Les divisions asymétriques permettent l’apparition de deux cellules filles différentes via la ségrégation polarisée de déterminants cellulaires pendant la division. La polarisation de la cellule mère est essentielle au bon déroulement des divisions asymétriques. Les précurseurs des organes sensoriels externes de la Drosophile (SOP) se divisent asymétriquement dans le plan de l’épithélium du thorax. La polarisation planaire des SOP dépend de la localisation asymétrique du complexe PAR (Baz-Par6-aPKC). Néanmoins, ces protéines sont aussi impliquées dans le maintient de la polarité apico-basale de l’épithélium. Les mécanismes régulant le remodelage de la polarité épithéliale, permettant la polarisation planaire du complexe PAR sont inconnus.Au cours de ma Thèse, j’ai développé une méthode d’analyse quantitative de la polarisation des protéines PAR au cours du temps. Je montre que Baz, Par6 et aPKC se sont asymétriques avant la mitose, et que cette polarisation dépend de la PCP (Planar Cell Polarity). J’ai également identifié Expanded (ex) et p120/catenin (p120ctn), dont l’expression est réduite dans les SOP, respectivement comme régulateurs de Crumbs et de la dynamique des jonctions. Leur inhibition promeut le remodelage de la polarité épithéliale et la polarisation des SOP.Un modèle de polarisation de la SOP est proposé, où l’inhibition spécifique d’ex et de p120ctn libère Par6-aPKC et Baz, permettant la formation du complexe PAR. Ce dernier interprète la PCP et devient asymétrique. Ainsi, ce travail relie la spécification de la SOP et sa division asymétrique, et propose un modèle général pour l’étude des divisions asymétriques dans les épithéliums. / During development, cell fate diversity can be generated by asymmetric cell division. As fate asymmetry can result from the unequal segregation at mitosis of cell fate determinants, polarization of the mother cell is essential for this process. The epithelial Sensory Organ Precursor cells (SOPs) divide asymmetrically within the plane of the notum epithelium in Drosophila. Planar polarization of mitotic SOPs critically depends on the asymmetric distribution of the PAR polarity complex. Nevertheless, PAR proteins are also involved in the maintenance of epithelial apico-basal polarity. When and how this epithelial polarity is remodelled to allow planar polarization of the PAR complex is unknown. During my thesis, I developed a quantitative live-imaging approach to monitor polarization of the PAR proteins. I showed that the three members of the PAR complex (Bazooka (Baz), Par6 and atypical Protein Kinase C (aPKC)) become planar polarized prior to mitosis and identified Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) as the initial symmetry breaking input. Expanded (Ex) and p120/catenin (p120ctn) were identified as SOP-specific regulators of Crumbs and AJ dynamics, respectively, that negatively regulate planar polarization in SOPs. This work led to a model whereby decreasing levels of Ex and p120ctn in SOPs increases free Par6-aPKC and Baz to promote the formation and polarization of the Baz-Par6-aPKC complex. Thus, this study links fate determination to asymmetric cell division and provides a general framework to understand how epithelial cells can divide asymmetrically despite having junctions.

Faithful segregation of chromosomes is ensured by the spindle checkpoint. If a kinetochore does not correctly attach to a microtubule the spindle checkpoint stops cell cycle progression until all chromosomes are attached to microtubules or tension is experienced while pulling the chromosomes. The C. elegans gene, san-1, is required for spindle checkpoint function and anoxia survival. To further understand the role of san-1 in the spindle checkpoint, an RNAi screen was conducted to identify genetic interactions with san-1. The kinetochore gene hcp-1 identified in this screen, was known to have a genetic interaction with hcp-2. Interestingly, san-1(ok1580);hcp-2(ok1757) had embryonic and larval lethal phenotypes, but the phenotypes observed are less severe compared to the phenotypes of san-1(ok1580);hcp-1(RNAi) animals. Both san-1(ok1580);hcp-1(RNAi) and san-1(ok1580);hcp-2(RNAi) produce eggs that may hatch; but san-1(ok1580):hcp-1(RNAi) larvae do not survive to adulthood due to defects caused by aberrant chromosome segregations during development. Y54G9A.6 encodes the C. elegans homolog of bub-3, and has spindle checkpoint function. In C.elegans, bub-3 has genetic interactions with san-1 and mdf-2. An RNAi screen for genetic interactions with bub-3 identified that F31F6.3 may potentially have a genetic interaction with bub-3. This work provided genetic evidence that hcp-1, hcp-2 and F31F6.2 interact with spindle checkpoint genes.

A divisão bacteriana é efetuada por um complexo macromolecular conhecido como divisomo. Um componente central do divisomo é FtsZ, uma proteína homóloga de tubulina que se polimeriza no meio da célula formando uma estrutura em forma de anel (anel Z). O controle da divisão é exercido por proteínas que modulam a habilidade de FtsZ de formar o anel Z. Dois fatores principais estão envolvidos na seleção do correto sitio de divisão. O melhor estudado é o sistema Min, o qual é responsável pelo bloqueio específico de sítios de divisão não desejados nos polos da célula. O componente do sistema Min que inibe a polimerização de FtsZ é a proteína MinC e é sabido que MinC requer MinD para se ativar, mas o mecanismo dessa ativação não está completamente compreendido. No presente trabalho investigamos o papel da associação de MinD à membrana na ativação de MinC. Usando um mutante que não mais se associa à membrana (MinDΔMTS) mostramos que o efeito de MinC em inibir a divisão celular é altamente dependente de seu recrutamento à membrana por MinD. No entanto, ensaios in vitro mostraram que o complexo MinCDΔMTS é mais eficiente em desfazer polímeros de FtsZ que MinC sozinho, indicando que MinD promove a ativação de MinC por outro mecanismo além de recrutamento à membrana. Esta ativação pode resultar de um efeito alostérico ou da criação de um sítio para FtsZ na interface do complexo MinCD, porém resultados preliminares não conseguiram detectar aumento da afinidade de MinC por FtsZ quando na presença de MinD. / Bacterial division is performed by a macromolecular complex known as the divisome. The central component of the divisome is FtsZ, a tubulin protein homolog, which polymerizes at the mid-cell forming a ring-like structure (Z-ring). This division is regulated by proteins that modulate ability of FtsZ to form the Z-ring. Two principal factors are involved in selecting the correct site of division. The best-studied factor is the Min system, which is responsible for the specific blockade of unwanted potential sites in the cell poles. The component of the Min system that inhibits FtsZ polymerization is the MinC protein. MinC requires the MinD protein for activation, but the mechanism of this activation is not completely understood. Here, we investigate the role of the association of MinD to the membrane during MinC activation. Using a mutant that does not interact with the membrane (MinDΔMTS) we show that the effect of MinC in inhibiting cell division is highly dependent on its recruitment to the membrane by MinD. However, in vitro assays show that MinCDΔMTS is more efficient in disrupting FtsZ polymers than MinC alone, indicating that MinD promotes MinC activation by a mechanism other than membrane recruitment. This activation could be due to an allosteric effect or the formation of a site for FtsZ on the MinCD interface; however, preliminary results could not detect any increase in the affinity of FtsZ to MinC in the presence of MinD.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第22116号 / 医博第4529号 / 新制||医||1039(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 戸口田 淳也, 教授 妻木 範行, 教授 松田 秀一 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

The development of multicellular organisms is dependent on the tight coordination between tissue growth and morphogenesis. The stereotypical orientation of cell divisions has been proposed to be a fundamental mechanism by which proliferating and growing tissues take shape. However, the actual contribution of stereotypical cell division orientation (SDO) to tissue morphogenesis is unclear. In zebrafish, cell divisions with stereotypical orientation have been implicated in both body axis elongation and neural rod formation, although there is little direct evidence for a critical function of SDO in either of these processes. Making use of extended time-lapse, multi-photon microscopy and a careful three-dimensional analysis of cell division orientation, we show that SDO is required for neural rod midline formation during neurulation, but dispensable for body axis elongation during gastrulation. Our data indicate that SDO during both gastrulation and neurulation is dependent on the non-canonical Wnt receptor Frizzled 7 (Fz7), and that interfering with cell division orientation leads to severe defects in neural rod midline formation, but not body axis elongation. These findings suggest a novel function for Fz7 controlled cell division orientation in neural rod midline formation during neurulation. They also shed new light on the field of cell division orientation by uncoupling it from tissue elongation.

The cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor p27Kip1 contributes to the timing of cell cycle withdrawal during development and, consequently, in organogenesis. Within the retina, this effector protein is up-regulated during the birth of neuronal and glial cells [Dev. Biol. (2000) 299]. However, its expression within the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a supporting cell layer that is essential for neural retina development and function, has not previously been reported. We show that p27Kip1 protein expression in the RPE occurs in two phases: an up-regulation during mid-to late embryonic stages and a down-regulation during the subsequent postnatal period. In the early phase of up-regulation, an inverse relationship is seen between expression of p27Kip1 and PCNA, an indicator of cycling cells. During both up-and down-regulation, the change in spatial pattern of expression proceeds in a central to peripheral manner, with p27Kip1 up-regulation paralleling retinal maturation. These data suggest that this cell cycle regulator may be an important factor controlling the timing of RPE cell cycle withdrawal.

Mutations in the gene encoding nuclear lamin A (LA) cause the premature aging disease Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome. The most common of these mutations results in the expression of a mutant LA, with a 50-aa deletion within its C terminus. In this study, we demonstrate that this deletion leads to a stable farnesylation and carboxymethylation of the mutant LA (LAΔ50/progerin). These modifications cause an abnormal association of LAΔ507 progerin with membranes during mitosis, which delays the onset and progression of cytokinesis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the targeting of nuclear envelope/lamina components into daughter cell nuclei in early G 1 is impaired in cells expressing LAΔ50/ progerin. The mutant LA also appears to be responsible for defects in the retinoblastoma protein-mediated transition into S-phase, most likely by inhibiting the hyperphosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein by cyclin D1/cdk4. These results provide insights into the mechanisms responsible for premature aging and also shed light on the role of lamins in the normal process of human aging.

The essential gene YNL152w was previously found in a screen designed to isolate putative negative regulators of the S. cerevisiae Pkc1p pathway. Activity assays were performed with a lexA-RLM1-lacZ integrated reporter in different ynl152w truncated mutants. In contrast to the original screen, there were no differences or the activities were even lower in some mutants. To analyze the consequences of different expression levels, YNL152w was expressed under the control of the GAL1/10 promoter. Growth curves were performed under high, intermediate and low expression levels. Strikingly, both conditional strains were able to grow under repressing conditions. However, an aberrant morphology was found suggesting that the cells are indeed affected by low amounts of Ynl152w protein. A series of successive Ynl152wp C-terminal truncations was analyzed to determine cell viability and to investigate the function of the protein. Remarkably, about 2/3 of the protein were dispensable to confer viability. Microscopic analyses of constructs revealed an aberrant morphology characteristic of a cytokinesis defective mutant, with the appearance of swollen cells and formation of big aggregates. Interestingly, the phenotype was more pronounced in the larger truncations. Coherent with these results time-lapse experiments with a large truncated mutant showed a stabilization of the SH3 protein Hof1p at the bud neck. This protein is involved in septum formation and has been reported as a binding partner of YNL152w. The phenotypes observed in the truncated mutants could be attributed to the presence of 4 proline rich motifs. Such motifs have been reported to interact with SH3 domains. An internal deletion of an aspartate rich domain present in the Ynl152wp sequence also displayed a phenotype very similar to that of the largest truncations. Therefore, this domain may play an important role in Ynl152wp function.

Le centrosome est le centre organisateur des microtubules dans les cellules animales, il nucléé les microtubules interphasiques ainsi que le fuseau mitotique. Les centrosomes sont produits par duplication, mécanisme rigoureusement régulé au cours du cycle cellulaire. En effet, un centrosome comporte deux centrioles qui se dupliquent une fois par cycle cellulaire. Des erreurs de duplication conduisant à plus de deux centrosomes induisent la formation de fuseaux multipolaires et provoquent des défauts de ségrégation des chromosomes. Chez la levure Schizosaccharomyces pombe, un organisme modèle pour l’étude de la division cellulaire, les homologues des centrosomes sont les SPBs (pour Spindle Pole Body). Une structure annexe spécifique liée aux SPBs est appelée demi-pont (quand les SPBs ne sont pas dupliqués) puis pont (quand elle relie les deux SPBs dupliqués). Les deux principaux composants du pont chez la levure S. pombe sont Cdc31 et Sfi1. Sfi1 est une protéine linéaire formée de répétitions en hélice α formant des sites de liaison pour la Centrine/Cdc31. Sfi1 s’assemble en réseau de molécules parallèles interagissant avec le SPB via leur domaine N-terminal. Lors de la première partie de ma thèse, j’ai démontré que Sfi1 est requis pour la duplication et la séparation des deux SPBs. Dans la première partie de ma thèse, je me suis intéressée aux fonctions de Sfi1 chez la levure. Cette étude a permis de démontrer que Sfi1 est un composant du demi-pont et qu’il est essentiel pour la duplication des SPBs et l’assemblage d’un fuseau bipolaire. De plus, nous avons déterminé que le pont est dupliqué en fin de mitose. Enfin, nous avons aussi montré que la déstabilisation du pont menant à sa rupture en mitose, dépend de la phosphorylation de Cdc31 par la kinase mitotique Cdk1. Lors de la seconde partie de ma thèse, je me suis intéressée au complexe Sfi1/Centrine dans les cellules humaines. J’ai confirmé que Sfi1 est localisée aux centrioles. De plus, j’ai montré que la déplétion de Sfi1 dans les cellules RPE1, conduit à une perte de localisation de la Centrine, suggérant soit un défaut de recrutement, soit une déstabilisation. De plus, en absence de Sfi1, les cellules RPE1 ne sont plus capables de former de cil primaire. Ce résultat suggère que Sfi1 et la Centrine sont requis pour la ciliogénèse. Enfin, j’ai aussi démontré que la déplétion deSfi1 induit un arrêt de cycle cellulaire dans les cellules non tumorales RPE1. Dans les cellules cancéreuses, HeLa, le cycle n’est pas arrêté mais j’ai pu observer une prolongation du temps de mitose. En conclusion mes travaux montrent que bien que la fonction de Sfi1/Centrin ne soit pas conservée, le complexe reste essentiel pour l’intégrité structurale et fonctionnelle du centrosome. / The centrosome is the main microtubule organizing center. It nucleates and organizes interphase microtubule and contributes to the assembly of the bipolar mitotic spindle. To do so, the centrosome, present in one copy at the beginning of the cell cycle, duplicates to produce a second copy. The duplication process is tightly controlled and regulated since centrosome over-duplication can lead to multipolar mitotic spindles and promote genome instability and tumorigenesis. The duplication of the yeast centrosome, the SPB (Spindle pole body), begins with the duplication of the half bridge. This appendage is composed of Sfi1/Cdc31 complex organized in a parallel array attached to the core SPB. SPB duplication relies on the assembly of a second array of Sfi1/Cdc31, anti-parallel to the first one, creating thereby an assembly site for the new SPB. Therefore Sfi1 is essential for SPB duplication and our work defined the timing of half-bridge duplication and some of the regulatory mechanisms that favor bridge splitting to release duplicated centrosomes and allow spindle assembly at mitotic onset. Sfi1 and Cdc31/Centrins are conserved in human cells where the centrosome is composed of two centrioles surrounded by the pericentriolar material. Centrins are concentrated in the distal end of centrioles. Sfi1 has also been localized to centrioles, but its function remained unknown. Thus, we started investigating Sfi1 function in human cells. We found that Sfi1 depletion leads to a decrease in Centrin recruitment to the centrioles. It also leads to a cell cycle arrest in G1 in RPE1 cells, an event previously observed in presence of defects in centriole biogenesis. In HeLa cells where the cell cycle is not affected, Sfi1 depletion leads to a mitotic delay. Moreover, Sfi1 depletion leads to cilium assembly. To conclude, these results altogether point towards a role of human Sfi1 in centriole biogenesis.

Cette thèse porte sur l'étude probabiliste et statistique de populations sans interactions structurées par un trait. Elle est motivée par la compréhension des mécanismes de division et de vieillissement cellulaire. On modélise la dynamique de ces populations à l'aide d'un processus de Markov branchant à valeurs mesures. Chaque individu dans la population est caractérisé par un trait (l'âge, la taille, etc...) dont la dynamique au cours du temps suit un processus de Markov. Ce trait détermine le cycle de vie de chaque individu : sa durée de vie, son nombre de descendants et le trait à la naissance de ses descendants. Dans un premier temps, on s'intéresse à la question de l'échantillonnage uniforme dans la population. Nous décrivons le processus pénalisé, appelé processus auxiliaire, qui correspond au trait d'un individu "typique" dans la population en donnant son générateur infinitésimal. Dans un second temps, nous nous intéressons au comportement asymptotique de la mesure empirique associée au processus de branchement. Sous des hypothèses assurant l'ergodicité du processus auxiliaire, nous montrons que le processus auxiliaire correspond asymptotiquement au trait le long de sa lignée ancestrale d'un individu échantillonné uniformément dans la population. Enfin, à partir de données composées des traits à la naissance des individus dans l'arbre jusqu'à une génération donnée, nous proposons des estimateurs à noyau de la densité de transition de la chaine correspondant au trait le long d'une lignée ainsi que de sa mesure invariante. De plus, dans le cas d'une diffusion réfléchie sur un compact, nous estimons par maximum de vraisemblance le taux de division du processus. Nous montrons la consistance de cet estimateur ainsi que sa normalité asymptotique. L'implémentation numérique de l'estimateur est par ailleurs réalisée. / We study structured populations without interactions from a probabilistic and a statistical point of view. The underlying motivation of this work is the understanding of cell division mechanisms and of cell aging. We use the formalism of branching measure-valued Markov processes. In our model, each individual is characterized by a trait (age, size, etc...) which moves according to a Markov process. The rate of division of each individual is a function of its trait and when a branching event occurs, the trait of the descendants at birth depends on the trait of the mother and on the number of descendants. First, we study the trait of a uniformly sampled individual in the population. We explicitly describe the penalized Markov process, named auxiliary process, corresponding to the dynamic of the trait of a "typical" individual by giving its associated infinitesimal generator. Then, we study the asymptotic behavior of the empirical measure associated with the branching process. Under assumptions assuring the ergodicity of the auxiliary process, we prove that the auxiliary process asymptotically corresponds to the trait along its ancestral lineage of a uniformly sampled individual in the population. Finally, we address the problem of parameter estimation in the case of a branching process structured by a diffusion. We consider data composed of the trait at birth of all individuals in the population until a given generation. We give kernel estimators for the transition density and the invariant measure of the chain corresponding to the trait of an individual along a lineage. Moreover, in the case of a reflected diffusion on a compact set, we use maximum likelihood estimation to reconstruct the division rate. We prove consistency and asymptotic normality for this estimator. We also carry out the numerical implementation of the estimator.