Publications by authors named "Teresa Vitali"
Article Synopsis
- Mapping 3D plasma membrane topology in live cells provides important insights into cell biology, utilizing advanced imaging techniques for better visualization.
- Traditional methods like 3D-SIM improve resolution but struggle with nanoscale details; new axial interferometry techniques can pinpoint protein locations near the membrane.
- The newly developed MAxSIM, combined with a height-controlled mirror system, enhances imaging accuracy and allows for detailed, real-time 3D mapping of plasma membranes in live cells.
Article Synopsis
- The Golgi complex is a network of stacked membranes near the cell nucleus, and its shape and position depend on interactions with the cell's microtubules and actin.
- This study reveals that the Golgi is closely associated with vimentin intermediate filaments in mouse and human cells, and that the protein GORAB interacts with these filaments.
- The absence of vimentin and/or GORAB affects the stability and integrity of the Golgi, leading to quicker disassembly and slower reassembly after disruptions, indicating their role in supporting the Golgi complex.
Article Synopsis
- The text outlines laboratory protocols for measuring the activity of glutamine synthetase (GS), specifically focusing on the Drosophila GS1 gene and protein levels in larval and head extracts of fruit flies.
- The assays utilize the enzyme's ability to produce γ-glutamylhydroxylamine from ATP, L-glutamate, and hydroxylamine, with product formation tracked using spectrophotometry.
- The methods are flexible enough to be modified for assessing GS activity in other biological materials beyond Drosophila.
Immunofluorescence is a technique that uses antibodies and fluorophores to label structures inside cells. The cells are normally fixed and permeabilized, and then structures are labelled using primary antibodies directly conjugated to fluorophores, or, more commonly, first with an antibody against an antigen of interest followed by a secondary antibody conjugated to a fluorophore that binds to the primary antibody. Fluorescence can be visualized using widefield, confocal, or super-resolution microscopy.
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- - Glutamine Synthetase 1 (GS1) helps produce l-glutamine from l-glutamate and plays a crucial role in maintaining glutamate balance between glia and neurons, which is often disrupted in neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington's disease (HD).
- - GS1 expression in neurons can alleviate movement issues caused by mutant Htt (the harmful protein in HD) by enhancing autophagy, leading to a reduction in toxic protein aggregates.
- - The study uncovers that GS1's ability to decrease TOR activation and increase levels of certain amino acids mimics a "starvation-like" state, promoting autophagy, which may protect neuronal health and prevent toxic protein build-up in neurodeg
Article Synopsis
- * The study shows that ASAP1 directly regulates actin filament assembly through its specific domains, particularly the BAR-PH segment, which helps bundle the filaments.
- * Depleting ASAP1 leads to disorganized stress fibers, while increasing its levels enhances actin remodeling, indicating that ASAP1 plays a critical role in maintaining the cell's cytoskeletal integrity.
Article Synopsis
- ADP-ribosylation factors (Arfs) are part of the Ras GTPase superfamily and play a crucial role in cell processes by cycling between GDP-bound and GTP-bound states, influenced by GAPs and GEFs.
- Arf GAPs are found in integrin adhesion complexes, which are essential for various cell functions like proliferation and migration, making them significant in both normal physiology and cancer.
- The review explores how different Arf GAPs, like GIT1, GIT2, and AGAP2, contribute to the formation, maturation, and dynamics of integrin adhesion complexes, showcasing their diverse mechanisms and functions.
Article Synopsis
- MICAL1 is a large protein involved in the dynamics of the cytoskeleton, featuring a flavoprotein domain that interacts with NADPH and influences F-actin structure.
- The protein contains several distinct regions (calponin homology, LIM domains, and a C-terminal region) that modify its enzymatic activity by affecting its affinity for NADPH and overall protein charge.
- F-actin enhances MICAL1’s enzymatic performance and promotes its active conformation, leading to actin depolymerization via hydrogen peroxide rather than direct chemical modifications of actin.
Article Synopsis
- * Their monooxygenase-like domain is essential for responding to semaphorins, leading to actin cytoskeleton disassembly, which is critical for cellular processes like differentiation and migration in different cell types.
- * The review highlights in vitro studies on MICAL from mice, humans, and Drosophila, showing how MICAL can depolymerize actin and that this process may involve the conversion of specific amino acids, suggesting a reversible effect on F-actin.