TY - JOUR AB - Centrosomes play a crucial role during immune cell interactions and initiation of the immune response. In proliferating cells, centrosome numbers are tightly controlled and generally limited to one in G1 and two prior to mitosis. Defects in regulating centrosome numbers have been associated with cell transformation and tumorigenesis. Here, we report the emergence of extra centrosomes in leukocytes during immune activation. Upon antigen encounter, dendritic cells pass through incomplete mitosis and arrest in the subsequent G1 phase leading to tetraploid cells with accumulated centrosomes. In addition, cell stimulation increases expression of polo-like kinase 2, resulting in diploid cells with two centrosomes in G1-arrested cells. During cell migration, centrosomes tightly cluster and act as functional microtubule-organizing centers allowing for increased persistent locomotion along gradients of chemotactic cues. Moreover, dendritic cells with extra centrosomes display enhanced secretion of inflammatory cytokines and optimized T cell responses. Together, these results demonstrate a previously unappreciated role of extra centrosomes for regular cell and tissue homeostasis. AU - Weier, Ann-Kathrin AU - Homrich, Mirka AU - Ebbinghaus, Stephanie AU - Juda, Pavel AU - Miková, Eliška AU - Hauschild, Robert AU - Zhang, Lili AU - Quast, Thomas AU - Mass, Elvira AU - Schlitzer, Andreas AU - Kolanus, Waldemar AU - Burgdorf, Sven AU - Gruß, Oliver J. AU - Hons, Miroslav AU - Wieser, Stefan AU - Kiermaier, Eva ID - 12122 IS - 12 JF - Journal of Cell Biology KW - Cell Biology SN - 0021-9525 TI - Multiple centrosomes enhance migration and immune cell effector functions of mature dendritic cells VL - 221 ER - TY - JOUR AB - The phytohormone auxin triggers transcriptional reprogramming through a well-characterized perception machinery in the nucleus. By contrast, mechanisms that underlie fast effects of auxin, such as the regulation of ion fluxes, rapid phosphorylation of proteins or auxin feedback on its transport, remain unclear1,2,3. Whether auxin-binding protein 1 (ABP1) is an auxin receptor has been a source of debate for decades1,4. Here we show that a fraction of Arabidopsis thaliana ABP1 is secreted and binds auxin specifically at an acidic pH that is typical of the apoplast. ABP1 and its plasma-membrane-localized partner, transmembrane kinase 1 (TMK1), are required for the auxin-induced ultrafast global phospho-response and for downstream processes that include the activation of H+-ATPase and accelerated cytoplasmic streaming. abp1 and tmk mutants cannot establish auxin-transporting channels and show defective auxin-induced vasculature formation and regeneration. An ABP1(M2X) variant that lacks the capacity to bind auxin is unable to complement these defects in abp1 mutants. These data indicate that ABP1 is the auxin receptor for TMK1-based cell-surface signalling, which mediates the global phospho-response and auxin canalization. AU - Friml, Jiří AU - Gallei, Michelle C AU - Gelová, Zuzana AU - Johnson, Alexander J AU - Mazur, Ewa AU - Monzer, Aline AU - Rodriguez Solovey, Lesia AU - Roosjen, Mark AU - Verstraeten, Inge AU - Živanović, Branka D. AU - Zou, Minxia AU - Fiedler, Lukas AU - Giannini, Caterina AU - Grones, Peter AU - Hrtyan, Mónika AU - Kaufmann, Walter AU - Kuhn, Andre AU - Narasimhan, Madhumitha AU - Randuch, Marek AU - Rýdza, Nikola AU - Takahashi, Koji AU - Tan, Shutang AU - Teplova, Anastasiia AU - Kinoshita, Toshinori AU - Weijers, Dolf AU - Rakusová, Hana ID - 12291 IS - 7927 JF - Nature SN - 0028-0836 TI - ABP1–TMK auxin perception for global phosphorylation and auxin canalization VL - 609 ER - TY - JOUR AB - The mammalian neocortex is composed of diverse neuronal and glial cell classes that broadly arrange in six distinct laminae. Cortical layers emerge during development and defects in the developmental programs that orchestrate cortical lamination are associated with neurodevelopmental diseases. The developmental principle of cortical layer formation depends on concerted radial projection neuron migration, from their birthplace to their final target position. Radial migration occurs in defined sequential steps, regulated by a large array of signaling pathways. However, based on genetic loss-of-function experiments, most studies have thus far focused on the role of cell-autonomous gene function. Yet, cortical neuron migration in situ is a complex process and migrating neurons traverse along diverse cellular compartments and environments. The role of tissue-wide properties and genetic state in radial neuron migration is however not clear. Here we utilized mosaic analysis with double markers (MADM) technology to either sparsely or globally delete gene function, followed by quantitative single-cell phenotyping. The MADM-based gene ablation paradigms in combination with computational modeling demonstrated that global tissue-wide effects predominate cell-autonomous gene function albeit in a gene-specific manner. Our results thus suggest that the genetic landscape in a tissue critically affects the overall migration phenotype of individual cortical projection neurons. In a broader context, our findings imply that global tissue-wide effects represent an essential component of the underlying etiology associated with focal malformations of cortical development in particular, and neurological diseases in general. AU - Hansen, Andi H AU - Pauler, Florian AU - Riedl, Michael AU - Streicher, Carmen AU - Heger, Anna-Magdalena AU - Laukoter, Susanne AU - Sommer, Christoph M AU - Nicolas, Armel AU - Hof, Björn AU - Tsai, Li Huei AU - Rülicke, Thomas AU - Hippenmeyer, Simon ID - 10791 IS - 1 JF - Oxford Open Neuroscience TI - Tissue-wide effects override cell-intrinsic gene function in radial neuron migration VL - 1 ER - TY - JOUR AB - When crawling through the body, leukocytes often traverse tissues that are densely packed with extracellular matrix and other cells, and this raises the question: How do leukocytes overcome compressive mechanical loads? Here, we show that the actin cortex of leukocytes is mechanoresponsive and that this responsiveness requires neither force sensing via the nucleus nor adhesive interactions with a substrate. Upon global compression of the cell body as well as local indentation of the plasma membrane, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASp) assembles into dot-like structures, providing activation platforms for Arp2/3 nucleated actin patches. These patches locally push against the external load, which can be obstructing collagen fibers or other cells, and thereby create space to facilitate forward locomotion. We show in vitro and in vivo that this WASp function is rate limiting for ameboid leukocyte migration in dense but not in loose environments and is required for trafficking through diverse tissues such as skin and lymph nodes. AU - Gaertner, Florian AU - Reis-Rodrigues, Patricia AU - De Vries, Ingrid AU - Hons, Miroslav AU - Aguilera, Juan AU - Riedl, Michael AU - Leithner, Alexander F AU - Tasciyan, Saren AU - Kopf, Aglaja AU - Merrin, Jack AU - Zheden, Vanessa AU - Kaufmann, Walter AU - Hauschild, Robert AU - Sixt, Michael K ID - 10703 IS - 1 JF - Developmental Cell SN - 1534-5807 TI - WASp triggers mechanosensitive actin patches to facilitate immune cell migration in dense tissues VL - 57 ER - TY - GEN AU - Schlögl, Alois AU - Elefante, Stefano AU - Hornoiu, Andrei AU - Stadlbauer, Stephan ID - 12909 SN - 978-961-6980-77-7 T2 - ASHPC21 – Austrian-Slovenian HPC Meeting 2021 TI - Managing software on a heterogenous HPC cluster ER - TY - JOUR AB - Cell and tissue polarization is fundamental for plant growth and morphogenesis. The polar, cellular localization of Arabidopsis PIN‐FORMED (PIN) proteins is crucial for their function in directional auxin transport. The clustering of PIN polar cargoes within the plasma membrane has been proposed to be important for the maintenance of their polar distribution. However, the more detailed features of PIN clusters and the cellular requirements of cargo clustering remain unclear. Here, we characterized PIN clusters in detail by means of multiple advanced microscopy and quantification methods, such as 3D quantitative imaging or freeze‐fracture replica labeling. The size and aggregation types of PIN clusters were determined by electron microscopy at the nanometer level at different polar domains and at different developmental stages, revealing a strong preference for clustering at the polar domains. Pharmacological and genetic studies revealed that PIN clusters depend on phosphoinositol pathways, cytoskeletal structures and specific cell‐wall components as well as connections between the cell wall and the plasma membrane. This study identifies the role of different cellular processes and structures in polar cargo clustering and provides initial mechanistic insight into the maintenance of polarity in plants and other systems. AU - Li, Hongjiang AU - von Wangenheim, Daniel AU - Zhang, Xixi AU - Tan, Shutang AU - Darwish-Miranda, Nasser AU - Naramoto, Satoshi AU - Wabnik, Krzysztof T AU - de Rycke, Riet AU - Kaufmann, Walter AU - Gütl, Daniel J AU - Tejos, Ricardo AU - Grones, Peter AU - Ke, Meiyu AU - Chen, Xu AU - Dettmer, Jan AU - Friml, Jiří ID - 8582 IS - 1 JF - New Phytologist SN - 0028646X TI - Cellular requirements for PIN polar cargo clustering in Arabidopsis thaliana VL - 229 ER - TY - JOUR AB - The recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has resulted in a world‐wide pandemic. Disseminated lung injury with the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the main cause of mortality in COVID‐19. Although liver failure does not seem to occur in the absence of pre‐existing liver disease, hepatic involvement in COVID‐19 may correlate with overall disease severity and serve as a prognostic factor for the development of ARDS. The spectrum of liver injury in COVID‐19 may range from direct infection by SARS‐CoV‐2, indirect involvement by systemic inflammation, hypoxic changes, iatrogenic causes such as drugs and ventilation to exacerbation of underlying liver disease. This concise review discusses the potential pathophysiological mechanisms for SARS‐CoV‐2 hepatic tropism as well as acute and possibly long‐term liver injury in COVID‐19. AU - Nardo, Alexander D. AU - Schneeweiss-Gleixner, Mathias AU - Bakail, May M AU - Dixon, Emmanuel D. AU - Lax, Sigurd F. AU - Trauner, Michael ID - 8927 IS - 1 JF - Liver International SN - 14783223 TI - Pathophysiological mechanisms of liver injury in COVID-19 VL - 41 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Layered materials in which individual atomic layers are bonded by weak van der Waals forces (vdW materials) constitute one of the most prominent platforms for materials research. Particularly, polar vdW crystals, such as hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), alpha-molybdenum trioxide (α-MoO3) or alpha-vanadium pentoxide (α-V2O5), have received significant attention in nano-optics, since they support phonon polaritons (PhPs)―light coupled to lattice vibrations― with strong electromagnetic confinement and low optical losses. Recently, correlative far- and near-field studies of α-MoO3 have been demonstrated as an effective strategy to accurately extract the permittivity of this material. Here, we use this accurately characterized and low-loss polaritonic material to sense its local dielectric environment, namely silica (SiO2), one of the most widespread substrates in nanotechnology. By studying the propagation of PhPs on α-MoO3 flakes with different thicknesses laying on SiO2 substrates via near-field microscopy (s-SNOM), we extract locally the infrared permittivity of SiO2. Our work reveals PhPs nanoimaging as a versatile method for the quantitative characterization of the local optical properties of dielectric substrates, crucial for understanding and predicting the response of nanomaterials and for the future scalability of integrated nanophotonic devices. AU - Aguilar-Merino, Patricia AU - Álvarez-Pérez, Gonzalo AU - Taboada-Gutiérrez, Javier AU - Duan, Jiahua AU - Prieto Gonzalez, Ivan AU - Álvarez-Prado, Luis Manuel AU - Nikitin, Alexey Y. AU - Martín-Sánchez, Javier AU - Alonso-González, Pablo ID - 9038 IS - 1 JF - Nanomaterials TI - Extracting the infrared permittivity of SiO2 substrates locally by near-field imaging of phonon polaritons in a van der Waals crystal VL - 11 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Sequence-specific oligomers with predictable folding patterns, i.e., foldamers, provide new opportunities to mimic α-helical peptides and design inhibitors of protein-protein interactions. One major hurdle of this strategy is to retain the correct orientation of key side chains involved in protein surface recognition. Here, we show that the structural plasticity of a foldamer backbone may notably contribute to the required spatial adjustment for optimal interaction with the protein surface. By using oligoureas as α helix mimics, we designed a foldamer/peptide hybrid inhibitor of histone chaperone ASF1, a key regulator of chromatin dynamics. The crystal structure of its complex with ASF1 reveals a notable plasticity of the urea backbone, which adapts to the ASF1 surface to maintain the same binding interface. One additional benefit of generating ASF1 ligands with nonpeptide oligourea segments is the resistance to proteolysis in human plasma, which was highly improved compared to the cognate α-helical peptide. AU - Mbianda, Johanne AU - Bakail, May M AU - André, Christophe AU - Moal, Gwenaëlle AU - Perrin, Marie E. AU - Pinna, Guillaume AU - Guerois, Raphaël AU - Becher, Francois AU - Legrand, Pierre AU - Traoré, Seydou AU - Douat, Céline AU - Guichard, Gilles AU - Ochsenbein, Françoise ID - 9262 IS - 12 JF - Science Advances SN - 2375-2548 TI - Optimal anchoring of a foldamer inhibitor of ASF1 histone chaperone through backbone plasticity VL - 7 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Gradients of chemokines and growth factors guide migrating cells and morphogenetic processes. Migration of antigen-presenting dendritic cells from the interstitium into the lymphatic system is dependent on chemokine CCL21, which is secreted by endothelial cells of the lymphatic capillary, binds heparan sulfates and forms gradients decaying into the interstitium. Despite the importance of CCL21 gradients, and chemokine gradients in general, the mechanisms of gradient formation are unclear. Studies on fibroblast growth factors have shown that limited diffusion is crucial for gradient formation. Here, we used the mouse dermis as a model tissue to address the necessity of CCL21 anchoring to lymphatic capillary heparan sulfates in the formation of interstitial CCL21 gradients. Surprisingly, the absence of lymphatic endothelial heparan sulfates resulted only in a modest decrease of CCL21 levels at the lymphatic capillaries and did neither affect interstitial CCL21 gradient shape nor dendritic cell migration toward lymphatic capillaries. Thus, heparan sulfates at the level of the lymphatic endothelium are dispensable for the formation of a functional CCL21 gradient. AU - Vaahtomeri, Kari AU - Moussion, Christine AU - Hauschild, Robert AU - Sixt, Michael K ID - 9259 JF - Frontiers in Immunology TI - Shape and function of interstitial chemokine CCL21 gradients are independent of heparan sulfates produced by lymphatic endothelium VL - 12 ER -