both Golgi stacking and ribbon linking by forming trans-oligomers. To better understand its function and regulation, we used biochemical methods to identify the DnaJ homolog subfamily A member 1 (DjA1) as a novel GRASP65-binding protein. In cells, depletion of DjA1 resulted in Golgi fragmentation, short and improperly aligned cisternae, and delayed Golgi reassembly after nocodazole washout.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The resting membrane potential (Δψ) of the cell is negative on the cytosolic side and determined primarily by the plasma membrane's selective permeability to K We show that lysosomal Δψ is set by lysosomal membrane permeabilities to Na and H, but not K, and is positive on the cytosolic side. An increase in juxta-lysosomal Ca rapidly reversed lysosomal Δψ by activating a large voltage-dependent and K-selective conductance (LysoK). LysoK is encoded molecularly by SLO1 proteins known for forming plasma membrane BK channels.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Tumor cells gain metastatic capacity through a Golgi phosphoprotein 3-dependent (GOLPH3-dependent) Golgi membrane dispersal process that drives the budding and transport of secretory vesicles. Whether Golgi dispersal underlies the pro-metastatic vesicular trafficking that is associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) remains unclear. Here, we have shown that, rather than causing Golgi dispersal, EMT led to the formation of compact Golgi organelles with improved ribbon linking and cisternal stacking.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

RNAi-based technologies have the potential to augment, or replace existing pest management strategies. However, some insect taxa are less susceptible to the induction of the post-transcriptional gene silencing effect than others, such as the Lepidoptera. Here we describe experiments to investigate the induction of RNAi in the codling moth, Cydia pomonella, a major lepidopteran pest of apple, pear, and walnut.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Alexander disease (AxD) is an astrogliopathy, resulting from a mutation in the glial fibrillary astrocytic protein gene. Different clinical subtypes have been described, including infantile, juvenile, and adult onset, based upon the age at which symptoms begin. Patients with the adult-onset form, develop a progressive, spastic paraparesis, palatal myoclonus, ataxia, and bulbar weakness.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A novel compound, TTP-8307, was identified as a potent inhibitor of the replication of several rhino- and enteroviruses. TTP-8307 inhibits viral RNA synthesis in a dose-dependent manner, without affecting polyprotein synthesis and/or processing. Drug-resistant variants of coxsackievirus B3 were all shown to carry at least one amino acid mutation in the nonstructural protein 3A.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF