Abstract The cytoskeleton determines cell mechanics and lies at the heart of important cellular functions. Growing evidence suggests that manifold tasks rely on interactions between its filamentous components—actin filaments, intermediate microtubules. However, nature these their impact cytoskeletal dynamics are largely unknown. Here, we show in a reconstituted vitro system vimentin filaments s...

Disassembling microtubules provide the driving forces behind chromosomal movement in dividing cells. This motion can occur independently of any conventional motor activity, and instead relies on tenacious attachment kinetochores to their dynamic microtubule substrates. During disassembly, thousands tubulin subunits are lost from tip per second even under tension, must maintain crumbling substra...

LIM kinases are common downstream effectors of several signalization pathways and function as a signaling node that controls cytoskeleton dynamics through the phosphorylation of the cofilin family proteins. These last 10 years, several reports indicate that the functions of LIM kinases are more extended than initially described and, specifically, that LIM kinases also control microtubule dynami...

Complete disruption of the microtubular network by colchicine or nocodazole in Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells results in the appearance of basolateral microvilli and brush border-containing intracellular vacuoles (vacuolar apical compartment: VAC). These vacuoles are surrounded by a terminal web, express apical markers and exclude basolateral markers. The vacuoles do not originate from inte...

Local axon degeneration is a common pathological feature of many neurodegenerative diseases and peripheral neuropathies. While it is believed to operate with an apoptosis-independent molecular program, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, we used the degeneration of transected axons, termed "Wallerian degeneration," as a model to examine the possible involveme...

Phosphorylation by protein kinases has been established as a key factor in the regulation of cytoskeletal structure. However, little is known about the role of protein phosphatases in cytoskeletal regulation. To assess the possible functions of protein phosphatases in this respect, we studied the effects of the phosphatase inhibitors calyculin A, okadaic acid, and dinophysistoxin 1 (35-methylok...

Major advances in the genomics and epigenomics of diffuse gliomas and glioblastoma to date have not been translated into effective therapy, necessitating pursuit of alternative treatment approaches for these therapeutically challenging tumors. Current knowledge of microtubules in cancer and the development of new microtubule-based treatment strategies for high-grade gliomas are the topic in thi...

Callose and cellulose are fundamental components of the cell wall of pollen tubes and are probably synthesized by distinct enzymes, callose synthase and cellulose synthase, respectively. We examined the distribution of callose synthase and cellulose synthase in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) pollen tubes in relation to the dynamics of actin filaments, microtubules, and the endomembrane system usin...

During metaphase, chromosome position at the mitotic spindle equator is regulated by forces exerted kinetochore microtubules and polar ejection forces. However, role of arising from mechanical coupling sister fibers with bridging in alignment unknown. Here we develop an optogenetic approach for acute removal microtubule crosslinker PRC1 to disassemble show that they promote alignment. Tracking ...

BACKGROUND We investigated the targeting of microtubules (MT) and F-actin cytoskeleton (AC) of the human pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans with agents for cancer therapy, in order to examine whether this yeast cytoskeleton could become a new antifungal target for the inhibition of cell division. METHODS Cells treated with 10 cytoskeleton inhibitors in yeast extract peptone dextrose med...