Physical mechanisms redirecting cell polarity and cell shape in fission yeast. 2008

Courtney R Terenna, and Tatyana Makushok, and Guilhem Velve-Casquillas, and Damien Baigl, and Yong Chen, and Michel Bornens, and Anne Paoletti, and Matthieu Piel, and Phong T Tran
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

The cylindrical rod shape of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is organized and maintained by interactions between the microtubule, cell membrane, and actin cytoskeleton [1]. Mutations affecting any components in this pathway lead to bent, branched, or round cells [2]. In this context, the cytoskeleton controls cell polarity and thus dictates cell shape. Here, we use soft-lithography techniques to construct microfluidic channels to control cell shape. We show that when wild-type rod-shaped cells are physically forced to grow in a bent fashion, they will reorganize their cytoskeleton and redirect cell polarity to make new ectopic cell tips. Moreover, when bent or round mutant cells are physically forced to conform to the wild-type rod-shape, they will reverse their mutational phenotypes by reorganizing their cytoskeleton to maintain proper wild-type-like localization of microtubules, cell-membrane proteins, and actin. Our study provides direct evidence that the cytoskeleton controls cell polarity and cell shape and demonstrates that cell shape also controls the organization of the cytoskeleton in a feedback loop. We present a model of the feedback loop to explain how fission yeast maintain a rod shape and how perturbation of specific parameters of the loop can lead to different cell shapes.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008870 Microtubules Slender, cylindrical filaments found in the cytoskeleton of plant and animal cells. They are composed of the protein TUBULIN and are influenced by TUBULIN MODULATORS. Microtubule
D008954 Models, Biological Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment. Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D009024 Morphogenesis The development of anatomical structures to create the form of a single- or multi-cell organism. Morphogenesis provides form changes of a part, parts, or the whole organism.
D009154 Mutation Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations. Mutations
D010641 Phenotype The outward appearance of the individual. It is the product of interactions between genes, and between the GENOTYPE and the environment. Phenotypes
D012568 Schizosaccharomyces A genus of ascomycetous fungi of the family Schizosaccharomycetaceae, order Schizosaccharomycetales. Fission Yeast,Schizosaccharomyces malidevorans,Schizosaccharomyces pombe,Yeast, Fission,S pombe,Fission Yeasts
D016764 Cell Polarity Orientation of intracellular structures especially with respect to the apical and basolateral domains of the plasma membrane. Polarized cells must direct proteins from the Golgi apparatus to the appropriate domain since tight junctions prevent proteins from diffusing between the two domains. Cell Polarities,Polarities, Cell,Polarity, Cell
D044085 Microfluidics The study of fluid channels and chambers of tiny dimensions of tens to hundreds of micrometers and volumes of nanoliters or picoliters. This is of interest in biological MICROCIRCULATION and used in MICROCHEMISTRY and INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES. Microfluidic
D048430 Cell Shape The quality of surface form or outline of CELLS. Cell Shapes,Shape, Cell,Shapes, Cell
D049108 Cell Enlargement Growth processes that result in an increase in CELL SIZE. Cell Growth in Size,Cell Size Growth,Enlargement, Cell,Growth, Cell Size,Growths, Cell Size,Size Growth, Cell

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