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Zancla A, Mozetic P, Orsini M, Forte G, Rainer A. A primer to traction force microscopy. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101867. [PMID: 35351517 PMCID: PMC9092999 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Traction force microscopy (TFM) has emerged as a versatile technique for the measurement of single-cell-generated forces. TFM has gained wide use among mechanobiology laboratories, and several variants of the original methodology have been proposed. However, issues related to the experimental setup and, most importantly, data analysis of cell traction datasets may restrain the adoption of TFM by a wider community. In this review, we summarize the state of the art in TFM-related research, with a focus on the analytical methods underlying data analysis. We aim to provide the reader with a friendly compendium underlying the potential of TFM and emphasizing the methodological framework required for a thorough understanding of experimental data. We also compile a list of data analytics tools freely available to the scientific community for the furtherance of knowledge on this powerful technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Zancla
- Department of Engineering, Università degli Studi Roma Tre, Rome, Italy; Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Pamela Mozetic
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, Lecce, Italy; Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Orsini
- Department of Engineering, Università degli Studi Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Forte
- Center for Translational Medicine (CTM), International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czechia.
| | - Alberto Rainer
- Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy; Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, Lecce, Italy.
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Nakao N, Maki K, Mofrad MRK, Adachi T. Talin is required to increase stiffness of focal molecular complex in its early formation process. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 518:579-583. [PMID: 31451222 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.08.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
For cellular adaptation in mechanical environments, it is important to consider transmission of forces from the outside to the inside of cells via a focal molecular complex. The focal molecular complex, which consists of integrin, talin, vinculin and actin, is known to form in response to a force applied via the extra-cellular matrix (ECM). In the early formation process of the complex, the complex-actin connection is reinforced. These structural changes of the nascent complex result in an increase in its mechanical integrity and overall stiffness, possibly leading to the maturation of the nascent complex by enhancing force transmission. In this study, we hypothesized that the complex component talin is a crucial factor in increasing the stiffness of the nascent complex. To test the hypothesis, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to measure the stiffness of the nascent complex using a probe coated with fibronectin. Stiffness measurements were conducted for intact and talin knocked-down cells. Our results demonstrated that talin was required to increase the stiffness of the nascent complex, which could be caused by the reinforced connection between the complex and actin filaments mediated by talin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuhiko Nakao
- Department of Micro Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan; Institute for Frontier Life and Mechanical Sciences, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Koichiro Maki
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki, FI00290, Finland; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Mohammad R K Mofrad
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720-1762, USA; Molecular Biophysics and Integrative Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, CA94720, Berkeley, USA
| | - Taiji Adachi
- Department of Micro Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan; Institute for Frontier Life and Mechanical Sciences, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan; Department of Mammalian Regulatory Network, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
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Martino F, Perestrelo AR, Vinarský V, Pagliari S, Forte G. Cellular Mechanotransduction: From Tension to Function. Front Physiol 2018; 9:824. [PMID: 30026699 PMCID: PMC6041413 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 500] [Impact Index Per Article: 83.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Living cells are constantly exposed to mechanical stimuli arising from the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) or from neighboring cells. The intracellular molecular processes through which such physical cues are transformed into a biological response are collectively dubbed as mechanotransduction and are of fundamental importance to help the cell timely adapt to the continuous dynamic modifications of the microenvironment. Local changes in ECM composition and mechanics are driven by a feed forward interplay between the cell and the matrix itself, with the first depositing ECM proteins that in turn will impact on the surrounding cells. As such, these changes occur regularly during tissue development and are a hallmark of the pathologies of aging. Only lately, though, the importance of mechanical cues in controlling cell function (e.g., proliferation, differentiation, migration) has been acknowledged. Here we provide a critical review of the recent insights into the molecular basis of cellular mechanotransduction, by analyzing how mechanical stimuli get transformed into a given biological response through the activation of a peculiar genetic program. Specifically, by recapitulating the processes involved in the interpretation of ECM remodeling by Focal Adhesions at cell-matrix interphase, we revise the role of cytoskeleton tension as the second messenger of the mechanotransduction process and the action of mechano-responsive shuttling proteins converging on stage and cell-specific transcription factors. Finally, we give few paradigmatic examples highlighting the emerging role of malfunctions in cell mechanosensing apparatus in the onset and progression of pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana Martino
- Center for Translational Medicine, International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- Competence Center for Mechanobiology in Regenerative Medicine, INTERREG ATCZ133, Brno, Czechia
| | - Ana R. Perestrelo
- Center for Translational Medicine, International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
| | - Vladimír Vinarský
- Center for Translational Medicine, International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
- Competence Center for Mechanobiology in Regenerative Medicine, INTERREG ATCZ133, Brno, Czechia
| | - Stefania Pagliari
- Center for Translational Medicine, International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
| | - Giancarlo Forte
- Center for Translational Medicine, International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
- Competence Center for Mechanobiology in Regenerative Medicine, INTERREG ATCZ133, Brno, Czechia
- Department of Biomaterials Science, Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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Mykuliak VV, Haining AWM, von Essen M, del Río Hernández A, Hytönen VP. Mechanical unfolding reveals stable 3-helix intermediates in talin and α-catenin. PLoS Comput Biol 2018; 14:e1006126. [PMID: 29698481 PMCID: PMC5940241 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical stability is a key feature in the regulation of structural scaffolding proteins and their functions. Despite the abundance of α-helical structures among the human proteome and their undisputed importance in health and disease, the fundamental principles of their behavior under mechanical load are poorly understood. Talin and α-catenin are two key molecules in focal adhesions and adherens junctions, respectively. In this study, we used a combination of atomistic steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations, polyprotein engineering, and single-molecule atomic force microscopy (smAFM) to investigate unfolding of these proteins. SMD simulations revealed that talin rod α-helix bundles as well as α-catenin α-helix domains unfold through stable 3-helix intermediates. While the 5-helix bundles were found to be mechanically stable, a second stable conformation corresponding to the 3-helix state was revealed. Mechanically weaker 4-helix bundles easily unfolded into a stable 3-helix conformation. The results of smAFM experiments were in agreement with the findings of the computational simulations. The disulfide clamp mutants, designed to protect the stable state, support the 3-helix intermediate model in both experimental and computational setups. As a result, multiple discrete unfolding intermediate states in the talin and α-catenin unfolding pathway were discovered. Better understanding of the mechanical unfolding mechanism of α-helix proteins is a key step towards comprehensive models describing the mechanoregulation of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasyl V. Mykuliak
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences and BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Finland and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Alexander William M. Haining
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Magdaléna von Essen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences and BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Finland and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Armando del Río Hernández
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (AdRH); (VPH)
| | - Vesa P. Hytönen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences and BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Finland and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
- * E-mail: (AdRH); (VPH)
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Maki K, Han SW, Hirano Y, Yonemura S, Hakoshima T, Adachi T. Real-time TIRF observation of vinculin recruitment to stretched α-catenin by AFM. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1575. [PMID: 29371682 PMCID: PMC5785519 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20115-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Adherens junctions (AJs) adaptively change their intensities in response to intercellular tension; therefore, they integrate tension generated by individual cells to drive multicellular dynamics, such as morphogenetic change in embryos. Under intercellular tension, α-catenin, which is a component protein of AJs, acts as a mechano-chemical transducer to recruit vinculin to promote actin remodeling. Although in vivo and in vitro studies have suggested that α-catenin-mediated mechanotransduction is a dynamic molecular process, which involves a conformational change of α-catenin under tension to expose a cryptic vinculin binding site, there are no suitable experimental methods to directly explore the process. Therefore, in this study, we developed a novel system by combining atomic force microscopy (AFM) and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF). In this system, α-catenin molecules (residues 276-634; the mechano-sensitive M1-M3 domain), modified on coverslips, were stretched by AFM and their recruitment of Alexa-labeled full-length vinculin molecules, dissolved in solution, were observed simultaneously, in real time, using TIRF. We applied a physiologically possible range of tensions and extensions to α-catenin and directly observed its vinculin recruitment. Our new system could be used in the fields of mechanobiology and biophysics to explore functions of proteins under tension by coupling biomechanical and biochemical information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichiro Maki
- Laboratory of Biomechanics, Department of Biosystems Science, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.,Department of Micro Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Sung-Woong Han
- National Institute for Nanomaterials Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 790-784, Korea
| | - Yoshinori Hirano
- Structural Biology Laboratory, Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Shigenobu Yonemura
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Toshio Hakoshima
- Structural Biology Laboratory, Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Taiji Adachi
- Laboratory of Biomechanics, Department of Biosystems Science, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan. .,Department of Micro Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.
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