TY - GEN A1 - Gräf, Ralph T1 - Comparative biology of centrosomal structures in eukaryotes T2 - Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - The centrosome is not only the largest and most sophisticated protein complex within a eukaryotic cell, in the light of evolution, it is also one of its most ancient organelles. This special issue of "Cells" features representatives of three main, structurally divergent centrosome types, i.e., centriole-containing centrosomes, yeast spindle pole bodies (SPBs), and amoebozoan nucleus-associated bodies (NABs). Here, I discuss their evolution and their key-functions in microtubule organization, mitosis, and cytokinesis. Furthermore, I provide a brief history of centrosome research and highlight recently emerged topics, such as the role of centrioles in ciliogenesis, the relationship of centrosomes and centriolar satellites, the integration of centrosomal structures into the nuclear envelope and the involvement of centrosomal components in non-centrosomal microtubule organization. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 1063 KW - centrosome KW - centriole KW - cilium KW - basal body KW - spindle pole body KW - SPB KW - nucleus-associated body KW - NAB KW - microtubules Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-472294 SN - 1866-8372 IS - 1063 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Meyer, Irene A1 - Peter, Tatjana A1 - Batsios, Petros A1 - Kuhnert, Oliver A1 - Krueger-Genge, Anne A1 - Camurca, Carl A1 - Gräf, Ralph T1 - CP39, CP75 and CP91 are major structural components of the Dictyostelium JF - European journal of cell biology N2 - The acentriolar Dictyostelium centrosome is a nucleus-associated body consisting of a core structure with three plaque-like layers, which are surrounded by a microtubule-nucleating corona. The core duplicates once per cell cycle at the G2/M transition, whereby its central layer disappears and the two outer layers form the mitotic spindle poles. Through proteomic analysis of isolated centrosomes, we have identified CP39 and CP75, two essential components of the core structure. Both proteins can be assigned to the central core layer as their centrosomal presence is correlated to the disappearance and reappearance of the central core layer in the course of centrosome duplication. Both proteins contain domains with centrosome-binding activity in their N- and C-terminal halves, whereby the respective N-terminal half is required for cell cycle-dependent regulation. CP39 is capable of self-interaction and GFP-CP39 overexpression elicited supernumerary microtubule-organizing centers and pre-centrosomal cytosolic clusters. Underexpression stopped cell growth and reversed the MTOC amplification phenotype. In contrast, in case of CP75 underexpression of the protein by RNAi treatment elicited supernumerary MTOCs. In addition, CP75RNAi affects correct chromosome segregation and causes co-depletion of CP39 and CP91, another central core layer component. CP39 and CP75 interact with each other directly in a yeast two-hybrid assay. Furthermore, CP39, CP75 and CP91 mutually interact in a proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) assay. Our data indicate that these three proteins are all required for proper centrosome biogenesis and make up the major structural components of core structure's central layer. KW - Dictyostelium KW - Mitosis KW - Microtubules KW - Centrosome KW - Nucleus Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eicb.2017.01.004 SN - 0171-9335 SN - 1618-1298 VL - 96 SP - 119 EP - 130 PB - Elsevier CY - Jena ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kuhnert, Oliver A1 - Baumann, Otto A1 - Meyer, Irene A1 - Gräf, Ralph T1 - CP55, a novel key component of centrosomal organization in dictyostelium JF - Cellular and molecular life sciences N2 - 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. KW - Dictyostelium KW - Corona KW - Microtubules KW - Centrosome KW - Nucleus Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-012-1040-3 SN - 1420-682X VL - 69 IS - 21 SP - 3651 EP - 3664 PB - Springer CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Putzler, Sascha A1 - Meyer, Irene A1 - Gräf, Ralph T1 - CP91 is a component of the Dictyostelium centrosome involved in centrosome biogenesis JF - European journal of cell biology N2 - The Dictyostelium centrosome is a model for acentriolar centrosomes and it consists of a three-layered core structure surrounded by a corona harboring microtubule nucleation complexes. Its core structure duplicates once per cell cycle at the G2/M transition. Through proteomic analysis of isolated centrosomes we have identified CP91, a 91-kDa coiled coil protein that was localized at the centrosomal core structure. While GFP-CP91 showed almost no mobility in FRAP experiments during interphase, both GFP-CP91 and endogenous CP91 dissociated during mitosis and were absent from spindle poles from late prophase to anaphase. Since this behavior correlates with the disappearance of the central layer upon centrosome duplication, CP91 is a putative component of this layer. When expressed as GFP-fusions, CP91 fragments corresponding to the central coiled coil domain and the preceding N-terminal part (GFP-CP91cc and GFP-CP91N, respectively) also localized to the centrosome but did not show the mitotic redistribution of the full length protein suggesting a regulatory role of the C-terminal domain. Expression of all GFP-fusion proteins suppressed expression of endogenous CP91 and elicited supernumerary centrosomes. This was also very prominent upon depletion of CP91 by RNAi. Additionally, CP91-RNAi cells exhibited heavily increased ploidy due to severe defects in chromosome segregation along with increased cell size and defects in the abscission process during cytokinesis. Our results indicate that CP91 is a central centrosomal core component required for centrosomal integrity, proper centrosome biogenesis and, independently, for abscission during cytokinesis. (c) 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. KW - Dictyostelium KW - Mitosis KW - Microtubules KW - Centrosome KW - Nucleus Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejcb.2016.03.001 SN - 0171-9335 SN - 1618-1298 VL - 95 SP - 124 EP - 135 PB - Royal Society CY - Jena ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Koonce, Michael A1 - Tikhonenko, Irina A1 - Gräf, Ralph T1 - Dictyostelium cell fixation BT - two simple tricks JF - Methods and protocols N2 - We share two simple modifications to enhance the fixation and imaging of relatively small, motile, and rounded model cells. These include cell centrifugation and the addition of trace amounts of glutaraldehyde to existing fixation methods. Though they need to be carefully considered in each context, they have been useful to our studies of the spatial relationships of the microtubule cytoskeletal system. KW - Dictyostelium KW - cell fixation KW - microscopy KW - microtubule KW - cytoskeleton Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/mps3030047 SN - 2409-9279 VL - 3 IS - 3 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mana-Capelli, Sebastian A1 - Gräf, Ralph A1 - Larochelle, Denis A. T1 - Dictyostelium discoideum CenB is a bona fide centrin essential for nuclear architecture and centrosome stability N2 - Centrins are a family of proteins within the calcium-binding EF-hand superfamily. In addition to their archetypical role at the microtubule organizing center (MTOC), centrins have acquired multiple functionalities throughout the course of evolution. For example, centrins have been linked to different nuclear activities, including mRNA export and DNA repair. Dictyostelium discoideum centrin B is a divergent member of the centrin family. At the amino acid level, DdCenB shows 51% identity with its closest relative and only paralog, DdCenA. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that DdCenB and DdCenA form a well-supported monophyletic and divergent group within the centrin family of proteins. Interestingly, fluorescently tagged versions of DdCenB were not found at the centrosome (in whole cells or in isolated centrosomes). Instead, DdCenB localized to the nuclei of interphase cells. This localization disappeared as the cells entered mitosis, although Dictyostelium cells undergo a closed mitosis in which the nuclear envelope (NE) does not break down. DdCenB knockout cells exhibited aberrant nuclear architecture, characterized by enlarged and deformed nuclei and loss of proper centrosome-nucleus anchoring (observed as NE protrusions). At the centrosome, loss of DdCenB resulted in defects in the organization and morphology of the MTOC and supernumerary centrosomes and centrosome-related bodies. The multiple defects that the loss of DdCenB generated at the centrosome can be explained by its atypical division cycle, transitioning into the NE as it divides at mitosis. On the basis of these findings, we propose that DdCenB is required at interphase to maintain proper nuclear architecture, and before delocalizing from the nucleus, DdCenB is part of the centrosome duplication machinery. Y1 - 2009 UR - http://ec.asm.org/ U6 - https://doi.org/10.1128/Ec.00025-09 SN - 1535-9778 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schweigel, Ulrike A1 - Batsios, Petros A1 - Müller-Taubenberger, Annette A1 - Gräf, Ralph A1 - Grafe, Marianne T1 - Dictyostelium spastin is involved in nuclear envelope dynamics during semi-closed mitosis JF - Nucleus N2 - Dictyostelium amoebae perform a semi-closed mitosis, in which the nuclear envelope is fenestrated at the insertion sites of the mitotic centrosomes and around the central spindle during karyokinesis. During late telophase the centrosome relocates to the cytoplasmic side of the nucleus, the central spindle disassembles and the nuclear fenestrae become closed. Our data indicate that Dictyostelium spastin (DdSpastin) is a microtubule-binding and severing type I membrane protein that plays a role in this process. Its mitotic localization is in agreement with a requirement for the removal of microtubules that would hinder closure of the fenestrae. Furthermore, DdSpastin interacts with the HeH/ LEM-family protein Src1 in BioID analyses as well as the inner nuclear membrane protein Sun1, and shows subcellular co-localizations with Src1, Sun1, the ESCRT component CHMP7 and the IST1-like protein filactin, suggesting that the principal pathway of mitotic nuclear envelope remodeling is conserved between animals and Dictyostelium amoebae. KW - Spastin KW - LEM-domain KW - ESCRT KW - sun1 KW - dictyostelium KW - nuclear envelope KW - mitosis Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/19491034.2022.2047289 SN - 1949-1034 SN - 1949-1042 VL - 13 IS - 1 SP - 144 EP - 154 PB - Taylor & Francis Group CY - Philadelphia ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schulz, Irene A1 - Baumann, Otto A1 - Samereier, Matthias A1 - Zoglmeier, Christine A1 - Gräf, Ralph T1 - Dictyostelium Sun1 is a dynamic membrane protein of both nuclear membranes and required for centrosomal association with clustered centromeres N2 - Centrosomal attachment to nuclei is crucial for proper mitosis and nuclear positioning in various organisms, and generally involves Sun-family proteins located at the inner nuclear envelope. There is still no common scheme for the outer nuclear membrane proteins interacting with Sun I in centrosome/nucleus attachment. Here we propose a model in which Sun1 mediates a physical link between centrosomes and clustered centromeres through both nuclear membranes in Dictyostelium. For the first time we provide a detailed microscopic analysis of the centrosomal and nuclear envelope localization of endogenous Dictyostelium Sun1 during interphase and mitosis. By immunogold electron microscopy we show that Sun1 is a resident of both nuclear membranes. Disruption of Sun1 function by overexpression of full-length GFP-Sun1 or a GFP-Sun-domain deletion construct revealed not only the established function in centrosome/nucleus attachment and maintenance of ploidy, but also a requirement of Sun1 for the association of the centromere cluster with the centrosome. Live-cell imaging visualized the occurrence of mitotic defects, and demonstrated the requirement of microtubules for dynamic distance changes between centrosomes and nuclei. FRAP analysis revealed at least two populations of Sun1, with an immobile fraction associated with the centrosome, and a mobile fraction in the nuclear envelope. Y1 - 2009 UR - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01719335 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejcb.2009.06.003 SN - 0171-9335 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dubin, Manu A1 - Fuchs, Joerg A1 - Gräf, Ralph A1 - Schubert, Ingo A1 - Nellen, Wolfgang T1 - Dynamics of a novel centromeric histone variant CenH3 reveals the evolutionary ancestral timing of centromere biogenesis N2 - The centromeric histone H3 variant (CenH3) serves to target the kinetochore to the centromeres and thus ensures correct chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis. The Dictyostelium H3-like variant H3v1 was identified as the CenH3 ortholog. Dictyostelium CenH3 has an extended N-terminal domain with no similarity to any other known proteins and a histone fold domain at its C-terminus. Within the histone fold, alpha-helix 2 (alpha 2) and an extended loop 1 (L1) have been shown to be required for targeting CenH3 to centromeres. Compared to other known and putative CenH3 histones, Dictyostelium CenH3 has a shorter L1, suggesting that the extension is not an obligatory feature. Through ChIP analysis and fluorescence microscopy of live and fixed cells, we provide here the first survey of centromere structure in amoebozoa. The six telocentric centromeres were found to mostly consist of all the DIRS-1 elements and to associate with H3K9me3. During interphase, the centromeres remain attached to the centrosome forming a single CenH3-containing cluster. Loading of Dictyostelium CenH3 onto centromeres occurs at the G2/prophase transition, in contrast to the anaphase/ telophase loading of CenH3 observed in metazoans. This suggests that loading during G2/prophase is the ancestral eukaryotic mechanism and that anaphase/telophase loading of CenH3 has evolved more recently after the amoebozoa diverged from the animal linage. Y1 - 2010 UR - http://nar.oxfordjournals.org/ U6 - https://doi.org/10.1093/Nar/Gkq664 SN - 0305-1048 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gräf, Ralph A1 - Batsios, Petros A1 - Meyer, Irene T1 - Evolution of centrosomes and the nuclear lamina: Amoebozoan assets JF - European journal of cell biology N2 - The current eukaryotic tree of life groups most eukaryotes into one of five supergroups, the Opisthokonta, Amoebozoa, Archaeplastida, Excavata and SAR (Stramenopile, Alveolata, Rhizaria). Molecular and comparative morphological analyses revealed that the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA) already contained a rather sophisticated equipment of organelles including a mitochondrion, an endomembrane system, a nucleus with a lamina, a microtubule-organizing center (MTOC), and a flagellar apparatus. Recent studies of MTOCs, basal bodies/centrioles, and nuclear envelope organization of organisms in different supergroups have clarified our picture of how the nucleus and MTOCs co-evolved from LECA to extant eukaryotes. In this review we summarize these findings with special emphasis on valuable contributions of research on a lamin-like protein, nuclear envelope proteins, and the MTOC in the amoebozoan model organism Dictyostelium discoideum. (C) 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. KW - LINC complex KW - Sun1 KW - Nuclear lamina KW - Lamin KW - Nuclear envelope KW - Centrosome KW - Basal body KW - Centriole KW - LEM-domain Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejcb.2015.04.004 SN - 0171-9335 SN - 1618-1298 VL - 94 IS - 6 SP - 249 EP - 256 PB - Elsevier CY - Jena ER -