Issues

Summary: An overview of recent progress deciphering the molecular mechanisms and cellular functions of CLASPs that regulate microtubule dynamics.

Summary: The EMC is an important factor facilitating membrane protein biogenesis. Here we discuss the broad cellular and organismal responsibilities overseen by client proteins requiring the EMC for maturation.

Summary: A Review discussing the increasingly clear data showing that atypical basement membranes are quite prevalent and that even typical planar basement membranes harbor a lot of diversity that we do not comprehend yet.

Summary: A novel mechanism underlying myogenesis defects in human rhabdomyosarcoma cells involving PIP3, which rescues myoblast fusion defects when depleted with PTEN.

Highlighted Article: The actin severing protein Twinstar, the Drosophila cofilin, is required for axon growth and branching presumably by clearing actin aggregates to allow microtubule protrusion.

Highlighted Article: Our studies provide molecular insight into the important role of the CEP85-STIL complex in activating ARP2/3-dependent actin reorganization and modulating PLK4-driven cancer cell migration.

Summary: Correct disulfuide formation in the secretory pathway requires reducing equivalents from the cytosol mediated through a membrane protein localised to the endoplasmic reticulum.

Summary: Trypanosomes lack a canonical spindle checkpoint system, but kinetochore kinases KKT10/19 phosphorylate KKT4 and KKT7 and are important for promoting the metaphase to anaphase transition in T. brucei.

Summary: Direct interactions between Orai termini and STIM1 were systematically analyzed and an Orai C-terminus to N-terminus sequential binding mode by STIM1 was discovered.

Highlighted Article: ESCRT-III remodeling is needed for its membrane scission activity. The Doa4 ubiquitin hydrolase in yeast is shown to interfere during association of ESCRT-III with its remodeling factors.

Summary: This work demonstrates a migratory mode of primarily round cancer cells in complex 3D environments and reveals a fundamentally new function for membrane blebs in cancer cell invasion.

Summary: Sperm–sperm adhesion through the integrin–fibronectin interaction activates the FAK/MEK1 and MEK2/ERK2/GEF-H1/RhoA pathway, which – in turn – regulates actin cytoskeleton remodeling.

Highlighted Article: Planarian stem cells respond differently to the genotoxic agent MMS in anterior versus posterior fragments, which could be linked with differential β-catenin activity along the body axis.

Summary: Microtubule assembly and dynein-driven microtubule translocation are interdependent processes required for neurite elongation.

Summary: PKP3 promotes desmosome assembly and dynamic adhesion at tricellular junctions. Its function in intercellular adhesion is supported by EGF signaling via RSK-mediated phosphorylation at a specific site.

Summary: Poji is a Fiji-based macro for the characterization of cellular and podosomal parameters, including area, fluorescence intensity, relative protein enrichment and radial podosome intensity profiles.