Extraction and quantitation of myosin light chain two coupled with myograph recordings from Ascaris muscle perfused with calmodulin inhibitors and neurotransmitters in conjunction with their respective agonists and antagonists have been used to establish the regulation of contraction in this muscle. Densitometric tracings of isolectric focusing gels separating the regulatory light chain were used to quantitate phosphorylation in resting, contracted and flaccid muscle. These studies indicated that inhibitory neurostimulation is mediated by a true GABA receptor. Myosin-mediated contraction is responsible for maintaining the level of tension observed in resting actin-mediated muscle. Actin-mediated contraction is responsible for the rapid rise in tension following excitatory stimuli. Both systems function simultaneously and are independant.

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Adherens junctions (AJs) and tight junctions (TJs) are characteristic features of differentiated epithelial cells and are critical for regulation of epithelial barriers and cell polarity. Integrity and remodeling of epithelial junctions depend on their interactions with underlying actomyosin cytoskeleton. Anillin is a multifunctional scaffold able to interact with different cytoskeletal proteins including F-actin and Myosin II. This project aimed to investigate roles of anillin in regulating epithelial AJs and TJs. Using A549 human lung epithelial and DU145 human prostate epithelial cells, we demonstrated the anillin depletion-induced loss of AJs and TJs. This was accompanied by disorganization of perijunctional actomyosin belt and disruption of the adducin-based membrane skeleton that links actin filaments to the plasma membrane and epithelial junctions. Depletion of anillin decreased protein levels of γ-adducin and downregulation of γ-adducin mimicked effects anillin knockdown on AJ and TJ integrity. These findings suggest a novel role for anillin in the assembly of epithelial junctions.

Resonance energy transfer was employed to study the conformational changes of actomyosin during ATP hydrolysis. To calibrate the technique, the parameters for resonance energy transfer were defined. With conformational searching algorithms to predict probe orientation, the distances measured by resonance energy transfer are highly consistent with the atomic models, which verified the accuracy and feasibility of resonance energy transfer for structural studies of proteins and oligonucleotides. To study intramyosin distances, resonance energy transfer probes were attached to skeletal myosin's nucleotide site, subfragment-2, and regulatory light chain to examine nucleotide analog-induced structural transitions. The distances between the three positions were measured in the presence of different nucleotide analogs. No distance change was considered to be statistically significant. The measured distance between the regulatory light chain and nucleotide site was consistent with either the atomic model of skeletal myosin subfragment-1 or an average of the three models claimed for different ATP hydrolysis states, which suggested that the neck region was flexible in solution. To examine the participation of actin in the powerstroke process, resonance energy transfer between different sites on actin and myosin was measured in the presence of nucleotide analogs. The efficiencies of energy transfer between myosin catalytic domain and actin were consistent with the actoS1 docking model. However, the neck region was much closer to the actin filament than predicted by static atomic models. The efficiency of energy transfer between Cys 374 and the regulatory light chain was much greater in the presence of ADP-AlF4, ADP-BeFx, and ADP-vanadate than in the presence of ADP or no nucleotide. These data detect profound differences in the conformations of the weakly and strongly attached crossbridges which appear to result from a conformational selection that occurs during the weak binding of the myosin head to actin. The resonance energy transfer data exclude a number of versions of the swinging lever arm model, and indicate that actin participation is indispensable for conformational changes leading to force generation. The conformational selection during weak binding at the actomyosin interface may precock the myosin head for the ensuing powerstroke.

The dynamics and function of the actin cytoskeleton depends on polymerization and branching of actin filaments, an event that is stimulated by Arp2/3. Arp2/3-dependent branching is closely linked to the pentameric WASH complex which consists of WASH, strumpellin, SWIP, CCDC53 and FAM21. WASH complex is associated mainly with endosomes. It was traditionally localized to retromer-coated domains of early endosomes which enable sorting and recycling of endocytosed material. However, latest scientific data extend the role of WASH complex to other endosomal or even non-endosomal sites. Of all the subunits of the WASH complex, FAM21 is the most prominent hub for protein-protein interactions, thanks to its long unstructured C-terminal domain. In my diploma thesis FAM21 was localized to early and late endosomes and lysosomes of U2OS human cell line. Dictyostelium discoideum was then used as a model organism to investigate FAM21 protein interactions as well as the proteins associated specifically with the C terminal domain of FAM21. Results of the study shed new light on the complex network of FAM21 interactions and question the long-standing theories on the function of WASH complex in cells. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

(English) Both paxillin and PIP2 are well known components of the cell, although of a distinct origin. Focal adhesion protein paxillin spreads the signals from extracellular matrix via integrins and growth factor receptors to affect cellular motility and migration (Schaller, 2001). PIP2, a major structural component of cytoplasmic membrane, is utilized by phospholipase C to generate second messenger molecules (Hokin and Hokin 1953; Streb et al. 1983). Both molecules were recently shown to be localized in the nucleus. Their original functions have been well established, but together with other research colleagues we are now shedding more light on completely different functions of these biological molecules and moreover, in the different compartments than they were primarily believed to function in. Here, we introduce paxillin as an important factor of the cell nucleus, where it regulates transcription of two important growth-related genes, IGF2 and H19. It does not affect the allelic expression of these imprinted genes, it rather regulates long-range chromosomal interactions between H19 or IGF2 promoter, and the shared distal enhacer on an active allele. In detail, paxillin stimulates the interaction between the enhancer and the IGF2 promoter, activating IGF2 gene transcription, while it restrains...

eIF5A seems to be involved in both, translation initiation and elongation. It was also reported to affect assembly of P-bodies. Given similarities of P-bodies with stress granules (SGs) we decided to test the role of eIF5A in dynamics of heat-induced SGs and its implications for the cell recovery. For the evaluation of eIF5A function in SGs formation was used the temperature- sensitive (ts) mutant eIF5A-3 (C39Y/G118D) cultivated under permissive temperature 25řC and Rpg1-GFP fusion protein as a marker of SGs. The cells were exposed to robust heat shock at 46řC for 10 minutes. The ability of the mutant cells to recover was tested by propidium iodine staining and colony forming units plating. We found that the eIF5A-3 mutant forms heat-induced SGs more loosely aggregated, indicating that the fully functional eIF5A is necessary for SGs assembly. However, it does not seem to affect the rate of SGs dissolution. Survival tests indicate that eIF5A-3 mutant cells are susceptible to dying in a similar way as WT cells; nevertheless, their ability to resume proliferation is significantly better. We also observed a loss of the ts phenotype of the eIF5A-3 mutant. This loss cannot be explained by reversion of mutated eIF5A sequence into normal. Probable cause lies in the adaptive evolution. Our results indicate role of...

Le cycle réplicatif du HIV-1 aboutit à la formation de virions qui s’assemblent dans des microdomaines spécifiques localisés à la membrane plasmique ou sur des compartiments intracellulaires particuliers, nommés VCC pour « Virus-Containing Compartments ». Selon les cas, ces virions sont ensuite relâchés par bourgeonnement ou exocytose. Ces étapes nécessitent un remodelage membranaire via le cytosquelette d’actine, ce qui est régulé par des voies de signalisation contrôlées par les RhoGTPases. Certains résultats suggèrent l’implication de ces protéines dans la biogénèse du HIV-1. Cependant, il reste à caractériser les mécanismes moléculaires spécifiquement impliqués dans la régulation cellulaire de l’assemblage viral.L’objectif de cette thèse consistait donc à identifier les RhoGTPases et les effecteurs des voies de signalisation spécifiquement requis durant la biogénèse virale. Cette étude a porté sur les GTPases Rac1, Cdc42 et RhoA car elles ont un rôle majeur dans la régulation du cytosquelette d’actine et de la dynamique membranaire. Elle a été réalisée sur les lymphocytes T (LT) Jurkat, cellules modèles pour l’infection HIV-1 où les virions s’assemblent à la membrane plasmique ; et les cellules adhérentes HeLa où les virions peuvent aussi s’assembler au niveau des VCC. Nos résultats ont révélé le rôle de la voie de signalisation Rac1-IRSp53-Wave2 dans l’assemblage de Gag à la membrane plasmique des LT Jurkat, et un rôle pour RhoA dans la régulation de l’assemblage viral suggéré au niveau des VCC. Ce travail améliore la compréhension des voies de signalisation cellulaires sollicitées lors de l’assemblage du HIV-1, en particulier dans les lymphocytes T, cibles du virus. / During the last steps of HIV-1 replication cycle, the Gag proteins come together in particular microdomains located at the plasma membrane or in some intracellular compartments, named “Virus-containing compartments”. Then, the viral particles are released by budding or exocytosis. All these steps involve membrane and actin cytoskeleton remodeling which is regulated by the RhoGTPases. In fact, some data suggest the implication of such proteins in HIV-1 biogenesis, but molecular mechanisms underlying this effect is not yet understood. During this thesis, our aim was to characterize the RhoGTPases and the effectors of cell signaling pathways which are specifically required during HIV-1 particle biogenesis. We focused our study on the GTPases Rac1, Cdc42 and RhoA because their influence on membrane and actin cytoskeleton was essential. Moreover, this work was accomplished on Jurkat T lymphocytes which are model cells to HIV-1 infection where the Gag proteins assemble at the plasma membrane, and on HeLa cells where the Gag proteins can also assemble on virus-containing compartments. Our results showed the requirement of the Rac1-IRSp53-Wave2 signaling pathway for HIV-1 Gag assembly at the plasma membrane of Jurkat T cells, and a role for RhoA GTPase in the regulation of viral particle assembly on virus-containing compartments in HeLa cells. This study improved understanding of cell signaling pathways required during the HIV-1 particle biogenesis and release, particularly in T cells which are the main host cell for HIV-1.

Tropomyosins(Tm) are a group of proteins that regulate the actin filaments in both muscle and non-muscle cells. In mammalian cells four Tm species are found: α-Tm (fast) encoded by α-Tm /TPM1 gene, β-Tm, encoded by β-Tm/ TPM2 gene, α-Tm (slow) encoded by γTm gene/ TPM3 and δ-Tm encoded by δTm / TPM4gene. Mutations in Tm are linked to many cardiac and skeletal diseases like hypertrophic cardiac myopathy (TPM1 and TPM2), familial cardiac myopathy (TPM1) and skeletal diseases like nemaline myopathy (TPM2 and TPM3) along with other sarcomere proteins. The hypothesis on which this study is based is, the isoform composition in both muscle and non-muscle cells adapts in response to disease and physiological changes. A significant part of that adaptation is changes in the thin filament protein isoforms expressed and the post translational modifications of these proteins. In this study Tpm3.12st isoform of γTm and other striated muscle tropomyosin isoforms (Tpm1 and Tpm2) and a non-muscle Tmp4 were characterised using a variety of techniques. The aim was to enhance our understanding of the role of tropomyosin interactions in regards to its efficiency of actin binding capacity as well as its effect on actin polymerisation. Human tropomyosin 3 (Tpm3.12st) was expressed in E. coli to produce recombinant protein with three N-terminal sequence variants (Met, MM and (M)ASM). The proteins were characterised for their binding affinity with actin as this isoform has not been well characterised so far. Its properties are compared with other striated muscle tropomyosin Tpm1.1st and Tpm2.2st and non-muscle Tpm4.1cy. The proteins were purified through ion exchange chromatography and the purity was checked by using SDS-PAGE and UV spectrometry. The molecular weights of the recombinant proteins produced were confirmed by mass spectrometry. Cosedimentation assays were performed for their actin binding affinity using ultracentrifugation. The variant of Tpm3.12st with AS N-terminal extension was found to have similar actin affinity to Tpm1.1st in the range of 0.1-0.8 μM (half saturation). However the variants with Met and MM N-termini bound to actin weakly with high half saturation concentration of ~ 6 μM and ~8 μM tropomyosin respectively. Measurement of actin polymerisation kinetics showed it is affected in presence of tropomyosin. From this study it is shown that tropomyosin accelerates the initiation step in actin polymerisation with varying differences within the isoforms in contrast to several previous studies. There have been very few studies of the effect of tropomyosin on actin polymerisation in the last two decades. This work shows that tropomyosin isoforms have a large and variable role in controlling actin polymerisation and understanding tropomyosin function will need further investigation in this area. This study also developed an ELISA screening method using monoclonal antibodies for identification and quantification of Tpm3.12st which was tested against all the four tropomyosin isoforms. None of the twelve antibodies studied showed reactivity only with Tpm3.12st. From the data analysed it is deduced the amino acid residues in the region of 24-43 shows the prospect of designing a monoclonal antibody specific to Tpm3.12st isoform. Accurate quantification of tropomyosin isoforms is key to understanding their function and the effects of modulation of isoform composition in health and disease. A reverse phase liquid chromatography method was developed which is compatible with the analysis of the thin filament proteome using top-down mass spectrometry. Reverse phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) is one of the most popular methods used in mass spectrometry analysis where proteins are separated based on their hydrophobicity. The RPLC method developed in this study gives an efficient separation of major thin filament proteins along with small soluble proteins that is compatible to use for top down mass spectrometry for identification and quantification of proteins, PTMs and isoform composition. With a minimum amount of 2 mg of tissue using chicken and mouse heart and skeletal muscle samples a buffer system was optimized to extract thin filament proteins. With the optimized RPLC method actin, tropomyosin and troponin complex subunits (TnC, TnI and TnI) were successfully separated and the proteins were identified using SDS-page by comparison with the previous research results. This novel method of extraction and the optimised RPLC method will provide a “bird’s eye view” of thin filament proteome providing information of PTMs of all the proteins together within one single extraction, reducing the time for analysis and the sample size. This has the potential to give insight into tissue, muscle and heart adaptations that could act as a prognostic indicator.

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