@article{SamereierBaumannMeyeretal.2011, author = {Samereier, Matthias and Baumann, Otto and Meyer, Irene and Gr{\"a}f, Ralph}, title = {Analysis of dictyostelium TACC reveals differential interactions with CP224 and unusual dynamics of dictyostelium microtubules}, series = {Cellular and molecular life sciences}, volume = {68}, journal = {Cellular and molecular life sciences}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Basel}, issn = {1420-682X}, doi = {10.1007/s00018-010-0453-0}, pages = {275 -- 287}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We have localized TACC to the microtubule-nucleating centrosomal corona and to microtubule plus ends. Using RNAi we proved that Dictyostelium TACC promotes microtubule growth during interphase and mitosis. For the first time we show in vivo that both TACC and XMAP215 family proteins can be differentially localized to microtubule plus ends during interphase and mitosis and that TACC is mainly required for recruitment of an XMAP215-family protein to interphase microtubule plus ends but not for recruitment to centrosomes and kinetochores. Moreover, we have now a marker to study dynamics and behavior of microtubule plus ends in living Dictyostelium cells. In a combination of live cell imaging of microtubule plus ends and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments of GFP-alpha-tubulin cells we show that Dictyostelium microtubules are dynamic only in the cell periphery, while they remain stable at the centrosome, which also appears to harbor a dynamic pool of tubulin dimers.}, language = {en} } @article{PitzenSanderBaumannetal.2021, author = {Pitzen, Valentin and Sander, Sophia and Baumann, Otto and Gr{\"a}f, Ralph and Meyer, Irene}, title = {Cep192, a novel missing link between the centrosomal core and corona in Dictyostelium amoebae}, series = {Cells : open access journal}, volume = {10}, journal = {Cells : open access journal}, number = {9}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, issn = {2073-4409}, doi = {10.3390/cells10092384}, pages = {19}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The Dictyostelium centrosome is a nucleus-associated body with a diameter of approx. 500 nm. It contains no centrioles but consists of a cylindrical layered core structure surrounded by a microtubule-nucleating corona. At the onset of mitosis, the corona disassembles and the core structure duplicates through growth, splitting, and reorganization of the outer core layers. During the last decades our research group has characterized the majority of the 42 known centrosomal proteins. In this work we focus on the conserved, previously uncharacterized Cep192 protein. We use superresolution expansion microscopy (ExM) to show that Cep192 is a component of the outer core layers. Furthermore, ExM with centrosomal marker proteins nicely mirrored all ultrastructurally known centrosomal substructures. Furthermore, we improved the proximity-dependent biotin identification assay (BioID) by adapting the biotinylase BioID2 for expression in Dictyostelium and applying a knock-in strategy for the expression of BioID2-tagged centrosomal fusion proteins. Thus, we were able to identify various centrosomal Cep192 interaction partners, including CDK5RAP2, which was previously allocated to the inner corona structure, and several core components. Studies employing overexpression of GFP-Cep192 as well as depletion of endogenous Cep192 revealed that Cep192 is a key protein for the recruitment of corona components during centrosome biogenesis and is required to maintain a stable corona structure.}, language = {en} } @article{KuhnertBaumannMeyeretal.2012, author = {Kuhnert, Oliver and Baumann, Otto and Meyer, Irene and Gr{\"a}f, Ralph}, title = {CP55, a novel key component of centrosomal organization in dictyostelium}, series = {Cellular and molecular life sciences}, volume = {69}, journal = {Cellular and molecular life sciences}, number = {21}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Basel}, issn = {1420-682X}, doi = {10.1007/s00018-012-1040-3}, pages = {3651 -- 3664}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Dictyostelium centrosomes consist of a layered core structure surrounded by a microtubule-nucleating corona. At the G2/M transition, the corona dissociates and the core structure duplicates, yielding two spindle pole bodies. Finally, in telophase, the spindle poles mature into two new, complete centrosomes. CP55 was identified in a centrosomal proteome analysis. It is a component of the centrosomal core structure, and persists at the centrosome throughout the entire cell cycle. FRAP experiments revealed that during interphase the majority of centrosomal GFP-CP55 is immobile, which indicates a structural task of CP55 at the centrosome. The CP55null mutant is characterized by increased ploidy, a less structured, slightly enlarged corona, and by supernumerary, cytosolic MTOCs, containing only corona proteins and lacking a core structure. Live cell imaging showed that supernumerary MTOCs arise in telophase. Lack of CP55 also caused premature recruitment of the corona organizer CP148 to mitotic spindle poles, already in metaphase instead of telophase. Forces transmitted through astral microtubules may expel prematurely acquired or loosely attached corona fragments into the cytosol, where they act as independent MTOCs. CP55null cells were also impaired in growth, most probably due to difficulties in centrosome splitting during prophase. Furthermore, although they were still capable of phagocytosis, they appeared unable to utilize phagocytosed nutrients. This inability may be attributed to their partially disorganized Golgi apparatus.}, language = {en} } @article{KuhnertBaumannMeyeretal.2012, author = {Kuhnert, Oliver and Baumann, Otto and Meyer, Irene and Gr{\"a}f, Ralph}, title = {Functional characterization of CP148, a novel key component for centrosome integrity in Dictyostelium}, series = {Cellular and molecular life sciences}, volume = {69}, journal = {Cellular and molecular life sciences}, number = {11}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Basel}, issn = {1420-682X}, doi = {10.1007/s00018-011-0904-2}, pages = {1875 -- 1888}, year = {2012}, abstract = {The centrosome consists of a layered core structure surrounded by a microtubule-nucleating corona. A tight linkage through the nuclear envelope connects the cytosolic centrosome with the clustered centromeres within the nuclear matrix. At G2/M the corona dissociates, and the core structure duplicates, yielding two spindle poles. CP148 is a novel coiled coil protein of the centrosomal corona. GFP-CP148 exhibited cell cycle-dependent presence and absence at the centrosome, which correlates with dissociation of the corona in prophase and its reformation in late telophase. During telophase, GFP-CP148 formed cytosolic foci, which coalesced and joined the centrosome. This explains the hypertrophic appearance of the corona upon strong overexpression of GFP-CP148. Depletion of CP148 by RNAi caused virtual loss of the corona and disorganization of interphase microtubules. Surprisingly, formation of the mitotic spindle and astral microtubules was unaffected. Thus, microtubule nucleation complexes associate with centrosomal core components through different means during interphase and mitosis. Furthermore, CP148 RNAi caused dispersal of centromeres and altered Sun1 distribution at the nuclear envelope, suggesting a role of CP148 in the linkage between centrosomes and centromeres. Taken together, CP148 is an essential factor for the formation of the centrosomal corona, which in turn is required for centrosome/centromere linkage.}, language = {en} } @misc{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}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-97033}, pages = {15}, 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{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} }