biosights

The microtubules of skeletal muscle fibers are arranged into an orthogonal grid, but how this network is formed is unknown. Oddoux et al. reveal that the network is built by dynamic microtubules nucleated from Golgi elements. This biosights episode presents the paper by Oddoux et al. from the October 28, 2013, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with senior author Evelyn Ralston (NIH, Bethesda, MD). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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The nodal network

In addition to specialized actin structures such as lamellipodia and stress fibers, cells are thought to contain a contractile actomyosin matrix that maintains cell shape. Luo et al. describe the organization and dynamics of an actomyosin network that may fulfill this function. This network is formed by actin nodes that contain the formin DAAM1 and the crosslinker filamin A, and that are connected to each other by myosin II. This biosights episode presents the paper by Luo et al. from the September 30, 2013, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with corresponding author Alexander Bershadsky (Weizmann Institute, Israel, and Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Shrinking microtubules pull the centrosome into place

When a T cell encounters a target antigen-presenting cell, it moves its centrosome to the immunological synapse that connects the two cells. Yi et al. reveal that centrosome repositioning is a biphasic process driven by the dynein-dependent capture and depolymerization of microtubules. This biosights episode presents the paper by Yi et al. from the September 2, 2013, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with senior author John Hammer (NHLBI, Bethesda, MD). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Epithelia restored by healing waves

Epithelial cells around the edge of a wound assemble an actomyosin cable that constricts to draw the wound closed, but the events that precede cable formation are largely unknown. Antunes et al. reveal that wounding induces a wave of actomyosin assembly and cell constriction that flows toward the wound edge to promote cable assembly and tissue repair. This biosights episode presents the paper by Antunes et al. from the July 22, 2013, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with senior author Antonio Jacinto (NOVA, Lisbon, Portugal). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Vinculin delivers a clutch performance

At the leading edge of migrating cells, actin assembly and membrane protrusion are closely coupled with the formation of integrin-based focal adhesions that attach to the extracellular matrix. Thievessen et al. reveal that the focal adhesion protein vinculin acts as part of a molecular clutch that engages actin flow to coordinate actin and focal adhesion dynamics. This biosights episode presents the paper by Thievessen et al. from the July 8, 2013, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with senior author Clare Waterman (NHLBI, Bethesda, MD). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Netrin Throws Anchor Cells into the Breach

Cell invasion through basement membranes is crucial for both normal development and cancer metastasis but relatively little is known about the process because it is difficult to observe in vivo. By imaging the invasion of anchor cells during C. elegans development, Hagedorn et al. reveal that, after invadopodia-like structures form an initial breach in the basement membrane, localized netrin signaling helps generate a stable invasive protrusion that widens the gap and directs the cell across the extracellular barrier. This biosights episode presents the paper by Hagedorn et al. from the June 10, 2013, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with senior author David Sherwood (Duke University, Durham, NC). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Ventral lamellipodia plug the gaps

When leukocytes enter or exit the blood stream, they leave small wounds both in and between the vascular endothelial cells, which must be quickly repaired so that the endothelium can maintain its barrier function. Martinelli et al. reveal that wounding causes a loss of tension in endothelial cells, inducing the formation of ventral lamellipodia that close the holes left by transmigrating leukocytes. This biosights episode presents the paper by Martinelli et al. from the April 29, 2013, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with authors Roberta Martinelli and Christopher Carman (Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Frog oocytes evade the checkpoint

Most dividing cells possess a spindle assembly checkpoint that prevents them from entering anaphase until all their chromosomes are correctly attached to the metaphase spindle. Shao et al. reveal that Xenopus eggs lack this checkpoint, allowing them to undergo meiosis in the absence of microtubules or in the presence of monopolar spindles. This biosights episode presents the paper by Shao et al. from the April 15, 2013 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with senior author Johné Liu (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Canada). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Breaking egg symmetry

During the first meiotic division of mammalian oocytes, the meiotic spindle and chromosomes move from the interior to the periphery of the cell. Yi et al. reveal that chromosome migration occurs in two sequential phases driven by the actin nucleators Fmn2 and the Arp2/3 complex. This biosights episode presents the paper by Yi et al. from the March 4, 2013, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with senior author Rong Li (Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Erecting a myosin scaffold for cytokinesis

Cell division requires the coordinated action of proteins that promote actomyosin contraction, membrane trafficking, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Wloka et al. reveal that, in budding yeast, the type II myosin Myo1 acts as an immobile scaffold at the bud neck to organize proteins involved in forming the primary septum during cytokinesis. This biosights episode presents the paper by Wloka et al. from the February 4, 2013, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with senior author Erfei Bi (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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The Rockefeller University Press [email protected]