Mechanism Of Cell Division Research Articles

Mechanical power is maximized during contractile ring-like formation in a biomimetic dividing cell model

The spatial and temporal dynamics of forces in cells coordinate essential behaviors like division, polarization, and migration. While intracellular signaling initiates contractile ring assembly during cell division, how mechanical forces coordinate division and their energetic costs remain unclear. Here, we develop an in vitro model where myosin-induced stress drives division-like shape changes in giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs, liposomes). Myosin activity is controlled by light patterns globally or locally at the equator. Global activation causes slow, shallow cleavage furrows due to a tug-of-war between the equatorial and polar forces. By contrast, local activation leads to faster, deeper, and symmetric division as equatorial forces dominate. Dissociating the actin cortex at the poles is crucial for inducing significant furrowing. During furrowing, actomyosin flows align actin filaments parallel to the division plane, forming a contractile ring-like structure. Mechanical power is not greatest during contraction, but is maximized just before furrowing. This study reveals the quantitative relationship between force patterning and mechanical energy during division-like shape changes, providing insights into cell division mechanics.

Role of Orphan ParA Proteins in Replication and Cell Division in Rhodococcus erythropolis PR4.

Bacteria have a very well-regulated mechanism for chromosome segregation and cell division. This process requires a large number of complex proteins to participate and mediate their functionality. Among these complex proteins, ParA and ParB play a vital role for the faithful segregation of chromosome. In Rhodococcus erythropolis PR4, besides the essential parAB operon, there are three orphan copies of parA genes. Here, we report that the orphan ParA2 and ParA3 have distinct roles in the cell cycle. The disruption of the orphan parA2 or parA3 gene resulted in elongated cells. Multiple septal rings and mislocalised septa were observed in ΔparA3 and ΔparA2 mutants, respectively. The subcellular localization of ParA2 revealed a distinct ring- and ribbon-like structure. On the other hand, orphan ParA3 was localized slightly away from the poles. The orphan ParA proteins were found to interact with ParB, the strongest interaction was observed with ParA2. Further, asynchronous replication initiation was observed in ΔparA3 mutants suggesting its role in replication. This is the first report demonstrating the distinct roles of orphan parA genes from Rhodococcus.

Cell Division: More Help in Forensic Medicine

Cell Division is a extremely regulated process. Cell mechanism and its Division is a very important step in solving human health problem’s. dismember the mechanisms of cell Division used classical genetics approaches to identify genes involved in mitosis and deployed biochemical approaches to isolate and identify proteins critical for cell Division. If it is my intent in this brief review to discuss the strategies in this genetics approaches of the new conclusions that have come to light

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of asymmetric stem cell division in tissue homeostasis.

The asymmetric cell division determines cell diversity and distinct sibling cell fates by mechanisms linked to mitosis. Many adult stem cells divide asymmetrically to balance self-renewal and differentiation. The process of asymmetric cell division involves an axis of polarity and, second, the localization of cell fate determinants at the cell poles. Asymmetric division of stem cells is achieved by intrinsic and extrinsic fate determinants such as signaling molecules, epigenetics factors, molecules regulating gene expression, and polarized organelles. At least some stem cells perform asymmetric and symmetric cell divisions during development. Asymmetric division ensures that the number of stem cells remains constant throughout life. The asymmetric division of stem cells plays an important role in biological events such as embryogenesis, tissue regeneration and carcinogenesis. This review summarizes recent advances in the regulation of asymmetric stem cell division in model organisms.

The Archaeal Cell Cycle.

Since first identified as a separate domain of life in the 1970s, it has become clear that archaea differ profoundly from both eukaryotes and bacteria. In this review, we look across the archaeal domain and discuss the diverse mechanisms by which archaea control cell cycle progression, DNA replication, and cell division. While the molecular and cellular processes archaea use to govern these critical cell biological processes often differ markedly from those described in bacteria and eukaryotes, there are also striking similarities that highlight both unique and common principles of cell cycle control across the different domains of life. Since much of the eukaryotic cell cycle machinery has its origins in archaea, exploration of the mechanisms of archaeal cell division also promises to illuminate the evolution of the eukaryotic cell cycle.

The Last Universal Common Ancestor of Ribosome-Encoding Organisms: Portrait of LUCA.

The existence of LUCA in the distant past is the logical consequence of the binary mechanism of cell division. The biosphere in which LUCA and contemporaries were living was the product of a long cellular evolution from the origin of life to the second age of the RNA world. A parsimonious scenario suggests that the molecular fabric of LUCA was much simpler than those of modern organisms, explaining why the evolutionary tempo was faster at the time of LUCA than it was during the diversification of the three domains. Although LUCA was possibly equipped with a RNA genome and most likely lacked an ATP synthase, it was already able to perform basic metabolic functions and to produce efficient proteins. However, the proteome of LUCA and its inferred metabolism remains to be correctly explored by in-depth phylogenomic analyses and updated datasets. LUCA was probably a mesophile or a moderate thermophile since phylogenetic analyses indicate that it lacked reverse gyrase, an enzyme systematically present in all hyperthermophiles. The debate about the position of Eukarya in the tree of life, either sister group to Archaea or descendants of Archaea, has important implications to draw the portrait of LUCA. In the second alternative, one can a priori exclude the presence of specific eukaryotic features in LUCA. In contrast, if Archaea and Eukarya are sister group, some eukaryotic features, such as the spliceosome, might have been present in LUCA and later lost in Archaea and Bacteria. The nature of the LUCA virome is another matter of debate. I suggest here that DNA viruses only originated during the diversification of the three domains from an RNA-based LUCA to explain the odd distribution pattern of DNA viruses in the tree of life.

LncRNAs and asymmetric cell division: the epigenetic mechanisms

Asymmetric cell division (ACD) plays a pivotal role in development, tissue homeostasis, and stem cell maintenance. Emerging evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are key regulators of ACD, orchestrating the intricate molecular machinery that governs cell fate determination. This review summarizes current literature to elucidate the diverse roles of lncRNAs in modulating ACD across various biological contexts. The regulatory mechanisms of asymmetric cell division mediated by lncRNAs, including their interactions with protein effectors, epigenetic regulation, and subcellular localization are explored. Additionally, we discuss the implications of dysregulated lncRNAs in mediating ACD that lead to tumorigenesis. By integrating findings from diverse experimental models and cell types, this review provides insights into the multifaceted roles of lncRNAs in governing asymmetric cell division, shedding light on fundamental biological processes. Further research in this area may lead to the development of novel therapies targeting dysregulated lncRNAs to restore proper cell division and function. The knowledge of lncRNAs regulating ACD could potentially revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine and cancer therapy by targeting specific lncRNAs involved in ACD. By unraveling the complex interactions between lncRNAs and cellular processes, the potential novel opportunities for precision medicine approaches may be uncovered.

Tracing the Chromatin: From 3C to Live-Cell Imaging.

Chromatin organization plays a key role in gene regulation throughout the cell cycle. Understanding the dynamics governing the accessibility of chromatin is crucial for insight into mechanisms of gene regulation, DNA replication, and cell division. Extensive research has been done to track chromatin dynamics to explain how cells function and how diseases develop, in the hope of this knowledge leading to future therapeutics utilizing proteins or drugs that modify the accessibility or expression of disease-related genes. Traditional methods for studying the movement of chromatin throughout the cell relied on cross-linking spatially adjacent sections or hybridizing fluorescent probes to chromosomal loci and then constructing dynamic models from the static data collected at different time points. While these traditional methods are fruitful in understanding fundamental aspects of chromatin organization, they are limited by their invasive sample preparation protocols and diffraction-limited microscope resolution. These limitations have been challenged by modern methods based on high- or super-resolution microscopy and specific labeling techniques derived from gene targeting tools. These modern methods are more sensitive and less invasive than traditional methods, therefore allowing researchers to track chromosomal organization, compactness, and even the distance or rate of chromatin domain movement in detail and real time. This review highlights a selection of recently developed methods of chromatin tracking and their applications in fixed and live cells.

Division of Bénard-Marangoni cells in bottom heated thin rectangular liquid layers under high supercritical number

Though the time-dependent behavior of Bénard-Marangoni (BM) cells has been widely investigated in the past decades, most are concerned with the transformation of geometrical shape whereas few consider its division. Unlike the original incipience of the classical BM cell which comes from a static liquid layer with uniform surface temperature, the cell division occurs in a layer occupied by BM cells. The behavior of cell division is more complex than its original incipience, which is not yet understood clearly. The reason and critical conditions of the division are also unclear. The present work is aimed at these issues and a series of experiments are performed in bottom heated thin layers of silicone oil in rectangular pools. The results demonstrate that the cell division needs three conditions, i.e., an enough high supercritical number ε (= (Mav − Mac)/Mac), an enough high ratio k of local horizontal Marangoni number to local vertical Marangoni number of the cell, and five or more edges of the cell. Under enough high ε, a new cell is generated at a corner of the original cell where k is the largest among the cell corners. The percent of cell division increases with increases of ε and Pr. With increasing ε, the previous generated pentagonal cell further divides and the original cell eventually divides into three or even four cells. The threshold of the average ratio of the maximum local horizontal Marangoni number to the maximum local vertical Marangoni number for incipience of cell division is determined. The mechanisms of cell divisions are clarified and the flow field during division is provided by experiment and numerical simulation. This work helps for understanding the behavior of BM instability after generation.

Structure and activity of the septal peptidoglycan hydrolysis machinery crucial for bacterial cell division.

The peptidoglycan (PG) layer is a critical component of the bacterial cell wall and serves as an important target for antibiotics in both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. The hydrolysis of septal PG (sPG) is a crucial step of bacterial cell division, facilitated by FtsEX through an amidase activation system. In this study, we present the cryo-EM structures of Escherichia coli FtsEX and FtsEX-EnvC in the ATP-bound state at resolutions of 3.05 Å and 3.11 Å, respectively. Our PG degradation assays in E. coli reveal that the ATP-bound conformation of FtsEX activates sPG hydrolysis of EnvC-AmiB, whereas EnvC-AmiB alone exhibits autoinhibition. Structural analyses indicate that ATP binding induces conformational changes in FtsEX-EnvC, leading to significant differences from the apo state. Furthermore, PG degradation assays of AmiB mutants confirm that the regulation of AmiB by FtsEX-EnvC is achieved through the interaction between EnvC-AmiB. These findings not only provide structural insight into the mechanism of sPG hydrolysis and bacterial cell division, but also have implications for the development of novel therapeutics targeting drug-resistant bacteria.

Abstract 5797: Next generation antibody drug conjugates: Multi-payload conjugates targeting multiple mechanisms of cell killing

Abstract Introduction: ADCs have had tremendous impact on patient outcomes in breast cancer and are now second line therapy for stage IV HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer. However, many patients fail to respond or relapse after treatment with ADC therapies due to tumor heterogeneity and resistance to ADC payloads. We are developing next generation ADCs that deliver targeted combination chemotherapies with a single molecule. Method: CatenaBio has developed a novel system capable of attaching distinct payloads at different sites to the same antibody, enabling the production of highly stable single-molecule targeted combination therapies, Multi-Payload-Conjugates (MPCs), with a well-defined drug-antibody ratio (DAR). Results: We screened combinations of different payloads targeting several different mechanisms of cell division attached to trastuzumab at different DARs to optimize tumor cell killing. These targeted combination ADCs demonstrated robust killing in both HER2 high and low tumor cell lines. Additionally, these novel MPCs show potent inhibition of tumor growth in a HER2+ xenograft model of cancer. Conclusion: Antibody Drug Conjugates have revolutionized the treatment of high HER2 positive breast cancer. More recently advances have been made in the design of ADCs to expand indications to include HER2 low as well as HER2 negative patients. Multi-payload Conjugates® offer the next step in ADC design and allow for the combination of multiple mechanisms of action in a single MPC that are highly effective across multiple breast cancer cell lines and HER2 expression levels. These molecules offer the potential to circumvent tumor resistance pathways and deliver deeper and more durable responses. Citation Format: Richard L. Kendall, Marco Lobba, Saurabh Johri, Chanez Symister, Devin Trinter, Maxwell Nguyen, Daniel Gutierrez, Samantha Brady, Andrew Lau, Matthew B. Francis. Next generation antibody drug conjugates: Multi-payload conjugates targeting multiple mechanisms of cell killing [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 5797.

Abstract 514: Salt-inducible kinase inhibitor OMX-0407 drives cell-cycle arrest in vitro and in vivo: An in-depth MoA analysis by phospho-proteomics

Abstract Based on iOmx’ proprietary iOTargTM genetic screening platform, salt-inducible kinase (SIK) 3 was identified as a novel cell signaling modulator in cancer biology. OMX-0407, an orally available, spectrum-selective kinase inhibitor targets several members of the SIK family and is known to prevent tumor-promoting function of the SIK-family through repolarization of the tumor microenvironment by enhancing caspase-mediated apoptosis upon death-receptor signaling. In addition, OMX-0407 inhibits individual key members of the tyrosine and tyrosine-like kinase family that are involved in cancer cell proliferation and cell cycle regulation. Via this dual mode of action, OMX-0407 has the potential to effectively fight solid tumors as exemplified by its striking single-agent efficacy in multiple pre-clinical tumor models. A comprehensive anti-tumor viability screen of >200 human cancer cell lines revealed striking effects of OMX-0407 on cancer cell viability across various cancer indications, resulting in a distinct sensitivity profile across various tumor indications with particularly strong effects on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and squamous non-small cell lung cancer (sqNSCLC). Phospho-proteomics screening demonstrated pharmacodynamic activity of OMX-0407 in sensitive tumor cell lines via inhibition of key cellular processes such as cell motility, proliferation, and cell cycle regulation across different indications. Orthogonal functional in vitro assays confirmed the association of the OMX-0407-mediated anti-tumor efficacy with the arrest of G1/S transition and corresponding downregulation of cell cycle associated proteins PAK1/2 and ARHGAP35. The profound impact of OMX-0407 on fundamental regulatory mechanisms of cell division and cancer cell apoptosis translates into dose-dependent single-agent, anti-tumor efficacy in various pre-clinical tumor models of selected indications. Combination with Axitinib, a selective orally available inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, significantly enhanced anti-tumor efficacy and pharmacodynamic inhibition of cell growth as well as angiogenesis. These data further strengthen the potential of OMX-0407 in the treatment of RCC as well as other indications. In summary, OMX-0407 is a novel spectrum selective kinase inhibitor, currently under evaluation in a clinical Phase I trial (NCT05826600). OMX-0407 demonstrates strong anti-tumor efficacy in monotherapy in selected sensitive indications through a dual-pronged MoA, by modulating the tumor microenvironment and exerting direct anti-tumor activity in solid tumor indications with high unmet medical need. Citation Format: Ilona-Petra Maser, Marisa Stebegg-Wagner, Bettina Bauer, Filippos Konstantinidis, Andreas Schirmer, Moritz Zulley, Sonja Lacher, Barbara Kracher, Parastou Kohvaei, Murray Yule, Hannes Loferer, Stefan Bissinger. Salt-inducible kinase inhibitor OMX-0407 drives cell-cycle arrest in vitro and in vivo: An in-depth MoA analysis by phospho-proteomics [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 514.

Compositional and functional analysis of the bacterial community of Mediterranean Leptosols under livestock grazing

The composition and functioning of soil bacterial communities, as well as their responses to multiple perturbations, are not well understood in the terrestrial ecosystems. Our study focuses on the bacterial community of erosive and poorly developed soils (Haplic Leptosols) in Mediterranean rangelands of Extremadura (W Spain) with different grazing intensities. Leptosols from similar natural conditions were selected and sampled at two depths to determine the soil properties as well as the structure and activity of bacterial communities. As grazing intensified, the soil C and N content increased, as did the number and diversity of bacteria, mainly of fast-growing lineages. Aridibacter, Acidobacteria Gp6 and Gp10, Gemmatimonas, and Segetibacter increased their abundance along the grazing-intensity gradient. Firmicutes such as Romboutsia and Turicibacter from livestock microbiome also increased. In functional terms, the KEGG pathways enriched in the soils with moderate and high grazing intensity were ABC transporters, DNA repair and recombination proteins, the two-component system, and the degradation of xenobiotics. All of these proved to be related to stronger cell division and response mechanisms to environmental stressors such as drought, warming, toxic substances, and nutrient deprivation. Consequently, the bacterial community was affected by grazing, but appeared to adapt and counteract the effects of a high grazing intensity. Therefore, a clearly detrimental effect of grazing was not detected in the bacterial community of the soils studied.

Localized calcium transients in phragmoplast regulate cytokinesis of tobacco BY-2 cells.

Plants exhibit a unique pattern of cytosolic Ca2+ dynamics to correlate with microtubules to regulate cytokinesis, which significantly differs from those observed in animal and yeast cells. Calcium (Ca2+) transients mediated signaling is known to be essential in cytokinesis across eukaryotic cells. However, the detailed spatiotemporal dynamics of Ca2+ during plant cytokinesis remain largely unexplored. In this study, we employed GCaMP5, a genetically encoded Ca2+ sensor, to investigate cytokinetic Ca2+ transients during cytokinesis in Nicotiana tabacum Bright Yellow-2 (BY-2) cells. We validated the effectiveness of GCaMP5 to capture fluctuations in intracellular free Ca2+ in transgenic BY-2 cells. Our results reveal that Ca2+ dynamics during BY-2 cell cytokinesis are distinctly different from those observed in embryonic and yeast cells. It is characterized by an initial significant Ca2+ spike within the phragmoplast region. This spike is followed by a decrease in Ca2+ concentration at the onset of cytokinesis in phragmoplast, which then remains elevated in comparison to the cytosolic Ca2+ until the completion of cell plate formation. At the end of cytokinesis, Ca2+ becomes uniformly distributed in the cytosol. This pattern contrasts with the typical dual waves of Ca2+ spikes observed during cytokinesis in animal embryonic cells and fission yeasts. Furthermore, applications of pharmaceutical inhibitors for either Ca2+ or microtubules revealed a close correlation between Ca2+ transients and microtubule organization in the regulation of cytokinesis. Collectively, our findings highlight the unique dynamics and crucial role of Ca2+ transients during plant cell cytokinesis, and provides new insights into plant cell division mechanisms.

Proteins containing photosynthetic reaction centre domains modulate FtsZ-based archaeal cell division.

Cell division in all domains of life requires the orchestration of many proteins, but in Archaea most of the machinery remains poorly characterized. Here we investigate the FtsZ-based cell division mechanism in Haloferax volcanii and find proteins containing photosynthetic reaction centre (PRC) barrel domains that play an essential role in archaeal cell division. We rename these proteins cell division protein B 1 (CdpB1) and CdpB2. Depletions and deletions in their respective genes cause severe cell division defects, generating drastically enlarged cells. Fluorescence microscopy of tagged FtsZ1, FtsZ2 and SepF in CdpB1 and CdpB2 mutant strains revealed an unusually disordered divisome that is not organized into a distinct ring-like structure. Biochemical analysis shows that SepF forms a tripartite complex with CdpB1/2 and crystal structures suggest that these two proteins might form filaments, possibly aligning SepF and the FtsZ2 ring during cell division. Overall our results indicate that PRC-domain proteins play essential roles in FtsZ-based cell division in Archaea.

INVESTIGATION OF ANTI-CANCER PROPERTIES OF COMPONENTS EXTRACTED FROM POLAR MICROALGAE

Cancer is irregular cell division that can be inherited or occur under environmental factors. Due to mutations in DNA, damage occurs in the cell division mechanism and cells divide uncontrollably [1]. Natural compounds are widely preferred in the treatment of cancer, which is the second leading cause of death. Microalgae have a great role in cancer treatment because they have rich bioactive components and high efficiency [2,3]. Microalgal biomass has many uses in a wide variety of fields, thanks to its potential for rich bioactive compounds and its ability to be used as a sustainable bio- product source. It provides benefits [3]. Therefore, research on microalgae is increasing as biotechnology advances. Bioactive compounds derived from microalgae are a natural, safe, and renewable resource and are research subjects for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications due to their potential therapeutic properties [4]. These bio-actives also have drug delivery, wound healing, and antioxidant, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anti-carcinogenic properties [5]. There is a lot of research done on microalgae. And these studies continue to increase. This study aims to determine the content of microalgae obtained from the polar regions and to investigate their anti-cancer properties, thus adding new information to the knowledge in the literature. Microalgae has been proven to have anti-cancer properties due to its bioactive properties. While microalgae exhibit natural killer cell activity against cancer cells, they also activate the immune system. There are no studies in the literature regarding the anticancer effects of polar microalgae. This project aims to extract the contents of various polar algae species and analyze these contents, then examine their anticancer properties through cancer lines and offer an alternative way to treat this disease. After investigating the properties of the produced polar microalgae, the substance obtained through extraction will be applied to cancer cells to study its anticancer activity. The primary field contribution of this project is to examine the anti-cancer activity of polar microalgae in various types of cancer and to pave the way for the production of polar algae-based biotechnological drugs. Therefore, one of our main goals is to fill the gaps in the literature and pioneer other studies. Keywords: Polar Microalgae, Biotechnology, Neuroprotective, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-carcinogenic.

Morphogenesis in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes proceeds via a highly asymmetric cell division.

Trypanosoma cruzi is a protist parasite that is the causative agent of Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease endemic to the Americas. T. cruzi cells are highly polarized and undergo morphological changes as they cycle within their insect and mammalian hosts. Work on related trypanosomatids has described cell division mechanisms in several life-cycle stages and identified a set of essential morphogenic proteins that serve as markers for key events during trypanosomatid division. Here, we use Cas9-based tagging of morphogenic genes, live-cell imaging, and expansion microscopy to study the cell division mechanism of the insect-resident epimastigote form of T. cruzi, which represents an understudied trypanosomatid morphotype. We find that T. cruzi epimastigote cell division is highly asymmetric, producing one daughter cell that is significantly smaller than the other. Daughter cell division rates differ by 4.9 h, which may be a consequence of this size disparity. Many of the morphogenic proteins identified in T. brucei have altered localization patterns in T. cruzi epimastigotes, which may reflect fundamental differences in the cell division mechanism of this life cycle stage, which widens and shortens the cell body to accommodate the duplicated organelles and cleavage furrow rather than elongating the cell body along the long axis of the cell, as is the case in life-cycle stages that have been studied in T. brucei. This work provides a foundation for further investigations of T. cruzi cell division and shows that subtle differences in trypanosomatid cell morphology can alter how these parasites divide.

The bacterial tubulin homolog FtsZ generates electrical oscillations

FtsZ, a major cytoskeletal protein in all bacteria and archaea, forms a ring that directs cytokinesis. Bacterial FtsZ is considered the ancestral homolog of the eukaryotic microtubule (MT)-forming tubulins, sharing GTPase activity and the ability to assemble into protofilaments, rings, and sheets, but not MTs. Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated that structures of isolated brain MTs spontaneously generate electrical oscillations and bursts of electrical activity similar to action potentials. No information about whether the prokaryotic tubulins may share similar properties is available. Here, we obtained by ammonium sulfate precipitation an enriched protein fraction of the endogenous FtsZ from wild-type Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 without any transfection or overexpression of the protein. As revealed by electron microscopy, FtsZ was detected by dot blot analysis and immunofluorescence that assembled into filaments and sheets in a polymerization buffer. We used the patch-clamp technique to explore the electrical properties of sheets of FtsZ and bacterial cells. Electrical recordings at various holding potentials ranging from ±200 mV showed a complex oscillatory behavior, with several peak frequencies between 12 and 110 Hz in the power spectra and a linear mean current response. To confirm the oscillatory electrical behavior of FtsZ we also conducted experiments with commercial recombinant FtsZ, with similar results. We also detected, by local field potentials, similar electrical oscillations in K+-depolarized pellets of E. coli cultures. FtsZ oscillations had a wider range of frequency peaks than MT sheets from eukaryotic origin. The findings indicate that the bacterial cytoskeleton generates electrical oscillators that may play a relevant role in cell division and unknown signaling mechanisms in bacterial populations.

Interplay of self-organization of microtubule asters and crosslinking protein condensates.

The cytoskeleton is a major focus of physical studies to understand organization inside cells given its primary role in cell motility, cell division, and cell mechanics. Recently, protein condensation has been shown to be another major intracellular organizational strategy. Here, we report that the microtubule crosslinking proteins, MAP65-1 and PRC1, can form phase separated condensates at physiological salt and temperature without additional crowding agents in vitro. The size of the droplets depends on the concentration of protein. MAP65 condensates are liquid at first and can gelate over time. We show that these condensates can nucleate and grow microtubule bundles that form asters, regardless of the viscoelasticity of the condensate. The droplet size directly controls the number of projections in the microtubule asters, demonstrating that the MAP65 concentration can control the organization of microtubules. When gel-like droplets nucleate and grow asters from a shell of tubulin at the surface, the microtubules are able to re-fluidize the MAP65 condensate, returning the MAP65 molecules to solution. This work implies that there is an interplay between condensate formation from microtubule-associated proteins, microtubule organization, and condensate dissolution that could be important for the dynamics of intracellular organization.

3D Cell Models in Radiobiology: Improving the Predictive Value of In Vitro Research

Cancer is intrinsically complex, comprising both heterogeneous cellular composition and extracellular matrix. In vitro cancer research models have been widely used in the past to model and study cancer. Although two-dimensional (2D) cell culture models have traditionally been used for cancer research, they have many limitations, such as the disturbance of interactions between cellular and extracellular environments and changes in cell morphology, polarity, division mechanism, differentiation and cell motion. Moreover, 2D cell models are usually monotypic. This implies that 2D tumor models are ineffective at accurately recapitulating complex aspects of tumor cell growth, as well as their radiation responses. Over the past decade there has been significant uptake of three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models by cancer researchers, highlighting a complementary model for studies of radiation effects on tumors, especially in conjunction with chemotherapy. The introduction of 3D cell culture approaches aims to model in vivo tissue interactions with radiation by positioning itself halfway between 2D cell and animal models, and thus opening up new possibilities in the study of radiation response mechanisms of healthy and tumor tissues.