Pombe Cdc15 Homology Research Articles

Curved EFC/F-BAR-Domain Dimers Are Joined End to End into a Filament for Membrane Invagination in Endocytosis

Pombe Cdc15 homology (PCH) proteins play an important role in a variety of actin-based processes, including clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). The defining feature of the PCH proteins is an evolutionarily conserved EFC/F-BAR domain for membrane association and tubulation. In the present study, we solved the crystal structures of the EFC domains of human FBP17 and CIP4. The structures revealed a gently curved helical-bundle dimer of approximately 220 A in length, which forms filaments through end-to-end interactions in the crystals. The curved EFC dimer fits a tubular membrane with an approximately 600 A diameter. We subsequently proposed a model in which the curved EFC filament drives tubulation. In fact, striation of tubular membranes was observed by phase-contrast cryo-transmission electron microscopy, and mutations that impaired filament formation also impaired membrane tubulation and cell membrane invagination. Furthermore, FBP17 is recruited to clathrin-coated pits in the late stage of CME, indicating its physiological role.

Regulation of Neuronal Morphology by Toca-1, an F-BAR/EFC Protein That Induces Plasma Membrane Invagination

Actin reorganization is important for regulation of neuronal morphology. Neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) is an important regulator of actin polymerization and also known to be strongly expressed in brain. Recently, Toca-1 (transducer of Cdc42-dependent actin assembly) has been shown to be required for Cdc42 to activate N-WASP from biochemical experiments. Toca-1 has three functional domains: an F-BAR/EFC domain at the N terminus, an HR1 at the center, and an SH3 domain at the C terminus. The F-BAR/EFC domain induces tubular invagination of plasma membrane, while Toca-1 binds both N-WASP and Cdc42 through the SH3 domain and the HR1, respectively. However, the physiological role of Toca-1 is completely unknown. Here we have investigated the neural function of Toca-1. Toca-1 is strongly expressed in neurons including hippocampal neurons in developing brain at early times. Knockdown of Toca-1 in PC12 cells significantly enhances neurite elongation. Consistently, overexpression of Toca-1 suppresses neurite elongation through the F-BAR/EFC domain with a membrane invaginating property, suggesting an implication of membrane trafficking in the neural function of Toca-1. In addition, knockdown of N-WASP, to our surprise, also enhances neurite elongation in PC12 cells, which is in clear contrast to the previous report that dominant negative mutants of N-WASP suppress neurite extension in PC12 cells. On the other hand, knockdown of Toca-1 in cultured rat hippocampal neurons enhances axon branching a little but not axon elongation, while knockdown of N-WASP enhances both axon elongation and branching. These results suggest that a vesicle trafficking regulator Toca-1 regulates different aspects of neuronal morphology from N-WASP.

Assembly of the cytokinetic contractile ring from a broad band of nodes in fission yeast

We observed live fission yeast expressing pairs of functional fluorescent fusion proteins to test the popular model that the cytokinetic contractile ring assembles from a single myosin II progenitor or a Cdc12p-Cdc15p spot. Under our conditions, the anillin-like protein Mid1p establishes a broad band of small dots or nodes in the cortex near the nucleus. These nodes mature by the addition of conventional myosin II (Myo2p, Cdc4p, and Rlc1p), IQGAP (Rng2p), pombe Cdc15 homology protein (Cdc15p), and formin (Cdc12p). The nodes coalesce laterally into a compact ring when Cdc12p and profilin Cdc3p stimulate actin polymerization. We did not observe assembly of contractile rings by extension of a leading cable from a single spot or progenitor. Arp2/3 complex and its activators accumulate in patches near the contractile ring early in anaphase B, but are not concentrated in the contractile ring and are not required for assembly of the contractile ring. Their absence delays late steps in cytokinesis, including septum formation and cell separation.

Coordination between the actin cytoskeleton and membrane deformation by a novel membrane tubulation domain of PCH proteins is involved in endocytosis

The conserved FER-CIP4 homology (FCH) domain is found in the pombe Cdc15 homology (PCH) protein family members, including formin-binding protein 17 (FBP17). However, the amino acid sequence homology extends beyond the FCH domain. We have termed this region the extended FC (EFC) domain. We found that FBP17 coordinated membrane deformation with actin cytoskeleton reorganization during endocytosis. The EFC domains of FBP17, CIP4, and other PCH protein family members show weak homology to the Bin-amphiphysin-Rvs (BAR) domain. The EFC domains bound strongly to phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and deformed the plasma membrane and liposomes into narrow tubules. Most PCH proteins possess an SH3 domain that is known to bind to dynamin and that recruited and activated neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) at the plasma membrane. FBP17 and/or CIP4 contributed to the formation of the protein complex, including N-WASP and dynamin-2, in the early stage of endocytosis. Furthermore, knockdown of endogenous FBP17 and CIP4 impaired endocytosis. Our data indicate that PCH protein family members couple membrane deformation to actin cytoskeleton reorganization in various cellular processes.

Mutation of Mouse MAYP/PSTPIP2 Causes a Macrophage Autoinflammatory Disease.

Macrophage actin-associated tyrosine phosphorylated protein (MAYP), a Pombe Cdc15 Homology (PCH) family protein also known as proline serine threonine phosphatase-interacting protein 2 (PSTPIP2), is involved in the regulation of macrophage motility (Chitu et al., 2005). Mutations in a closely related gene, PSTPIP1/CD2 binding protein 1 (CD2BP1) cause a dominantly inherited autoinflammatory disorder known as PAPA syndrome. A mutant mouse obtained by chemical mutagenesis exhibited an autoinflammatory disorder characterized by macrophage infiltration and inflammation leading to osteolysis and necrosis in paws and necrosis of ears. Positional cloning of this recessive mutation, termed Lupo, identified a T to A nucleotide exchange leading to an amino acid substitution (I282N) in the sequence of MAYP. MaypLp/Lp disease was transferable by bone marrow transplantation and developed in the absence of lymphocytes. Consistent with the involvement of macrophages, lesion development could be prevented by the administration of chlodronate liposomes. MAYP is expressed in monocytes/macrophages and a Mac1+ sub-fraction of granulocytes. LPS stimulation increases its expression in macrophages. Due to instability of the mutant protein, MAYP expression is reduced 3-fold in MaypLp/Lp macrophages and upon LPS stimulation does not rise above the level of unstimulated wt cells. MaypLp/Lp mice expressed elevated circulating levels of IL-4, Rantes, TGF-beta and MCP-1 and in vitro their macrophages exhibit altered cytokine production. These studies suggest that MAYP plays an anti-inflammatory role in macrophages.

The PCH Family Member MAYP/PSTPIP2 Directly Regulates F-Actin Bundling and Enhances Filopodia Formation and Motility in Macrophages

Macrophage actin-associated tyrosine phosphorylated protein (MAYP) belongs to the Pombe Cdc15 homology (PCH) family of proteins involved in the regulation of actin-based functions including cell adhesion and motility. In mouse macrophages, MAYP is tyrosine phosphorylated after activation of the colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R), which also induces actin reorganization, membrane ruffling, cell spreading, polarization, and migration. Because MAYP associates with F-actin, we investigated the function of MAYP in regulating actin organization in macrophages. Overexpression of MAYP decreased CSF-1-induced membrane ruffling and increased filopodia formation, motility and CSF-1-mediated chemotaxis. The opposite phenotype was observed with reduced expression of MAYP, indicating that MAYP is a negative regulator of CSF-1-induced membrane ruffling and positively regulates formation of filopodia and directional migration. Overexpression of MAYP led to a reduction in total macrophage F-actin content but was associated with increased actin bundling. Consistent with this, purified MAYP bundled F-actin and regulated its turnover in vitro. In addition, MAYP colocalized with cortical and filopodial F-actin in vivo. Because filopodia are postulated to increase directional motility by acting as environmental sensors, the MAYP-stimulated increase in directional movement may be at least partly explained by enhancement of filopodia formation.

The PCH family protein, Cdc15p, recruits two F-actin nucleation pathways to coordinate cytokinetic actin ring formation in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Cytokinetic actin ring (CAR) formation in Schizosaccharomyces pombe requires two independent actin nucleation pathways, one dependent on the Arp2/3 complex and another involving the formin Cdc12p. Here we investigate the role of the S. pombe Cdc15 homology family protein, Cdc15p, in CAR assembly and find that it interacts with proteins from both of these nucleation pathways. Cdc15p binds directly to the Arp2/3 complex activator Myo1p, which likely explains why actin patches and the Arp2/3 complex fail to be medially recruited during mitosis in cdc15 mutants. Cdc15p also binds directly to Cdc12p. Cdc15p and Cdc12p not only display mutual dependence for CAR localization, but also exist together in a ring-nucleating structure before CAR formation. The disruption of these interactions in cdc15 null cells is likely to be the reason for their complete lack of CARs. We propose a model in which Cdc15p plays a critical role in recruiting and coordinating the pathways essential for the assembly of medially located F-actin filaments and construction of the CAR.

Involvement of PCH family proteins in cytokinesis and actin distribution.

Pombe Cdc15 homology (PCH) proteins constitute an extensive protein family whose members have been found in diverse eukaryotic organisms. These proteins are characterized by the presence of several conserved sequence and structural motifs. Recent studies in yeast and mammalian cultured cells have implicated these proteins in actin-based processes, in particular, cytokinesis. Here we review the recent findings on the in vivo localization, function, and binding partners of PCH family members. We also provide new microscopy data regarding the in vivo dynamics of a budding yeast PCH protein involved in cytokinesis.