Mixed lineage kinase-dependent JNK activation is governed by interactions of scaffold protein JIP with MAPK module components

It has been proposed that JNK-interacting proteins (JIP) facilitate mixed lineage kinase-dependent signal transduction to JNK by aggregating the three components of a JNK module. A new model for the assembly and regulation of these modules is proposed based on several observations. First, artificially induced dimerization of dual leucine zipper-bearing kinase (DLK) confirmed that DLK dimerization is sufficient to induce DLK activation. Secondly, under basal conditions, DLK associated with JIP is held in a monomeric, unphosphorylated and catalytically inactive state. Thirdly, JNK recruitment to JIP coincided with significantly decreased affinity of JIP and DLK. JNK promoted the dimerization, phosphorylation and activation of JIP-associated DLK. Similarly, treatment of cells with okadaic acid inhibited DLK association with JIP and resulted in DLK dimerization in the presence of JIP. In summary, JIP maintains DLK in a monomeric, unphosphorylated, inactive state. Upon stimulation, JNK–JIP binding affinity increases while JIP–DLK interaction affinity is attenuated. Dissociation of DLK from JIP results in subsequent DLK dimerization, autophosphorylation and module activation. Evidence is provided that this model holds for other MLK-dependent JNK modules

Src Family Kinases Directly Regulate JIP1 Module Dynamics and Activation▿

JIP1 is a mammalian scaffold protein that assembles and participates in regulating the dynamics and activation of components of the mixed-lineage kinase-dependent JNK module. Mechanisms governing JIP1-JNK module regulation remain unclear. JIP1 is a multiply phosphorylated protein; for this reason, it was hypothesized that signaling by unidentified protein kinases or phosphatases might determine module function. We find that Src family kinases directly bind and tyrosine phosphorylate JIP1 under basal conditions in several naturally occurring systems and, by doing so, appear to provide a regulated signal that increases the affinity of JIP1 for DLK and maintains the JIP-JNK module in a catalytically inactive state

Myosin-1 inhibition by PClP affects membrane shape, cortical actin distribution and lipid droplet dynamics in early Zebrafish embryos

<div><p>Myosin-1 (Myo1) represents a mechanical link between the membrane and actin-cytoskeleton in animal cells. We have studied the effect of Myo1 inhibitor PClP in 1–8 cell Zebrafish embryos. Our results indicate a unique involvement of Myo1 in early development of Zebrafish embryos. Inhibition of Myo1 (by PClP) and Myo2 (by Blebbistatin) lead to arrest in cell division. While Myo1 isoforms appears to be important for both the formation and the maintenance of cleavage furrows, Myo2 is required only for the formation of furrows. We found that the blastodisc of the embryo, which contains a thick actin cortex (~13 μm), is loaded with cortical Myo1. Myo1 appears to be crucial for maintaining the blastodisc morphology and the actin cortex thickness. In addition to cell division and furrow formation, inhibition of Myo1 has a drastic effect on the dynamics and distribution of lipid droplets (LDs) in the blastodisc near the cleavage furrow. All these results above are effects of Myo1 inhibition exclusively; Myo2 inhibition by blebbistatin does not show such phenotypes. Therefore, our results demonstrate a potential role for Myo1 in the maintenance and formation of furrow, blastodisc morphology, cell-division and LD organization within the blastodisc during early embryogenesis.</p></div

Nephrin ectodomain engagement results in Src kinase activation, nephrin phosphorylation, Nck recruitment, and actin polymerization

A properly established and maintained podocyte intercellular junction, or slit diaphragm, is a necessary component of the selective permeability barrier of the kidney glomerulus. The observation that mutation or deletion of the slit diaphragm transmembrane protein nephrin results in failure of podocyte foot process morphogenesis and concomitant proteinuria first suggested the hypothesis that nephrin serves as a component of a signaling complex that directly integrates podocyte junctional integrity with cytoskeletal dynamics. The observations made herein provide the first direct evidence to our knowledge for a phosphorylation-mediated signaling mechanism by which this integrative function is derived. Our data support the model that during podocyte intercellular junction formation, engagement of the nephrin ectodomain induces transient Fyn catalytic activity that results in nephrin phosphorylation on specific nephrin cytoplasmic domain tyrosine residues. We found that this nephrin phosphorylation event resulted in recruitment of the SH2–SH3 domain–containing adapter protein Nck and assembly of actin filaments in an Nck-dependent fashion. Considered in the context of the role of nephrin family proteins in other organisms and the integral relationship of actin dynamics and junction formation, these observations establish a function for nephrin in regulating actin cytoskeletal dynamics

Comparison between role of Myo2 and Myo1, in furrow formation and LD dynamics.

<p>(A) Sideview, time-lapse profile of furrow maturation in control (top panel), Blebbistatin treated/Myo2 inhibited (middle panel) and PClP treated/Myo1 inhibited embryos (bottom panel). White dashed arrows in top panel and bottom panel indicate the formation of third furrow (marked as 3), parallel to the first furrow (marked as 1). Filled white arrows in bottom panel indicate the dissolving first-furrow and LD accumulation at that site, in Myo1 inhibited embryo. Filled white arrow in middle panel indicates dis-localization of second and third furrow. Bar 100 μm. (B) Top-view time-lapse profile of furrow maturation in control (top panel), Myo2 inhibited (middle panel) and Myo1 inhibited embryos (bottom panel). Arrows in bottom panel indicate LD accumulation along dissolving first furrow in Myo1 inhibited embryo. Bar 50 μm. (C) Cartoon diagram of embryo with (i) top and (ii) sideview position shown by eye symbol. (D) Scanning electron microscopy showing embryo blastomere surface of 64 cell control (top panel), equivalent time Myo2 inhibited (middle panel) and equivalent time Myo1 inhibited embryo (bottom panel). Bar 100 μM.</p

Inhibition of Myo1 arrests cell division and affected blastomere shapeof Zebrafish embryos.

<p>Schematic representation of Myo1 domain structures. (A) Semiquantitative RT-PCR profiles from cDNA and RNA templates. For Myo1Ea&b, control (top panel) and with PClP (bottom panel), were compared at 1–4 and 64 cells stages for cDNA and RNA templates, (B) Semiquantitative RT-PCR profiles from cDNA and RNA templates. For Myo1Cb, control (top panel) and with PClP (bottom panel), were compared at 1–4 and 64 cells for cDNA and RNA templates. (C) (i) Western blot for Myo1C relative-levels at 1–4 and 64 cell stages. Control (top panel) and with PClP (bottom panel), GAPDH used as loading control. (ii) Relative change in levels of Myo1C ±PClP, 1–4 and 64 cell stages, control grey, PClP black. Error bars indicate SD, n = 3. (D) (i) Top panel, control embryos at different developmental stages. Bottom panel, PClP treated embryos taken in identical time as in control, dotted line shows boundary between yolk and blastodisc in both panels, (ii) measurement of changes in blastodisk thickness, as indicated by vertical both sided arrows in(Ei) with time, approximately along first cleavage furrow in both, the control (dotted line) and PClP treated embryos (solid line), n = 8, error indicate SD. Black arrow-head in time axis indicates PClP addition. Embryos were observed in lateral or side view position. (E) DAPI stained nucleus profile of 64-cell control (2 hpf) (top panel) and equivalent 2 hpf PClP inhibited 8- cell embryo (middle panel). 1 hpf control 8- cell embryo, showing divided nucleus is also shown (lower panel). bar 120μm in all places.</p

Redistribution of blastomeric Myo1C upon MyoI inhibition by PClP.

<p>(A) 3D rendered 100 μm cross section of Myo1C immunostaining profile in control 1 hpf embryo (inset- single confocal slice) (Bi) Normalized immunostaining intensity along the line drawn in Fig 4A inset, n = 5 embryos (Bi, top panel). Actin distribution at the same time, redrawn from <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0180301#pone.0180301.g003" target="_blank">Fig 3A</a>, left panel, n = 5 (Bi, middle panel). Membrane distribution profile perpendicular to surface of embryo shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0180301#pone.0180301.g003" target="_blank">Fig 3D</a>, control)\, (Bi, bottom panel). (Bii) cartoon representation of Myo1C distribution in blastodisc cortex. (C) 3D rendered in 100 μm cross section of Myo1C immunostaining profile in 30 min PClP treated 1 hpf embryo, inset single confocal slice. (D) Comparative normalized intensity calculated long lines drawn in insets of (A&C)-slice views, control-cross, Myo1 inhibited-box, n = 5,. (E) Myo1C profiles for control 2 hpf, (F) Myo1 inhibited 2 hpf and (G) Normalized immunostaining intensity long lines drawn in insets of (E&F)-slice views, control (cross), Myo1 inhibited (box), n = 5, error bar indicates -standard deviation everywhere in Fig 4.</p

Neph1 Cooperates with Nephrin To Transduce a Signal That Induces Actin Polymerization▿

While the mechanisms that regulate actin dynamics in cellular motility are intensively studied, relatively little is known about signaling events that transmit outside-in signals and direct assembly and regulation of actin polymerization complexes at the cell membrane. The kidney podocyte provides a unique model for investigating these mechanisms since deletion of Nephrin or Neph1, two interacting components of the specialized podocyte intercellular junction, results in abnormal podocyte morphogenesis and junction formation. We provide evidence that extends the existing model by which the Nephrin-Neph1 complex transduces phosphorylation-mediated signals that assemble an actin polymerization complex at the podocyte intercellular junction. Upon engagement, Neph1 is phosphorylated on specific tyrosine residues by Fyn, which results in the recruitment of Grb2, an event that is necessary for Neph1-induced actin polymerization at the plasma membrane. Importantly, Neph1 and Nephrin directly interact and, by juxtaposing Grb2 and Nck1/2 at the membrane following complex activation, cooperate to augment the efficiency of actin polymerization. These data provide evidence for a mechanism reminiscent of that employed by vaccinia virus and other pathogens, by which a signaling complex transduces an outside-in signal that results in actin filament polymerization at the plasma membrane

LDs gradually accumulate at the cleavage furrow of PClP treated embryo.

<p>(A-C) Lateral views of embryo, as observed in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0180301#pone.0180301.g002" target="_blank">Fig 2A</a>, Zoomed in on first cleavage furrow, (A) Control embryo from approximately 40 min post fertilization, montage of every 5 min, arrows indicates LDs near the first cleavage furrow. (B) Myo1 inhibited embryo from approximately 40 min post fertilization, montage of every 5 min. Arrows indicate accumulation of LDs at the first cleavage furrow line. (C) Myo2 inhibited embryo from approximately 40 min post fertilization, montage of every 5 min. Arrows indicate LDs near the first cleavage furrow. (D) Nile red staining of first cleavage furrow with lipid droplets shown by arrow in control embryo. (E) Nile red staining of first cleavage furrow with lipid droplet clump shown by arrow in Myo1 inhibited embryo. (F) Control, (G) Myo1 inhibited and (H) Myo2 inhibited embryos, kymograph view of average intensity along 10 μm line on both sides of the first cleavage furrow, ~ for approximately 40 min as shown in panels 5A-5C. Time is indicated along vertical axis and correlates with images in panel (5A-5C), approximate location of start and finish of 40 min time in kymographs are marked by arrows. LDs are indicated by black arrowheads. Scale bars are 50 μm in all images of this figure.</p