November in preprints – the CellBio edition

Cancer cell biology

DNA repair and anti-cancer mechanisms in the long-lived bowhead whale

Denis Firsanov, Max Zacher, Xiao Tian, Todd L. Sformo, Yang Zhao, Greg Tombline, J. Yuyang Lu, Zhizhong Zheng, Luigi Perelli, Enrico Gurreri, Li Zhang, Jing Guo, Anatoly Korotkov, Valentin Volobaev, Seyed Ali Biashad, Zhihui Zhang, Johanna Heid, Alex Maslov, Shixiang Sun, Zhuoer Wu, Jonathan Gigas, Eric Hillpot, John Martinez, Minseon Lee, Alyssa Williams, Abbey Gilman, Nicholas Hamilton, Ena Haseljic, Avnee Patel, Maggie Straight, Nalani Miller, Julia Ablaeva, Lok Ming Tam, Chloé Couderc, Michael Hoopman, Robert Moritz, Shingo Fujii, Dan J. Hayman, Hongrui Liu, Yuxuan Cai, Anthony K. L. Leung, Mirre J. P. Simons, Zhengdong Zhang, C. Bradley Nelson, Lisa M. Abegglen, Joshua D. Schiffman, Vadim N. Gladyshev, Mauro Modesti, Giannicola Genovese, Jan Vijg, Andrei Seluanov, Vera Gorbunova

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.07.539748v3

Great preprint that addresses why the very large and long-lived bowhead whale is not so prone to cancer, particularly focussing on DNA repair. It’s relevant because the research question makes total sense and is important but is technically very difficult to address. Here, the authors take on that challenge and thoroughly answer it with a battery of experimental techniques across multiple organisms. Excellent work.

Picked by: Matthew Davies

From Firsanov et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Identification of the MRTFA/SRF pathway as a critical regulator of quiescence in cancer

Santiago Panesso-Gómez, Alexander J. Cole, Alyssa Wield, Vivian I. Anyaeche, Jaynish Shah, Qi Jiang, Tonge Ebai, Allison C. Sharrow, George Tseng, Euisik Yoon, Daniel D. Brown, Amanda M. Clark, Scott D Larsen, Ian Eder, David Gau, Partha Roy, Kris N. Dahl, Lam Tran, Hui Jiang, Priscilla F McAuliffe, Adrian V Lee, Ronald J. Buckanovich

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.15.623825v1

This is an interesting study. Usually cancer stem cells enter quiescence to escape targeting by anti-proliferative chemotherapeutic drugs, re-entering the cell cycle once drug treatment has ended. In this preprint, the authors show that induction and persistence of quiescence by disrupting the MRTF-SRF pathway has therapeutic benefits across a range of cancer lines by preventing re-proliferation.

Picked by: Matthew Davies

From Panesso-Gómez et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Cell cycle and division

Tissue-Like Multicellular Development Triggered by Mechanical Compression in Archaea

Theopi Rados, Olivia S. Leland, Pedro Escudeiro, John Mallon, Katherine Andre, Ido Caspy, Andriko von Kügelgen, Elad Stolovicki, Sinead Nguyen, Inés Lucía Patop, Thiberio Rangel, Sebastian Kadener, Lars D. Renner, Vera Thiel, Yoav Soen, Tanmay A.M. Bharat, Vikram Alva, Alex Bisson

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.19.619234v2

This is a fantastic preprint on the induction of multicellularity in certain Archaea upon compression, cellularising and developing multiple cell types. It demonstrates tissue-like formation from a unicellular organism in real time.

Picked by: Matthew Davies

From Rados et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license.

Membrane oscillations driven by Arp2/3 constrict the intercellular bridge during neural stem cell divisions

Bryce LaFoya, Kenneth E. Prehoda

https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.10.28.620743

This preprint is interesting as it addresses a fundamental question revolving around cytokinesis during cell division by emphasising how cells, which are part of the tissue and are constrained, complete the cell division process. The authors found a unique phenomenon involving dynamic membrane oscillation mediated by Arp2/3 actin networks.

Picked by: Sristilekha Nath

From LaFoya and Prehoda (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Cell migration and cytoskeleton

Leukocytes use endothelial membrane tunnels to extravasate the vasculature

Werner J. van der Meer, Abraham C.I. van Steen, Eike Mahlandt, Loïc Rolas, Haitao Wang, Janine J.G. Arts, Lanette Kempers, Max L.B. Grönloh, Rianne M. Schoon, Amber Driessen, Jos van Rijssel, Ingeborg Klaassen, Reinier O. Schlingemann, Yosif Manavski, Mark Hoogenboezem, Reinier A. Boon, Satya Khuon, Eric Wait, John Heddleston, Teng-Leong Chew, Martijn A. Nolte, Sussan Nourshargh, Joachim Goedhart, Jaap D. van Buul

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.28.620560v1

This study reveals a novel mechanism of leukocyte transendothelial migration (TEM), where endothelial cells form membrane tunnels to facilitate leukocyte passage.

Picked by: Felipe Del Valle Batalla

YAP controls cell migration and invasion through a Rho-GTPase switch

Sagar R. Shah, Chunxiao Ren, Nathaniel D. Tippens, JinSeok Park, Ahmed Mohyeldin, Shuyan Wang, Guillermo Vela, Juan C. Martinez-Gutierrez, Seth S. Margolis, Susanne Schmidt, Shuli Xia, Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, Andre Levchenko

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/602052v3

This preprint identifies YAP-TRIO regulatory invasion and migration pathway, which reveal potential strategies to target invasive cancers such as glioblastoma.

Picked by: Vibha Singh

From Shah et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.

Fishnet mesh of centrin-Sfi1 drives ultrafast calcium-activated contraction of the giant cell Spirostomum ambiguum

Joseph Lannan, Carlos Floyd, L. X. Xu, Connie Yan, Wallace F. Marshall, Surirayanarayanan Vaikuntanathan, Aaron R. Dinner, Jerry E. Honts, Saad Bhamla, Mary Williard Elting

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.07.622534v2

Interesting preprint on how a 1 mm-sized unicellular organism contracts to a quarter of its length in about 5 ms and doesn’t use actomyosin contractility to do that.

Picked by: Girish Kale

From Lannan et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Cell organelles and organisation

Small molecule modulator of neuronal lysosome positioning and function resolves Alzheimer’s Disease-linked pathologies in cultured human neurons

Amanda M. Snead, Sruchi Patel, Mia Krout, Ryan S. Hippman, Gabrielle Smith, Diya Dileep, Nitya Chagoor, Rachel Shi, Ricardo Linares, Andrew Dobria, Stephanie M. Cologna, Camerron Crowder, Leslie N. Aldrich, Swetha Gowrishankar

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.04.621986v1

The authors describe a small molecule that selectively regulates lysosome positioning in neurons. This molecule ameliorates neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s features.

Picked by: Felipe Del Valle Batalla

From Snead et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Alternative Import-Channels And Destinations Of Mitochondrial PINK1 Controlled By Trans-Membrane-Domain Structural Plasticity

James S. Lorriman, Adam G. Grieve, Robin A. Corey, Ian Collinson

https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622366

I think that this is a great preprint that provides fantastic mechanistic details of PINK kinase’s import into mitochondria. It solidifies a direct role of PINK within the matrix of healthy mitochondria and opens up interesting new avenues for targeting PINK in Parkinson’s.

Picked by: Barbora Knotkova

From Lorriman et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.

Vimentin molecular linkages with nesprin-3 enhance nuclear deformations by cell geometric constraints

Maxx Swoger, Minh Tri Ho Thanh, Fitzroy J. Byfield, Van Dam, Jessica Williamson, Bronson Frank, Heidi Hehnly, Daniel Conway, Alison E. Patteson

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.29.621001v1

The study reveals the role of vimentin (an intermediate filament) in mediating nuclear shape deformation, which, in turn, promotes chromatin condensation under conditions of geometric constraint.

Picked by: Sristilekha Nath

Spectrin coordinates cortical actomyosin organization and differentiation essential for a functional epithelial barrier

Arad Soffer, Aishwarya Bhosale, Takeshi Matsui, Carien M. Niessen, Chen Luxenburg, Matthias Rübsam

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.17.618796v2.full

This study uncovers the role of cell shape in regulating cell differentiation, which is mediated by cortically recruited Spectrin, thereby promoting barrier functions in the epidermis.

Picked by: Sristilekha Nath

From Soffer et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Automated segmentation of soft X-ray tomography: native cellular structure with sub-micron resolution at high throughput for whole-cell quantitative imaging in yeast

Jianhua Chen, Mary Mirvis, Axel Ekman, Bieke Vanslembrouck, Mark Le Gros, Carolyn Larabell, Wallace F. Marshall

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.31.621371v1

This preprint is interesting because it uses soft X-ray tomography and deep learning tools for exploring whole-cells and imaging of multi-organelle 3D volumes. This can help with analysis of cell and organelle morphology, interactions, and responses to perturbations.

Picked by: Felipe Del Valle Batalla

Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells Interactions in Stress Environment via Tunneling Nanotubes

Merve Gozel, Karya Senkoylu, Cem Kesim, Murat Hasanreisoglu

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.24.624852v1

This is a cool preprint describing the transfer of mitochondria from healthy mesenchymal stem cells to stressed retinal pigment epithelial cells through tunelling nanotubes, allowing recovery. It has implications for potential stem cell-based therapies for retinal disease.

Picked by: Matthew Davies

From Gozel et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Compositional Flexibility of the ER-Mitochondria Encounter Structure

Christian Covill-Cooke, Takashi Hirashima, Shin Kawano, Joe Ganellin, Andrew Moody, Sabine N.S. van Schie, Arun T. John Peter, Chika Saito, Toshiya Endo, Benoît Kornmann

https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.26.625358

Preprint that identifies the minimal subunits of the ERMES complex required for lipid transfer between the ER and mitochondria in yeast. It solves the mystery of how the expression of artificial tethers can restore lipid transfer in the absence of other ERMES subunits.

Picked by: Barbora Knotkova

From Covill-Cooke et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.

The Rho effector ARHGAP18 coordinates a Hippo pathway feedback loop through YAP and Merlin to regulate the cytoskeleton and epithelial cell polarity

Emma C. Murray, Gilian M. Hodge, Leighton S. Lee, Cameron A.R. Mitchell, Andrew T. Lombardo

https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.26.625473

In this preprint, the authors reveal how Hippo and Rho family signaling pathways synergistically regulate actin cytoskeleton organization, bridging the previously assumed non-coordination between them.

Picked by: Vibha Singh

From Murray et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license.

Cell signalling and mechanosensing

Live-cell magnetic micromanipulation of recycling endosomes reveals their direct effect on actin-based protrusions to promote invasive migration

Jakub Gemperle, Domenik Liße, Marie Kappen, Emilie Secret, Mathieu Coppey, Martin Gregor, Christine Menager, Jacob Piehler, Patrick Caswell

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.11.622870v1

This preprint is amazing! Why: the authors show manipulation of vesicles via magnetogenetics.

Picked by: Felipe Del Valle Batalla

From Gemperle et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.

Semaphorin 4A maintains functional diversity of the hematopoietic stem cell pool

Dorsa Toghani, Sanika Gupte, Sharon Zeng, Elmir Mahammadov, Edie I. Crosse, Negar Seyedhassantehrani, Christian Burns, David Gravano, Stefan Radtke, Hans-Peter Kiem, Sonia Rodriguez, Nadia Carlesso, Amogh Pradeep, Alexis Georgiades, Fabienne Lucas, Nicola K. Wilson, Sarah J. Kinston, Berthold Göttgens, Le Zong, Isabel Beerman, Bongsoo Park, Derek Janssens, Daniel Jones, Ali Toghani, Claus Nerlov, Eric Pietras, Marion Mesnieres, Christa Maes, Atsushi Kumanogoh, Thomas Worzfeld, Jin-Gyu Cheong, Steven Z Josefowicz, Peter Kharchenko, David T. Scadden, Antonio Scialdone, Joel A Spencer, Lev Silberstein

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.12.622506v1

This is a nice preprint. It concerns non-cell autonomous regulation of haematopoeitic stem cells with implications for therapeutic targeting of HSC decline with ageing.

Picked by: Matthew Davies

Membrane potential mediates the cellular response to mechanical pressure

Avik Mukherjee, Yanqing Huang, Jens Elgeti, Seungeun Oh, Jose G. Abreu, Anjali Rebecca Neliat, Janik Schüttler, Dan-Dan Su, Christophe Dupre, Nina Catherine Benites, Xili Liu, Leonid Peshkin, Mihail Barboiu, Hugo Stocker, Marc W. Kirschner, Markus Basan

https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.11.02.565386

This preprint identifies membrane potential as the missing link between mechanical force and downstream cellular responses.

Picked by: Barbora Knotkova

From Mukherjee et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Compressive forces induce epigenetic activation of aged human dermal fibroblasts through ERK signaling pathway

Hui Liu, Luezhen Yuan, Lucrezia Baldi, Trinadha Rao Sornapudi, G.V. Shivashankar

https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.04.621794

This preprint reports activation of cellular rejuvenation pathways via epigenetic modifications, when aged dermal fibroblasts were subjected to sustained compressive forces.

Picked by: Sristilekha Nath

From Liu et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Microglia States are Susceptible to Senescence and Cholesterol Dysregulation in Alzheimer’s Disease

Boyang Li, Shaowei Wang, Bilal Kerman, Cristelle Hugo, E Keats Shwab, Chang Shu, Ornit Chiba-Falek, Zoe Arvanitakis, Hussein Yassine

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.18.624141v1

This study is important because it identifies cholesterol dysregulation as a key driver of microglial senescence in Alzheimer’s disease, offering potential new therapeutic targets.

Picked by: Felipe Del Valle Batalla

Piezo1 balances membrane tension and cortical contractility to stabilize intercellular junctions and maintain epithelial barrier integrity

Ahsan Javed, Aki Stubb, Clémentine Villeneuve, Franziska Peters, Matthias Rübsam, Carien M. Niessen, Leah C. Biggs, Sara A. Wickström

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.20.624378v1

Preprint describing the role of mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 in the mechanically tensed epidermis, where it regulates Tight-junctions and epithelial barrier function.

Picked by: Girish Kale

From Javed et al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license.

Genetics/gene expression

The 3’-untranslated regions of yeast ribosomal protein mRNAs determine paralog incorporation into ribosomes and recruit factors necessary for specialized functions

Raman K. Singh, Robert A. Crawford, Dheerendra P. Mall, Graham D. Pavitt, Jeffrey E. Gerst

https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.03.18.585503

The study represents the first comprehensive analysis of the role of ribosome heterogeneity in yeast under different growth conditions.

Picked by: Barbora Knotkova

From Singh al. (2024). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.