Identification and characterization of novel ciliogenic machinery

Cilia are microtubule-based structures that project from almost every cell in the vertebrate body. In humans, there are two types of cilia, motile, which generate fluid flow across tissues of the ventricles, airway, and oviduct, as well as in propulsion in single cells, and primary, which are responsible for transducing many signaling pathways. Primary and motile cilia are dependent on a bidirectional trafficking process called intraflagellar transport (IFT) in order to bring material into the cilium, which governs their growth, maintenance, and signaling. IFT is mediated by two distinct protein complexes called IFT-A and IFT-B, which function in anterograde and retrograde transport, respectively. In motile cilia, an organization of multiple large protein complexes within the axoneme allow for wave-like motion to be produced. Instrumental to this motility are axonemal dynein arms, large motor protein complexes that slide along microtubule doublets in a coordinated manner to generate bending. Here, I describe two studies regarding ciliogenesis in multiciliated cells, a highly-specialized cell type decorated with dozens of motile cilia. First, I identify ANKRD55 as an IFT-B interactor. I demonstrate that this protein traffics through multiciliated cell axonemes and results in severe developmental defects in its absence. In addition, I describe early insights into the potential role this gene plays in cilia-related human disease. Together, these data suggest that ANKRD55 is a novel member of IFT-B. Second, I characterize the processes that underlie the cytoplasmic assembly of axonemal dynein arms, wherein various chaperones and cytoplasmic factors work in unison to fold and complex dynein arm subunits prior to ciliary transport. Using various imaging methods, I show that the factors responsible for dynein arm assembly localize to non-membrane bound cytoplasmic phase- separations in multiciliated cells, which we term DynAPs (Dynein Assembly Particles). I then demonstrate that machinery involved in phase separation of stress granules is required for formation of DynAPs and recruitment of dynein to axonemes.Molecular Bioscience

Percussion Convocation

Program listing performers and works performe

Data from: A liquid-like organelle at the root of motile ciliopathy

Motile ciliopathies are characterized by specific defects in cilia beating that result in chronic airway disease, subfertility, ectopic pregnancy, and hydrocephalus. While many patients harbor mutations in the dynein motors that drive cilia beating, the disease also results from mutations in so-called Dynein Axonemal Assembly Factors (DNAAFs) that act in the cytoplasm. The mechanisms of DNAAF action remain poorly defined. Here, we show that DNAAFs concentrate together with axonemal dyneins and chaperones into organelles that form specifically in multiciliated cells, which we term DynAPs, for Dynein Axonemal Particles. These organelles display hallmarks of biomolecular condensates, and remarkably, DynAPs are enriched for the stress granule protein G3bp1, but not for other stress granule proteins or P-body proteins. Finally, we show that both the formation and the liquid-like behaviors of DynAPs are disrupted in a model of motile ciliopathy. These findings provide a unifying cell biological framework for a poorly understood class of human disease genes and add motile ciliopathy to the growing roster of human diseases associated with disrupted biological phase separation

Image Data for Co-localization studies

This ZIP file contains image stacks in Zeiss LSM format, which can be opened with Fiji/ImageJ (or other visualization software such as Imaris). All images compare localization of a test protein against the localization of KTU. File names indicate the tested protein

Integration of over 9,000 mass spectrometry experiments builds a global map of human protein complexes

Abstract Macromolecular protein complexes carry out many of the essential functions of cells, and many genetic diseases arise from disrupting the functions of such complexes. Currently, there is great interest in defining the complete set of human protein complexes, but recent published maps lack comprehensive coverage. Here, through the synthesis of over 9,000 published mass spectrometry experiments, we present hu.MAP, the most comprehensive and accurate human protein complex map to date, containing > 4,600 total complexes, > 7,700 proteins, and > 56,000 unique interactions, including thousands of confident protein interactions not identified by the original publications. hu.MAP accurately recapitulates known complexes withheld from the learning procedure, which was optimized with the aid of a new quantitative metric (k‐cliques) for comparing sets of sets. The vast majority of complexes in our map are significantly enriched with literature annotations, and the map overall shows improved coverage of many disease‐associated proteins, as we describe in detail for ciliopathies. Using hu.MAP, we predicted and experimentally validated candidate ciliopathy disease genes in vivo in a model vertebrate, discovering CCDC138, WDR90, and KIAA1328 to be new cilia basal body/centriolar satellite proteins, and identifying ANKRD55 as a novel member of the intraflagellar transport machinery. By offering significant improvements to the accuracy and coverage of human protein complexes, hu.MAP (http://proteincomplexes.org) serves as a valuable resource for better understanding the core cellular functions of human proteins and helping to determine mechanistic foundations of human disease

Integration of over 9,000 mass spectrometry experiments builds a global map of human protein complexes

Abstract Macromolecular protein complexes carry out many of the essential functions of cells, and many genetic diseases arise from disrupting the functions of such complexes. Currently, there is great interest in defining the complete set of human protein complexes, but recent published maps lack comprehensive coverage. Here, through the synthesis of over 9,000 published mass spectrometry experiments, we present hu.MAP, the most comprehensive and accurate human protein complex map to date, containing > 4,600 total complexes, > 7,700 proteins, and > 56,000 unique interactions, including thousands of confident protein interactions not identified by the original publications. hu.MAP accurately recapitulates known complexes withheld from the learning procedure, which was optimized with the aid of a new quantitative metric (k‐cliques) for comparing sets of sets. The vast majority of complexes in our map are significantly enriched with literature annotations, and the map overall shows improved coverage of many disease‐associated proteins, as we describe in detail for ciliopathies. Using hu.MAP, we predicted and experimentally validated candidate ciliopathy disease genes in vivo in a model vertebrate, discovering CCDC138, WDR90, and KIAA1328 to be new cilia basal body/centriolar satellite proteins, and identifying ANKRD55 as a novel member of the intraflagellar transport machinery. By offering significant improvements to the accuracy and coverage of human protein complexes, hu.MAP (http://proteincomplexes.org) serves as a valuable resource for better understanding the core cellular functions of human proteins and helping to determine mechanistic foundations of human disease

Current activities centered on healthy living and recommendations for the future: a position statement from the HL-PIVOT network

We continue to increase our cognizance and recognition of the importance of healthy living (HL) behaviors and HL medicine (HLM) to prevent and treat chronic disease. The continually unfolding events precipitated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have further highlighted the importance of HL behaviors, as indicated by the characteristics of those who have been hospitalized and died from this viral infection. There has already been recognition that leading a healthy lifestyle, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, may have a substantial protective effect in those who become infected with the virus. Now more than ever, HL behaviors and HLM are essential and must be promoted with a renewed vigor across the globe. In response to the rapidly evolving world since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the clear need to change lifestyle behaviors to promote human resilience and quality of life, the Healthy Living for Pandemic Event Protection (HL-PIVOT) network was established. The four major areas of focus for the network are: 1) knowledge discovery and dissemination; 2) education; 3) policy; 4) implementation. This HL-PIVOT network position statement provides a current synopsis of the major focus areas of the network, including leading research in the field of HL behaviors and HLM, examples of best practices in education, policy, and implementation, and recommendations for the future.N/