Coralie Busso

Cortical dynein is critical for proper spindle positioning in human cells

Dynein is anchored at the plasma membrane by a ternary complex comprising NuMA–LGN–Gα and thus ensures correct spindle positioning

Phosphorylation of SAS-6 by ZYG-1 Is Critical for Centriole Formation in C. elegans Embryos

Despite being essential for proper cell division, the mechanisms governing centrosome duplication are incompletely understood and represent an important open question in cell biology. Formation of a new centriole next to each existing one is critical for centrosome duplication. In Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, the proteins SPD-2, ZYG-1, SAS-6, SAS-5, and SAS-4 are essential for centriole formation, but the mechanisms underlying their requirement remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the kinase ZYG-1 phosphorylates the coiled-coil protein SAS-6 at serine 123 in vitro. Importantly, we show that this phosphorylation event is crucial for centriole formation in vivo. Furthermore, we establish that such phosphorylation ensures the maintenance of SAS-6 at the emerging centriole. Overall, our findings establish that phosphorylation of the evolutionarily conserved protein SAS-6 is critical for centriole formation and thus for faithful cell division.

NuMA phosphorylation by CDK1 couples mitotic progression with cortical dynein function

Spindle positioning and spindle elongation are critical for proper cell division. In human cells, an evolutionary conserved ternary complex (NuMA/LGN/Gαi) anchors dynein at the cortex during metaphase, thus ensuring correct spindle positioning. Whether this complex contributes to anaphase spindle elongation is not known. More generally, the mechanisms coupling mitotic progression with spindle behaviour remain elusive. Here, we uncover that levels of cortical dynein markedly increase during anaphase in a NuMA‐dependent manner. We demonstrate that during metaphase, CDK1‐mediated phosphorylation at T2055 negatively regulates NuMA cortical localization and that this phosphorylation is counteracted by PPP2CA phosphatase activity. We establish that this tug of war is essential for proper levels of cortical dynein and thus spindle positioning during metaphase. Moreover, we find that upon CDK1 inactivation in anaphase, the rise in dephosphorylated NuMA at the cell cortex leads to cortical dynein enrichment, and thus to robust spindle elongation. Our findings uncover a mechanism whereby the status of NuMA phosphorylation coordinates mitotic progression with proper spindle function.

NuMA interacts with phosphoinositides and links the mitotic spindle with the plasma membrane

The positioning and the elongation of the mitotic spindle must be carefully regulated. In human cells, the evolutionary conserved proteins LGN/Gαi1‐3 anchor the coiled‐coil protein NuMA and dynein to the cell cortex during metaphase, thus ensuring proper spindle positioning. The mechanisms governing cortical localization of NuMA and dynein during anaphase remain more elusive. Here, we report that LGN/Gαi1‐3 are dispensable for NuMA‐dependent cortical dynein enrichment during anaphase. We further establish that NuMA is excluded from the equatorial region of the cell cortex in a manner that depends on the centralspindlin components CYK4 and MKLP1. Importantly, we reveal that NuMA can directly associate with PtdInsP (PIP) and PtdInsP2 (PIP2) phosphoinositides in vitro. Furthermore, chemical or enzymatic depletion of PIP/PIP2 prevents NuMA cortical localization during mitosis, and conversely, increasing PIP2 levels augments mitotic cortical NuMA. Overall, our study uncovers a novel function for plasma membrane phospholipids in governing cortical NuMA distribution and thus the proper execution of mitosis.

The nucleoporin Nup205/NPP-3 is lost near centrosomes at mitotic onset and can modulate the timing of this process in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos

Through an RNAi-based modifier screen, we identified the nucleoporin Nup205/NPP-3 as a negative regulator of mitotic onset in Caenorhabditis elegans. Strikingly, NPP-3 is lost from the nuclear envelope at mitotic onset in an AIR-1– and centrosome-dependent manner. We propose a model whereby centrosomes and AIR-1 promote timely mitosis by locally removing NPP-3.

Zika virus causes supernumerary foci with centriolar proteins and impaired spindle positioning.

Zika virus (ZIKV) causes congenital microcephaly. Although ZIKV can impair cell cycle progression and provoke apoptosis, which probably contributes to disease aetiology through depletion of neural progenitor cells, additional cellular mechanisms may be important. Here, we investigated whether ZIKV infection alters centrosome number and spindle positioning, because such defects are thought to be at the root of inherited primary autosomal recessive microcephaly (MCPH). In addition to HeLa cells, in which centrosome number and spindle positioning can be well monitored, we analysed retinal epithelial cells (RPE-1), as well as brain-derived microglial (CHME-5) and neural progenitor (ReN) cells, using immunofluorescence. We established that ZIKV infection leads to supernumerary foci containing centriolar proteins that in some cases drive multipolar spindle assembly, as well as spindle positioning defects in HeLa, RPE-1 and CHME-5 cells, but not in ReN cells. We uncovered similar phenotypes in HeLa cells upon infection with dengue virus (DENV-2), another flavivirus that does not target brain cells and does not cause microcephaly. We conclude that infection with Flaviviridae can increase centrosome numbers and impair spindle positioning, thus potentially contributing to microcephaly in the case of Zika.

Aurora A kinase regulates proper spindle positioning in C. elegans and in human cells.

ABSTRACT Accurate spindle positioning is essential for error-free cell division. The one-cell Caenorhabditis elegans embryo has proven instrumental for dissecting mechanisms governing spindle positioning. Despite important progress, how the cortical forces that act on astral microtubules to properly position the spindle are modulated is incompletely understood. Here, we report that the PP6 phosphatase PPH-6 and its associated subunit SAPS-1, which positively regulate pulling forces acting on spindle poles, associate with the Aurora A kinase AIR-1 in C. elegans embryos. We show that acute inactivation of AIR-1 during mitosis results in excess pulling forces on astral microtubules. Furthermore, we uncover that AIR-1 acts downstream of PPH-6–SAPS-1 in modulating spindle positioning, and that PPH-6–SAPS-1 negatively regulates AIR-1 localization at the cell cortex. Moreover, we show that Aurora A and the PP6 phosphatase subunit PPP6C are also necessary for spindle positioning in human cells. There, Aurora A is needed for the cortical localization of NuMA and dynein during mitosis. Overall, our work demonstrates that Aurora A kinases and PP6 phosphatases have an ancient function in modulating spindle positioning, thus contributing to faithful cell division. Summary: Aurora A kinase and PP6 phosphatase are required for spindle positioning in C. elegans embryos and human cells by modulating the localization of cortical force generators.

Identification of Chlamydomonas Central Core Centriolar Proteins Reveals a Role for Human WDR90 in Ciliogenesis

Summary Centrioles are evolutionarily conserved macromolecular structures that are fundamental to form cilia, flagella, and centrosomes. Centrioles are 9-fold symmetrical microtubule-based cylindrical barrels comprising three regions that can be clearly distinguished in the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii organelle: an ∼100-nm-long proximal region harboring a cartwheel; an ∼250-nm-long central core region containing a Y-shaped linker; and an ∼150-nm-long distal region ending at the transitional plate. Despite the discovery of many centriolar components, no protein has been localized specifically to the central core region in Chlamydomonas thus far. Here, combining relative quantitative mass spectrometry and super-resolution microscopy on purified Chlamydomonas centrioles, we identified POB15 and POC16 as two proteins of the central core region, the distribution of which correlates with that of tubulin glutamylation. We demonstrated that POB15 is an inner barrel protein within this region. Moreover, we developed an assay to uncover temporal relationships between centriolar proteins during organelle assembly and thus established that POB15 is recruited after the cartwheel protein CrSAS-6 and before tubulin glutamylation takes place. Furthermore, we discovered that two poc16 mutants exhibit flagellar defects, indicating that POC16 is important for flagellum biogenesis. In addition, we discovered that WDR90, the human homolog of POC16, localizes to a region of human centrioles that we propose is analogous to the central core of Chlamydomonas centrioles. Moreover, we demonstrate that WDR90 is required for ciliogenesis, echoing the findings in Chlamydomonas. Overall, our work provides novel insights into the identity and function of centriolar central core components.

Quantitative Analysis and Modeling Probe Polarity Establishment in C. elegans Embryos

Cell polarity underlies many aspects of metazoan development and homeostasis, and relies notably on a set of PAR proteins located at the cell cortex. How these proteins interact in space and time remains incompletely understood. We performed a quantitative assessment of polarity establishment in one-cell stage Caenorhabditis elegans embryos by combining time-lapse microscopy and image analysis. We used our extensive data set to challenge and further specify an extant mathematical model. Using likelihood-based calibration, we uncovered that cooperativity is required for both anterior and posterior PAR complexes. Moreover, we analyzed the dependence of polarity establishment on changes in size or temperature. The observed robustness of PAR domain dimensions in embryos of different sizes is in agreement with a model incorporating fixed protein concentrations and variations in embryo surface/volume ratio. In addition, we quantified the dynamics of polarity establishment over most of the viable temperatures range of C. elegans. Modeling of these data suggests that diffusion of PAR proteins is the process most affected by temperature changes, although cortical flows appear unaffected. Overall, our quantitative analytical framework provides insights into the dynamics of polarity establishment in a developing system.

Cellular hallmarks reveal restricted aerobic metabolism at thermal limits

All organisms live within a given thermal range, but little is known about the mechanisms setting the limits of this range. We uncovered cellular features exhibiting signature changes at thermal limits in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. These included changes in embryo size and shape, which were also observed in Caenorhabditis briggsae, indicating evolutionary conservation. We hypothesized that such changes could reflect restricted aerobic capacity at thermal limits. Accordingly, we uncovered that relative respiration in C. elegans embryos decreases at the thermal limits as compared to within the thermal range. Furthermore, by compromising components of the respiratory chain, we demonstrated that the reliance on aerobic metabolism is reduced at thermal limits. Moreover, embryos thus compromised exhibited signature changes in size and shape already within the thermal range. We conclude that restricted aerobic metabolism at the thermal limits contributes to setting the thermal range in a metazoan organism. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.04810.001