The Role of Dynamin and Its Binding Partners in Coated Pit Invagination and Scission

Plasma membrane clathrin-coated vesicles form after the directed assembly of clathrin and the adaptor complex, AP2, from the cytosol onto the membrane. In addition to these structural components, several other proteins have been implicated in clathrin-coated vesicle formation. These include the large molecular weight GTPase, dynamin, and several Src homology 3 (SH3) domain–containing proteins which bind to dynamin via interactions with its COOH-terminal proline/arginine-rich domain (PRD). To understand the mechanism of coated vesicle formation, it is essential to determine the hierarchy by which individual components are targeted to and act in coated pit assembly, invagination, and scission

A member of the TERMINAL FLOWER1/CENTRORADIALIS gene family controls sprout growth in potato tubers

Potato tuber bud dormancy break followed by premature sprouting is a major commercial problem which results in quality losses and decreased tuber marketability. An approach to controlling premature tuber sprouting is to develop potato cultivars with a longer dormancy period and/or reduced rate of sprout growth. Our recent studies using a potato diploid population have identified several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that are associated with tuber sprout growth. In the current study, we aim to characterize a candidate gene associated with one of the largest effect QTLs for rapid tuber sprout growth on potato chromosome 3. Underlying this QTL is a gene encoding a TERMINAL FLOWER 1/CENTRORADIALIS homologue (PGSC0003DMG400014322). Here, we use a transgenic approach to manipulate the expression level of the CEN family member in a potato tetraploid genotype (cv. Désirée). We demonstrate a clear effect of manipulation of StCEN expression, with decreased expression levels associated with an increased rate of sprout growth, and overexpressing lines showing a lower rate of sprout growth than controls. Associated with different levels of StCEN expression were different levels of abscisic acid and cytokinins, implying a role in controlling the levels of plant growth regulators in the apical meristem

Insulin regulation of hepatic insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) gene expression and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling is impaired by the presence of hydrogen peroxide

Hepatic expression of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) is rapidly and completely inhibited by insulin. The signalling pathway that mediates this effect of insulin requires the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase). Many of the cellular actions of insulin, including activation of PI 3-kinase, can be 'mimicked' by oxidative stresses, such as H(2)O(2). In the present study, we demonstrate that H(2)O(2) does not 'mimic' but rather antagonizes insulin repression of IGFBP-1 gene expression in H4IIE cells. This effect is accompanied by a decrease in the insulin-induced activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-dependent signalling. However, insulin-induced phosphorylation and regulation of protein kinase B, glycogen synthase kinase-3 and FKHR (forkhead in rhabdomyosarcoma) are not affected by H(2)O(2) in the same cells. In addition, H(2)O(2) strongly activates the p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinases, but the presence of PD184352 (an inhibitor of this pathway) does not block the effect of H(2)O(2) on IGFBP-1 gene expression. Our results support the view that the insulin-mediated repression of IGFBP-1 gene expression is partly mTOR-dependent, and demonstrate that H(2)O(2) selectively antagonizes mTOR-dependent insulin action. The implications for the use of H(2)O(2)-generating agents as therapeutics for the treatment of insulin resistance, as well as the role of oxidative stress in the development of insulin resistance, are discussed