Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1986

Authors: Saumya Pant, Mahak Sharma, Kruti Patel, Steve Caplan, Chavela M. Carr & Barth D. Grant

Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1987

Authors: Agnieszka Rybak, Heiko Fuchs, Kamyar Hadian, Lena Smirnova, Ellery A. Wulczyn, Geert Michel, Robert Nitsch, Daniel Krappmann & F. Gregory Wulczyn

Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1990

Authors: Koji Hase, Shunsuke Kimura, Hiroyuki Takatsu, Masumi Ohmae, Sayaka Kawano, Hiroshi Kitamura, Masatoshi Ito, Hiroshi Watarai, C. Clayton Hazelett, Charles Yeaman & Hiroshi Ohno

Cell–cell communication is essential for the development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms. Recently, a new type of cell–cell communication was discovered that is based on the formation of thin membranous nanotubes between remote cells. These long membrane tethers, termed tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), form an intercellular conduit and have been shown to enable the transport of various cellular components and signals. However, the molecular basis for TNT formation remains to be elucidated. Here we report that a mammalian protein, M-Sec, induces de novo formation of numerous membrane protrusions extending from the plasma membrane, some of which tether onto adjacent cells and subsequently form TNT-like structures. Depletion of M-Sec by RNA interference (RNAi) greatly reduced endogenous TNT formation as well as intercellular propagation of a calcium flux in a macrophage cell line. Furthermore, blockage of the interaction of M-Sec with Ral and the exocyst complex, which serves as a downstream effector of Ral, attenuated the formation of membrane nanotubes. Our results reveal that M-Sec functions as a key regulator of membrane nanotube formation through interaction with the Ral–exocyst pathway.

Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1998

Authors: Ulrich Wellner, Jörg Schubert, Ulrike C. Burk, Otto Schmalhofer, Feng Zhu, Annika Sonntag, Bettina Waldvogel, Corinne Vannier, Douglas Darling, Axel zur Hausen, Valerie G. Brunton, Jennifer Morton, Owen Sansom, Julia Schüler, Marc P. Stemmler, Christoph Herzberger, Ulrich Hopt, Tobias Keck, Simone Brabletz & Thomas Brabletz

Invasion and metastasis of carcinomas is promoted by the activation of the embryonic 'epithelial to mesenchymal transition' (EMT) program, which triggers cellular mobility and subsequent dissemination of tumour cells. We recently showed that the EMT-activator ZEB1 (zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1) is a crucial promoter of metastasis and demonstrated that ZEB1 inhibits expression of the microRNA-200 (miR-200) family, whose members are strong inducers of epithelial differentiation. Here, we report that ZEB1 not only promotes tumour cell dissemination, but is also necessary for the tumour-initiating capacity of pancreatic and colorectal cancer cells. We show that ZEB1 represses expression of stemness-inhibiting miR-203 and that candidate targets of miR-200 family members are also stem cell factors, such as Sox2 and Klf4. Moreover, miR-200c, miR-203 and miR-183 cooperate to suppress expression of stem cell factors in cancer cells and mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells, as demonstrated for the polycomb repressor Bmi1. We propose that ZEB1 links EMT-activation and stemness-maintenance by suppressing stemness-inhibiting microRNAs (miRNAs) and thereby is a promoter of mobile, migrating cancer stem cells. Thus, targeting the ZEB1–miR-200 feedback loop might form the basis of a promising treatment for fatal tumours, such as pancreatic cancer.

Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1993

Authors: Jianmin Zhang, Jun-Yuan Ji, Min Yu, Michael Overholtzer, Gromoslaw A. Smolen, Rebecca Wang, Joan S. Brugge, Nicholas J. Dyson & Daniel A. Haber

The Hippo signalling pathway regulates cellular proliferation and survival, thus has profound effects on normal cell fate and tumorigenesis. The pivotal effector of this pathway is YAP (yes-associated protein), a transcriptional co-activator amplified in mouse and human cancers, where it promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and malignant transformation. So far, studies of YAP target genes have focused on cell-autonomous mediators; here we show that YAP-expressing MCF10A breast epithelial cells enhance the proliferation of neighbouring untransfected cells, implicating a non-cell-autonomous mechanism. We identify the gene for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand amphiregulin (AREG) as a transcriptional target of YAP, whose induction contributes to YAP-mediated cell proliferation and migration, but not EMT. Knockdown of AREG or addition of an EGFR kinase inhibitor abrogates the proliferative effects of YAP expression. Suppression of the negative YAP regulators LATS1 and 2 (large tumour suppressor 1 and 2) is sufficient to induce AREG expression, consistent with physiological regulation of AREG by the Hippo pathway. Genetic interaction between the Drosophila YAP orthologue Yorkie and Egfr signalling components supports the link between these two highly conserved signalling pathways. Thus, YAP-dependent secretion of AREG indicates that activation of EGFR signalling is an important non-cell-autonomous effector of the Hippo pathway, which has implications for the regulation of both physiological and malignant cell proliferation.

Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1994

Authors: Alex von Kriegsheim, Daniela Baiocchi, Marc Birtwistle, David Sumpton, Willy Bienvenut, Nicholas Morrice, Kayo Yamada, Angus Lamond, Gabriella Kalna, Richard Orton, David Gilbert & Walter Kolch

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) controls fundamental cellular functions, including cell fate decisions. In PC12, cells shifting ERK activation from transient to sustained induces neuronal differentiation. As ERK associates with both regulators and effectors, we hypothesized that the mechanisms underlying the switch could be revealed by assessing the dynamic changes in ERK-interacting proteins that specifically occur under differentiation conditions. Using quantitative proteomics, we identified 284 ERK-interacting proteins. Upon induction of differentiation, 60 proteins changed their binding to ERK, including many proteins that were not known to participate in differentiation. We functionally characterized a subset, showing that they regulate the pathway at several levels and by different mechanisms, including signal duration, ERK localization, feedback, crosstalk with the Akt pathway and differential interaction and phosphorylation of transcription factors. Integrating these data with a mathematical model confirmed that ERK dynamics and differentiation are regulated by distributed control mechanisms rather than by a single master switch.

Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1992

Authors: Jörg Renkawitz, Kathrin Schumann, Michele Weber, Tim Lämmermann, Holger Pflicke, Matthieu Piel, Julien Polleux, Joachim P. Spatz & Michael Sixt

The leading front of a cell can either protrude as an actin-free membrane bleb that is inflated by actomyosin-driven contractile forces, or as an actin-rich pseudopodium, a site where polymerizing actin filaments push out the membrane. Pushing filaments can only cause the membrane to protrude if the expanding actin network experiences a retrograde counter-force, which is usually provided by transmembrane receptors of the integrin family. Here we show that chemotactic dendritic cells mechanically adapt to the adhesive properties of their substrate by switching between integrin-mediated and integrin-independent locomotion. We found that on engaging the integrin–actin clutch, actin polymerization was entirely turned into protrusion, whereas on disengagement actin underwent slippage and retrograde flow. Remarkably, accelerated retrograde flow was balanced by an increased actin polymerization rate; therefore, cell shape and protrusion velocity remained constant on alternating substrates. Due to this adaptive response in polymerization dynamics, tracks of adhesive substrate did not dictate the path of the cells. Instead, directional guidance was exclusively provided by a soluble gradient of chemoattractant, which endowed these 'amoeboid' cells with extraordinary flexibility, enabling them to traverse almost every type of tissue.

Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1997

Authors: Alexander J. Wilcox & Jeffrey D. Laney

Switches between different phenotypes and their underlying states of gene transcription occur as cells respond to intrinsic developmental cues or adapt to changing environmental conditions. Post-translational modification of the master regulatory transcription factors that define the initial phenotype is a common strategy to direct such transitions. Emerging evidence indicates that the modification of key transcription factors by the small polypeptide ubiquitin has a central role in many of these transitions. However, the molecular mechanisms by which ubiquitylation regulates the switching of promoters between active and inactive states are largely unknown. Ubiquitylation of the yeast transcriptional repressor α2 is necessary to evoke the transition between mating-types, and here we dissect the impact of this modification on α2 dynamics at its target promoters. Ubiquitylation of α2 does not alter DNA occupancy by depleting the existing pool of the transcription factor, despite its well-characterized function in directing repressor turnover. Rather, α2 ubiquitylation has a direct role in the rapid removal of the repressor from its DNA targets. This disassembly of α2 from DNA depends on the ubiquitin-selective AAA-ATPase Cdc48. Our findings expand the functional targets of Cdc48 to include active transcriptional regulatory complexes in the nucleus. These data reveal an ubiquitin-dependent extraction pathway for dismantling transcription factor–DNA complexes and provide an archetype for the regulation of transcriptional switching events by ubiquitylation.

Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1988

Authors: Xuecui Guo, William M. Keyes, Cristian Papazoglu, Johannes Zuber, Wangzhi Li, Scott W. Lowe, Hannes Vogel & Alea A. Mills

p63 is distinct from its homologue p53 in that its role as a tumour suppressor is controversial, an issue complicated by the existence of two classes of p63 isoforms. Here we show that TAp63 isoforms are robust mediators of senescence that inhibit tumorigenesis in vivo. Whereas gain of TAp63 induces senescence, loss of p63 enhances sarcoma development in mice lacking p53. Using a new TAp63-specific conditional mouse model, we demonstrate that TAp63 isoforms are essential for Ras-induced senescence, and that TAp63 deficiency increases proliferation and enhances Ras-mediated oncogenesis in the context of p53 deficiency in vivo. TAp63 induces senescence independently of p53, p19Arf and p16Ink4a, but requires p21Waf/Cip1 and Rb. TAp63-mediated senescence overrides Ras-driven transformation of p53-deficient cells, preventing tumour initiation, and doxycycline-regulated expression of TAp63 activates p21Waf/Cip1, induces senescence and inhibits progression of established tumours in vivo. Our findings demonstrate that TAp63 isoforms function as tumour suppressors by regulating senescence through p53-independent pathways. The ability of TAp63 to trigger senescence and halt tumorigenesis irrespective of p53 status identifies TAp63 as a potential target of anti-cancer therapy for human malignancies with compromised p53.

Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1991

Authors: Mitsuko Hayashi-Nishino, Naonobu Fujita, Takeshi Noda, Akihito Yamaguchi, Tamotsu Yoshimori & Akitsugu Yamamoto

Autophagy is a bulk degradation process in eukaryotic cells and has fundamental roles in cellular homeostasis.The origin and source of autophagosomal membranes are long-standing questions in the field. Using electron microscopy, we show that, in mammalian culture cells, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) associates with early autophagic structures called isolation membranes (IMs). Overexpression of an Atg4B mutant, which causes defects in autophagosome formation, induces the accumulation of ER–IM complexes. Electron tomography revealed that the ER–IM complex appears as a subdomain of the ER that formed a cradle encircling the IM, and showed that both ER and isolation membranes are interconnected.

Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1989

Authors: Paramasivam Natarajan, Ke Liu, Dustin V. Patil, Vicki A. Sciorra, Catherine L. Jackson & Todd R. Graham

The essential role for phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PtdIns(4)P) in vesicle-mediated protein transport from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) was first described in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, the identity of downstream effectors of PtdIns(4)P in this system has been elusive. Here, we show that Drs2p, a type IV P-type ATPase required for phospholipid translocase (flippase) activity and transport vesicle budding from the TGN, is an effector of PtdIns(4)P. Drs2p-dependent flip of a fluorescent phosphatidylserine analogue across purified TGN membranes requires synthesis of PtdIns(4)P by the phosphatidylinositol-4-kinase (PI(4)K) Pik1p. PtdIns(4)P binds to a regulatory domain in the C-terminal tail of Drs2p that has homology to a split PH domain and is required for Drs2p activity. In addition, basic residues required for phosphoinositide binding overlap a previously mapped binding site for the ArfGEF Gea2p. ArfGEF binding to this C-terminal domain also stimulates flippase activity in TGN membrane preparations. These interactions suggest the presence of a coincidence detection system used to activate phospholipid translocation at sites of vesicle formation.

Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1995

Authors: Jeremy T. Smyth, John G. Petranka, Rebecca R. Boyles, Wayne I. DeHaven, Miwako Fukushima, Katina L. Johnson, Jason G. Williams & James W. Putney Jr

Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) and Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ currents (Icrac) are strongly suppressed during mitosis, the only known physiological situation in which Ca2+ store depletion is uncoupled from the activation of Ca2+ influx. We found that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ sensor STIM1 failed to rearrange into near-plasma membrane puncta in mitotic cells, a critical step in the SOCE-activation pathway. We also found that STIM1 from mitotic cells is recognized by the phospho-specific MPM-2 antibody, suggesting that STIM1 is phosphorylated during mitosis. Removal of ten MPM-2 recognition sites by truncation at amino acid 482 abolished MPM-2 recognition of mitotic STIM1, and significantly rescued STIM1 rearrangement and SOCE response in mitosis. We identified Ser 486 and Ser 668 as mitosis-specific phosphorylation sites, and STIM1 containing mutations of these sites to alanine also significantly rescued mitotic SOCE. Therefore, phosphorylation of STIM1 at Ser 486 and Ser 668, and possibly other sites, underlies suppression of SOCE during mitosis.

Nature Cell Biology. doi:10.1038/ncb1996

Authors: Connie W. Woo, Dongying Cui, Jerry Arellano, Bernhard Dorweiler, Heather Harding, Katherine A. Fitzgerald, David Ron & Ira Tabas

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) unfolded protein response (UPR) restores equilibrium to the ER, but prolonged expression of the UPR effector CHOP (GADD153) is cytotoxic. We found that CHOP expression induced by ER stress was suppressed by prior engagement of toll-like receptor (TLR) 3 or 4 through a TRIF-dependent pathway. TLR engagement did not suppress phosphorylation of PERK or eIF-2α, which are upstream of CHOP, but phospho-eIF-2α failed to promote translation of the CHOP activator ATF4. In mice subjected to systemic ER stress, pretreatment with low dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a TLR4 ligand, suppressed CHOP expression and apoptosis in splenic macrophages, renal tubule cells and hepatocytes, and prevented renal dysfunction and hepatosteatosis. This protective effect of LPS did not occur in Trif−/− mice or in wild-type mice in which CHOP expression was genetically restored. Thus, TRIF-mediated signals from TLRs selectively attenuate translational activation of ATF4 and its downstream target gene CHOP. We speculate that this mechanism evolved to promote survival of TLR-expressing cells that experience prolonged levels of physiological ER stress in the course of the host response to invading pathogens.