The interaction of small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) with the actin cytoskeleton has been described and some members of this family, e.g. chicken and murine HSP25 (HSP27), inhibit the polymerization of actin in vitro. To analyse the molecular basis of this interaction, we synthesized a set of overlapping peptides covering the complete sequence of murine HSP25 and tested the effect of these peptides on actin polymerization in vitro by fluorescence spectroscopy and electron microscopy. Two peptides comprising the sequences W43 to R57 (peptide 6) and I92 to N106 (peptide 11) of HSP25 were found to be potent inhibitors of actin polymerization. Phosphorylation of N-terminally extended peptide 11 at serine residues known to be phosphorylated in vivo resulted in decline of their inhibitory activity. Interestingly, peptides derived from the homologous peptide 11 sequence of murine alphaB-crystallin showed the same behaviour. The results suggest that both HSP25 and alphaB-crystallin have the potential to inhibit actin polymerization and that this activity is regulated by phosphorylation.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1432-1327.2001.02082.x | DOI Listing |
BMC Biol
January 2025
College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China.
Background: Abundant research indicates that increased extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness significantly enhances the malignant characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Plectin, an essential cytoskeletal linker protein, has recently emerged as a promoter of cancer progression, particularly in the context of cancer cell invasion and metastasis. However, the responsiveness of plectin to changes in ECM stiffness and its impact on HCC progression remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Cell Biol
March 2025
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Epithelial cells can become polyploid upon tissue injury, but mechanosensitive cues that trigger this state are poorly understood. Using an Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cell knock-out/reconstitution system, we show that α-catenin mutants that alter force-sensitive binding to F-actin or middle (M)-domain promote cytokinesis failure and binucleation, particularly near epithelial wound-fronts. We identified Leucine Zipper Tumor Suppressor 2 (LZTS2), a factor previously implicated in abscission, as a conformation sensitive proximity partner of α-catenin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Biol Sci
January 2025
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, China.
Skin fibrotic diseases are characterized by abnormal fibroblast function and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix. Our previous single-cell sequencing results identified an enriched fibroblast subcluster in skin fibrotic tissues that highly expresses the actin cross-linking cytoskeletal protein Transgelin (TAGLN), which bridges the mechanical environment of tissues and cellular metabolism. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the role of TAGLN in the pathogenesis of skin fibrosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Med Life
November 2024
Department of Radiology and Imagistic Medicine 1, Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
The gene (OMIM: 608271) encodes the Microtubule-Actin Cross-Linking Factor 1 protein. Existing medical research shows that genetic mutations in the gene have been associated with neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, with variants of unknown significance also linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the number of reported autism disorder or epilepsy cases associated with mutations remains limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiopolymers
January 2025
Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Cartilage damage resulting from trauma demonstrates a poor capacity for repair due to its avascular nature. Cartilage tissue engineering offers a unique therapeutic option for cartilage recovery. In this study, methylcellulose (MC)/gelatin (GEL) hydrogels (MC10G20, MC12.
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