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K R Fath

Publications and source records attributed to K R Fath.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Budding roles for myosin II on the Golgi.

Myosin II--conventional myosin--has been typecast in muscle-man roles. While members of the Schwarzenegger clan from skeletal muscle have grabbed the limelight, myosin II motors in nonmuscle cells labour away in many varied and subtle roles. Recent findings show that nonmuscle myosin II, along with other myosins and cytoskeletal proteins, assembles on Golgi membranes. Nonmuscle myosin II associates transiently with membranes of the trans-Golgi network during the budding of a subpopulation of transport vesicles. The exact role of myosin II in vesicular trafficking is not yet understood, but its participation heralds a novel role for actin-based motors in vesicle budding.

Animals↗

Molecular motors and a spectrin matrix associate with Golgi membranes in vitro.

Cytoplasmic dynein is a microtubule minus-end-directed motor that is thought to power the transport of vesicles from the TGN to the apical cortex in polarized epithelial cells. Trans-Golgi enriched membranes, which were isolated from primary polarized intestinal epithelial cells, contain both the actin-based motor myosin-I and dynein, whereas isolated Golgi stacks lack dynein but contain myosin-I (Fath, K.R., G.M. Trimbur, and D.R. Burgess. 1994. J. Cell Biol. 126:661-675). We show now that Golgi stacks in vitro bind dynein supplied from cytosol in the absence of ATP, and bud small membranes when incubated with cytosol and ATP. Cytosolic dynein binds to regions of stacks that are destined to bud because dynein is present in budded membranes, but absent from stacks after budding. Budded membranes move exclusively towards microtubule minus-ends in in vitro motility assays. Extraction studies suggest that dynein binds to a Golgi peripheral membrane protein(s) that resists extraction by ice-cold Triton X-100. In the presence of cytosol, these membrane ghosts can move towards the minus-ends of microtubules. Detergent-extracted Golgi stacks and TGN-containing membranes are closely associated with an amorphous matrix composed in part of spectrin and ankyrin. Although spectrin has been proposed to help link dynein to organellar membranes, we found that functional dynein may bind to extracted membranes independently of spectrin and ankyrin.

Animals↗

Myosin II is associated with Golgi membranes: identification of p200 as nonmuscle myosin II on Golgi-derived vesicles.

A variety of peripheral membrane proteins associate dynamically with Golgi membranes during the budding and trafficking of transport vesicles in eukaryotic cells. A monoclonal antibody (AD7) raised against Golgi membranes recognizes a peripheral membrane protein, p200, which associates with vesicles budding off the trans-Golgi network (TGN). Based on preliminary findings, a potential association between p200 and myosin on Golgi membranes was investigated. Immunofluorescence staining of cultured cells under a variety of fixation conditions was carried out using an antibody raised against chick brush border nonmuscle myosin II. We show that, in addition to being found in the cytoplasm or associated with stress fibres, nonmuscle myosin II is also specifically localized on Golgi membranes. Myosin II was also detected on Golgi membranes by immunoblotting and by immunogold labeling at the electron microscopy level where it was found to be concentrated on Golgi-derived vesicles. The association of myosin II with Golgi membranes is dynamic and was found to be enhanced following activation of G proteins. Myosin II staining of Golgi membranes was also disrupted by brefeldin A (BFA). Colocalization of the AD7 and myosin II antibodies at the light and electron microscopy levels led us to investigate the nature of the 200 kDa protein recognized by both antibodies. The 200 kDa protein immunoprecipiated by the AD7 antibody was isolated from MDCK cells and used for microsequencing. Amino acid sequence data enabled us to identify p200 as the heavy chain of nonmuscle myosin IIA. In addition, an extra protein (240 kDa) recognized by the AD7 antibody specifically in extracts of HeLa cells, was sequenced and identified as another actin-binding protein, filamin. These results show that nonmuscle myosin II is associated with Golgi membranes and that the vesicle-associated protein p200, is itself a heavy chain of myosin II.

Actins↗

Microvillus assembly. Not actin alone.

Transfection studies provide supporting evidence for the proposed role of villin and fimbrin in bundling the core actin filaments of microvilli.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

Membrane motility mediated by unconventional myosin.

Largely on the basis of their physical properties and their localization to cell membranes, it has been proposed that the unconventional myosins are membrane motors. In the past year, a combination of immunological, biochemical and genetic approaches has begun to provide direct evidence that unconventional myosins have important roles in movements of the plasma membrane and cytoplasmic organelles.

Acanthamoeba↗

Molecular motors are differentially distributed on Golgi membranes from polarized epithelial cells.

Microtubules (MT) are required for the efficient transport of membranes from the trans-Golgi and for transcytosis of vesicles from the basolateral membrane to the apical cytoplasm in polarized epithelia. MTs in these cells are primarily oriented with their plus ends basally near the Golgi and their minus-ends in the apical cytoplasm. Here we report that isolated Golgi and Golgi-enriched membranes from intestinal epithelial cells possess the actin based motor myosin-I, the MT minus-end-directed motor cytoplasmic dynein and its in vitro motility activator dynactin (p150/Glued). The Golgi can be separated into stacks, possessing features of the Golgi cisternae, and small membranes enriched in the trans-Golgi network marker TGN 38/41. Whereas myosin-I is present on all membranes in the Golgi fraction, dynein is present only on the small membrane fraction. Dynein, like myosin-I, is associated with membranes as a cytoplasmic peripheral membrane protein. Dynein and myosin-I coassociate with membranes that bind to MTs and cross-link actin filaments and MTs in a nucleotide-dependent manner. We propose that cytoplasmic dynein moves Golgi membranes along MTs to the cell cortex where myosin-I provides local delivery through the actin-rich cytoskeleton to the apical membrane.

Actins↗

Golgi-derived vesicles from developing epithelial cells bind actin filaments and possess myosin-I as a cytoplasmically oriented peripheral membrane protein.

In the intestinal brush border, the mechanoenzyme myosin-I links the microvillus core actin filaments with the plasma membrane. Previous immunolocalization shows that myosin-I is associated with vesicles in mature enterocytes (Drenckhahn, D., and R. Dermietzel. 1988. J. Cell Biol. 107:1037-1048) suggesting a potential role mediating vesicle motility. We now report that myosin-I is associated with Golgi-derived vesicles isolated from cells that are rapidly assembling brush borders in intestinal crypts. Crypt cells were isolated in hyperosmotic buffer, homogenized, and fractionated using differential- and equilibrium-density centrifugation. Fractions containing 50-100-nm vesicles, a similar size to those observed in situ, were identified by EM and were shown to contain myosin-I as demonstrated by immunoblotting and immunolabel negative staining. Galactosyltransferase, a marker enzyme for trans-Golgi membranes was present in these fractions, as was alkaline phosphatase, which is an apical membrane targeted enzyme. Galactosyltransferase was also present in vesicles immuno-purified with antibodies to myosin-I. Villin, a marker for potential contamination from fragmented microvilli, was absent. Myosin-I was found to reside on the vesicle "outer" or cytoplasmic surface for it was accessible to exogenous proteases and intact vesicles could be immunolabeled with myosin-I antibodies in solution. The bound myosin-I could be extracted from the vesicles using NaCl, KI and Na2CO3, suggesting that it is a vesicle peripheral membrane protein. These vesicles were shown to bundle actin filaments in an ATP-dependent manner. These results are consistent with a role for myosin-I as an apically targeted motor for vesicle translocation in epithelial cells.

Actins↗

The cytoskeleton in development of epithelial cell polarity.

The polarization of intestinal epithelial cells and the stereotypic arrangement of their actin-based cytoskeleton have made these epithelia an excellent system to explore the organization and formation of a cortical actin-based cytoskeleton. Through a combined morphological and biochemical analysis, the molecular arrangement of many of the components of the brush border has been elucidated. Study of brush border assembly in the Crypts of Lieberkühn suggests that cytoskeletal mRNA and protein expression, as well as morphological development, occur rapidly following cell differentiation. Protein kinases appear to be important regulators of intestinal cell growth, for differentiating cells in the crypts possess 15-fold higher levels of tyrosine phosphorylated proteins than differentiated cells of the villus. One of these kinases, pp60c-src, has a 4- to 7-fold higher activity in crypts and increased association with the cytoskeleton than it has in villus cells. The development and maintenance of polarization in epithelial cells require the targeting and transport of specific proteins to the apical and basolateral plasma membrane. It has been proposed that a dynein-like, microtubule-based motor is involved in the transport of apically directed materials from the trans-Golgi to the apical plasma membrane. However, microtubules do not reach the plasma membrane, but terminate below the actin-rich network of filaments comprising the terminal web. We propose that vesicles translocate from the Golgi to the apical cytoplasm along microtubules using dynein, and then move through the terminal web to reach the apical plasma membrane using the actin-based motor myosin-I.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Actins↗

Cytoskeletal protein and mRNA accumulation during brush border formation in adult chicken enterocytes.

We have explored the development of the brush border in adult chicken enterocytes by analyzing the cytoskeletal protein and mRNA levels as enterocytes arise from crypt stem cells and differentiate as they move toward the villus. At the base of the crypt, a small population of cells contain a rudimentary terminal web and a few short microvilli with long rootlets. These microvilli appear to arise from bundles of actin filaments which nucleate on the plasma membrane. The microvilli apparently elongate via the addition of membrane supplied by vesicles that fuse with the microvillus and extend the membrane around the actin core. Actin, villin, myosin, tropomyosin and spectrin, but not myosin I (previously called 110 kD; see Mooseker and Coleman, J. Cell Biol. 108, 2395-2400, 1989) are already concentrated in the luminal cytoplasm of crypt cells, as seen by immunofluorescence. Using quantitative densitometry of cDNA-hybridized RNA blots from cells isolated from crypts, villus middle (mid), or villus tip (tip), we found a 2- to 3-fold increase in villin, calmodulin and tropomyosin steady-state mRNA levels; an increase parallel to morphological brush border development. Actin, spectrin and myosin mRNA levels did not change significantly. ELISA of total crypt, mid and tip cell lysates show that there are no significant changes in actin, myosin, spectrin, tropomyosin, myosin I, villin or alpha-actinin protein levels as the brush border develops. The G-/F-actin ratio also did not change with brush border assembly. We conclude that, although the brush border is not fully assembled in immature enterocytes, the major cytoskeletal proteins are present in their full concentration and already localized within the apical cytoplasm. Therefore brush border formation may involve reorganization of a pool of existing cytoskeletal proteins mediated by the expression or regulation of an unidentified key protein(s).

Animals↗

The distribution of distinct integrins in focal contacts is determined by the substratum composition.

The distribution of two integrins, the fibronectin receptor and the vitronectin receptor, has been explored in an endothelium-derived cell line plated onto various substrata. On a fibronectin substratum, in the presence of serum, these cells develop focal contacts that contain the fibronectin receptor, whereas the vitronectin receptor is diffusely distributed over the cell surface. Conversely, cells plated onto vitronectin-coated coverslips concentrate only the vitronectin receptor within focal contacts. The accumulation of the vitronectin receptor within focal contacts also occurs when the cells are plated on uncoated coverslips but in the presence of serum. Therefore, we conclude that under normal culture conditions (i.e. in serum-containing media), the vitronectin receptor is the predominant form of integrin involved in substratum adhesion. This conclusion is supported by experiments in which cells were cultured on fibronectin-coated coverslips in the presence of serum. Initially these cells developed focal contacts containing only the fibronectin receptor. Within several hours, however, there was a progressive replacement of focal contacts containing the fibronectin receptor by focal contacts expressing the vitronectin receptor. After approximately 12 h in culture, most cells contained focal contacts expressing only the vitronectin receptor. Focal contacts containing either the fibronectin or vitronectin receptor were both associated with the termini of stress fibres and contained the proteins talin and vinculin. These observations lead us to propose that the cell does not discriminate between these different integrins when assembling the cytoskeletal components at the cytoplasmic face of focal contacts.

Cell Adhesion↗

Two classes of actin microfilaments are associated with the inner cytoskeleton of axons.

The distribution and length of actin microfilaments (MF) was determined in axoplasm extruded from the giant axons of the squid (Loligo pealeii). Extruded axoplasm that was separated from the axonal cortex contains approximately 92% of the total axonal actin, and 60% of this actin is polymerized (Morris, J., and R. Lasek. 1984. J. Cell Biol. 98:2064-2076). Localization of MF with rhodamine-phalloidin indicated that the MF were organized in fine columns oriented longitudinally within the axoplasm. In the electron microscope, MF were surrounded by a dense matrix and they were associated with the microtubule domains of the axoplasm. The surrounding matrix tended to obscure the MF which may explain why MF have rarely been recognized before in the inner regions of the axon. The axoplasmic MF are relatively short (number average length of 0.55 micron). Length measurements of MF prepared either in the presence or absence of the actin-filament stabilizing drug phalloidin indicate that axoplasm contains two populations of MF: stable MF (number average length of 0.79 micron) and metastable MF (number average length of 0.41 micron). Although individual axonal MF are much shorter than axonal microtubules, the combined length of the total MF is twice that of the total microtubules. Apparently, these numerous short MF have an important structural role in the architecture of the inner axonal cytoskeleton.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗