@article{BatsiosRenBaumannetal.2016,
  author    = {Batsios, Petros and Ren, Xiang and Baumann, Otto and Larochelle, Denis A. and Gr{\"a}f, Ralph},
  title     = {Src1 is a Protein of the Inner Nuclear Membrane Interacting with the Dictyostelium Lamin NE81},
  series = {Cells},
  volume    = {5},
  journal   = {Cells},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {MDPI},
  address   = {Basel},
  issn      = {2073-4409},
  doi       = {10.3390/cells5010013},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {The nuclear envelope (NE) consists of the outer and inner nuclear membrane (INM), whereby the latter is bound to the nuclear lamina. Src1 is a Dictyostelium homologue of the helix-extension-helix family of proteins, which also includes the human lamin-binding protein MAN1. Both endogenous Src1 and GFP-Src1 are localized to the NE during the entire cell cycle. Immuno-electron microscopy and light microscopy after differential detergent treatment indicated that Src1 resides in the INM. FRAP experiments with GFP-Src1 cells suggested that at least a fraction of the protein could be stably engaged in forming the nuclear lamina together with the Dictyostelium lamin NE81. Both a BioID proximity assay and mis-localization of soluble, truncated mRFP-Src1 at cytosolic clusters consisting of an intentionally mis-localized mutant of GFP-NE81 confirmed an interaction of Src1 and NE81. Expression GFP-Src11-646, a fragment C-terminally truncated after the first transmembrane domain, disrupted interaction of nuclear membranes with the nuclear lamina, as cells formed protrusions of the NE that were dependent on cytoskeletal pulling forces. Protrusions were dependent on intact microtubules but not actin filaments. Our results indicate that Src1 is required for integrity of the NE and highlight Dictyostelium as a promising model for the evolution of nuclear architecture.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GrafeBatsiosMeyeretal.2019,
  author    = {Grafe, Marianne and Batsios, Petros and Meyer, Irene and Lisin, Daria and Baumann, Otto and Goldberg, Martin W. and Gr{\"a}f, Ralph},
  title     = {Supramolecular Structures of the Dictyostelium Lamin NE81},
  series = {Cells},
  volume    = {8},
  journal   = {Cells},
  number    = {2},
  publisher = {Molecular Diversity Preservation International},
  address   = {Basel},
  issn      = {2073-4409},
  doi       = {10.3390/cells8020162},
  pages     = {17},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Nuclear lamins are nucleus-specific intermediate filaments (IF) found at the inner nuclear membrane (INM) of the nuclear envelope (NE). Together with nuclear envelope transmembrane proteins, they form the nuclear lamina and are crucial for gene regulation and mechanical robustness of the nucleus and the whole cell. Recently, we characterized Dictyostelium NE81 as an evolutionarily conserved lamin-like protein, both on the sequence and functional level. Here, we show on the structural level that the Dictyostelium NE81 is also capable of assembling into filaments, just as metazoan lamin filament assemblies. Using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, we show that NE81 expressed in Xenopous oocytes forms filamentous structures with an overall appearance highly reminiscent of Xenopus lamin B2. The in vitro assembly properties of recombinant His-tagged NE81 purified from Dictyostelium extracts are very similar to those of metazoan lamins. Super-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) and expansion microscopy (ExM), as well as transmission electron microscopy of negatively stained purified NE81, demonstrated its capability of forming filamentous structures under low-ionic-strength conditions. These results recommend Dictyostelium as a non-mammalian model organism with a well-characterized nuclear envelope involving all relevant protein components known in animal cells.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GrafeHofmannBatsiosetal.2020,
  author    = {Grafe, Marianne and Hofmann, Phillip and Batsios, Petros and Meyer, Irene and Gr{\"a}f, Ralph},
  title     = {In vivo assembly of a Dictyostelium lamin mutant induced by light, mechanical stress, and pH},
  series = {Cells : open access journal},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {Cells : open access journal},
  number    = {8},
  publisher = {MDPI},
  address   = {Basel},
  issn      = {2073-4409},
  doi       = {10.3390/cells9081834},
  pages     = {14},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {We expressedDictyosteliumlamin (NE81) lacking both a functional nuclear localization signal and a CAAX-box for C-terminal lipid modification. This lamin mutant assembled into supramolecular, three-dimensional clusters in the cytosol that disassembled at the onset of mitosis and re-assembled in late telophase, thus mimicking the behavior of the endogenous protein. As disassembly is regulated by CDK1-mediated phosphorylation at serine 122, we generated a phosphomimetic S122E mutant called GFP-NE81-S122E-Delta NLS Delta CLIM. Surprisingly, during imaging, the fusion protein assembled into cytosolic clusters, similar to the protein lacking the phosphomimetic mutation. Clusters disassembled again in the darkness. Assembly could be induced with blue but not green or near ultraviolet light, and it was independent of the fusion tag. Assembly similarly occurred upon cell flattening. Earlier reports and own observations suggested that both blue light and cell flattening could result in a decrease of intracellular pH. Indeed, keeping the cells at low pH also reversibly induced cluster formation. Our results indicate that lamin assembly can be induced by various stress factors and that these are transduced via intracellular acidification. Although these effects have been shown in a phosphomimetic CDK1 mutant of theDictyosteliumlamin, they are likely relevant also for wild-type lamin.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GrafeHofmannBatsiosetal.2020,
  author    = {Grafe, Marianne and Hofmann, Phillip and Batsios, Petros and Meyer, Irene and Gr{\"a}f, Ralph},
  title     = {In vivo assembly of a Dictyostelium lamin mutant induced by light, mechanical stress, and pH},
  series = {Cells},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {Cells},
  number    = {8},
  publisher = {MDPI},
  address   = {Basel},
  pages     = {14},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {We expressed Dictyostelium lamin (NE81) lacking both a functional nuclear localization signal and a CAAX-box for C-terminal lipid modification. This lamin mutant assembled into supramolecular, three-dimensional clusters in the cytosol that disassembled at the onset of mitosis and re-assembled in late telophase, thus mimicking the behavior of the endogenous protein. As disassembly is regulated by CDK1-mediated phosphorylation at serine 122, we generated a phosphomimetic S122E mutant called GFP-NE81-S122E-∆NLS∆CLIM. Surprisingly, during imaging, the fusion protein assembled into cytosolic clusters, similar to the protein lacking the phosphomimetic mutation. Clusters disassembled again in the darkness. Assembly could be induced with blue but not green or near ultraviolet light, and it was independent of the fusion tag. Assembly similarly occurred upon cell flattening. Earlier reports and own observations suggested that both blue light and cell flattening could result in a decrease of intracellular pH. Indeed, keeping the cells at low pH also reversibly induced cluster formation. Our results indicate that lamin assembly can be induced by various stress factors and that these are transduced via intracellular acidification. Although these effects have been shown in a phosphomimetic CDK1 mutant of the Dictyostelium lamin, they are likely relevant also for wild-type lamin.},
  language  = {en}
}