Cell Biology
One master to rule them all
Multiciliated cells rely on the same master regulator as dividing cells to amplify the number of centrioles needed to generate the hair-like structures that coat their cell surface.
Cell Biology
Consequences of PDGFR a <sup>+</sup> fibroblast reduction in adult murine hearts
Fibroblasts produce the majority of collagen in the heart and are thought to regulate extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover. Although fibrosis accompanies many cardiac pathologies and is generally deleterious, the role of fibroblasts in maintaining the b…
Cell Biology
Contribution of <i>Trp63<sup>CreERT2</sup></i> labeled cells to alveolar regeneration is independent of tuft cells
Viral infection often causes severe damage to the lungs, leading to the appearance of ectopic basal cells (EBCs) and tuft cells in the lung parenchyma. Thus far the roles of these ectopic epithelial cells in alveolar regeneration remain controversial. …
Cell Biology
Kinesin-1, -2 and -3 motors use family-specific mechanochemical strategies to effectively compete with dynein during bidirectional transport
Bidirectional cargo transport in neurons requires competing activity of motors from the kinesin-1, -2 and -3 superfamilies against cytoplasmic dynein-1. Previous studies demonstrated that when kinesin-1 attached to dynein-dynactin-BicD2 (DDB) complex, …
Cell Biology
Microtubules restrict F-actin polymerization to the immune synapse via GEF-H1 to maintain polarity in lymphocytes
Immune synapse formation is a key step for lymphocyte activation. In B lymphocytes, the immune synapse controls the production of high-affinity antibodies, thereby defining the efficiency of humoral immune responses. While the key roles played by both …
Cancer Biology
GCN2 eIF2 kinase promotes prostate cancer by maintaining amino acid homeostasis
A stress adaptation pathway termed the integrated stress response has been suggested to be active in many cancers including prostate cancer (PCa). Here, we demonstrate that the eIF2 kinase GCN2 is required for sustained growth in androgen-sensitive and…
Cell Biology
Comprehensive analysis of the human ESCRT-III-MIT domain interactome reveals new cofactors for cytokinetic abscission
The 12 related human ESCRT-III proteins form filaments that constrict membranes and mediate fission, including during cytokinetic abscission. The C-terminal tails of polymerized ESCRT-III subunits also bind proteins that contain Microtubule-Interacting…
Cell Biology
Rvb1/Rvb2 proteins couple transcription and translation during glucose starvation
During times of unpredictable stress, organisms must adapt their gene expression to maximize survival. Along with changes in transcription, one conserved means of gene regulation during conditions that quickly repress translation is the formation of cy…
Cell Biology
Pathogenic variants of sphingomyelin synthase SMS2 disrupt lipid landscapes in the secretory pathway
Sphingomyelin is a dominant sphingolipid in mammalian cells. Its production in the trans-Golgi traps cholesterol synthesized in the ER to promote formation of a sphingomyelin/sterol gradient along the secretory pathway. This gradient marks a fundamenta…
Cell Biology
Structure of the HOPS tethering complex, a lysosomal membrane fusion machinery
Lysosomes are essential for cellular recycling, nutrient signaling, autophagy, and pathogenic bacteria and viruses invasion. Lysosomal fusion is fundamental to cell survival and requires HOPS, a conserved heterohexameric tethering complex. On the membr…