BUD2 encodes a GTPase-activating protein for Bud1/Rsr1 necessary for proper bud-site selection in yeast

Roles for the canonical polarity machinery in the de novo establishment of polarity in budding yeast spores

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae buds at sites predetermined by cortical landmarks deposited during prior budding. During mating between haploid cells in the lab, external pheromone cues override the cortical landmarks to drive polarization and cell fusion. By contrast, in haploid gametes (called spores) produced by meiosis, a predetermined polarity site drives initial polarized morphogenesis independent of mating partner location. Spore membranes are made de novo so existing cortical landmarks were unknown, as were the mechanisms by which the spore polarity site is made and how it works. We find that the landmark canonically required for distal budding, Bud8, stably marks the spore polarity site along with Bud5, a GEF for the GTPase Rsr1 that canonically links cortical landmarks to the conserved Cdc42 polarity machinery. Cdc42 and other GTPase regulators arrive at the site during its biogenesis, after spore membrane closure but apparently at the site where membrane synthesis began, and then these factors leave, pointing to the presence of discrete phases of maturation. Filamentous actin may be required for initial establishment of the site, but thereafter Bud8 accumulates independent of actin filaments. These results suggest a distinct polarization mechanism that may provide insights into gamete polarization in other organisms.

Roles for the canonical polarity machinery in the de novo establishment of polarity in budding yeast spores

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae buds at sites pre-determined by cortical landmarks deposited during prior budding. During mating between haploid cells in the lab, external pheromone cues override the cortical landmarks to drive polarization and cell fusion. By contrast, in haploid gametes (called spores) produced by meiosis, a pre-determined polarity site drives initial polarized morphogenesis independent of mating partner location. Spore membranes are made de novo so existing cortical landmarks were unknown, as were the mechanisms by which the spore polarity site is made and how it works. We find that the landmark canonically required for distal budding, Bud8, stably marks the spore polarity site along with Bud5, a GEF for the GTPase Rsr1 that canonically links cortical landmarks to the conserved Cdc42 polarity machinery. Cdc42 and other GTPase regulators arrive at the site during its biogenesis, after spore membrane closure but apparently at the site where membrane synthesis began, and then these factors leave, pointing to the presence of discrete phases of maturation. Filamentous actin may be required for initial establishment of the site, but thereafter Bud8 accumulates independent of actin filaments. These results suggest a distinct polarization mechanism that may provide insights into gamete polarization in other organisms.

A dynamic network model predicts the phenotypes of multicellular clusters from cellular properties

Cell division without cell separation produces multicellular clusters in budding yeast. Two fundamental characteristics of these clusters are their size (the number of cells per cluster) and cellular composition: the fractions of cells with different phenotypes. Using cells as nodes and links between mother and daughter cells as edges, we model cluster growth and breakage by varying three parameters: the cell division rate, the rate at which intercellular connections break, and the kissing number (the maximum number of connections to one cell). We find that the kissing number sets the maximum possible cluster size. Below this limit, the ratio of the cell division rate to the connection breaking rate determines the cluster size. If links have a constant probability of breaking per unit time, the probability that a link survives decreases exponentially with its age. Modeling this behavior recapitulates experimental data. We then use this framework to examine synthetic, differentiating clusters with two cell types, faster-growing germ cells and their somatic derivatives. The fraction of clusters that contain both cell types increases as either of two parameters increase: the kissing number and difference between the growth rate of germ and somatic cells. In a population of clusters, the variation in cellular composition is inversely correlated (r2 = 0.87) with the average fraction of somatic cells in clusters. Our results show how a small number of cellular features can control the phenotypes of multicellular clusters that were potentially the ancestors of more complex forms of multicellular development, organization, and reproduction.

Cdc42 couples septin recruitment to the axial landmark assembly via Axl2 in budding yeast

Cell polarization generally occurs along a single axis that is directed by a spatial cue. Cells of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae undergo polarized growth and oriented cell division in a spatial pattern by selecting a specific bud site. Haploid a or α cells bud in the axial pattern in response to a transient landmark that includes Bud3, Bud4, Axl1 and Axl2. Septins, a family of filament-forming GTP-binding proteins, are also involved in axial budding and are recruited to an incipient bud site, but the mechanism of recruitment remains unclear. Here, we show that Axl2 interacts with Bud3 and the Cdc42 GTPase in its GTP-bound state. Axl2 also interacts with Cdc10, a septin subunit, promoting efficient recruitment of septins near the cell division site. Furthermore, a cdc42 mutant defective in the axial budding pattern at a semi-permissive temperature had a reduced interaction with Axl2 and compromised septin recruitment in the G1 phase. We thus propose that active Cdc42 brings Axl2 to the Bud3-Bud4 complex and that Axl2 then interacts with Cdc10, linking septin recruitment to the axial landmark.

RAS signalling genes can be used as host-induced gene silencing targets to control fungal diseases caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes white mold (also called stem rot, Sclerotinia blight, etc.) in many economically important plants. It is a notorious soilborne fungal pathogen due to its wide host range and ability to survive in soil for long periods of time as sclerotia. Although host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) was recently demonstrated to be an effective method for controlling white mold, limited gene targets are available. Here, using a forward genetics approach, we identified a RAS-GTPase activating protein, SsGAP1, which plays essential roles in sclerotia formation, compound appressoria production and virulence. In parallel, as revealed by our knockout analysis, the SsGAP1 ortholog in Botrytis cinerea, BcGAP1, plays similar roles in fungal development and virulence. By knocking down SsRAS1 and SsRAS2, we also revealed that both SsRAS1 and SsRAS2 are required for vegetative growth, sclerotia development, compound appressoria production and virulence in S. sclerotiorum. Due to the major roles these RAS signalling components play in Sclerotiniaceae biology, they can be used as HIGS targets to control diseases caused by both S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea. Indeed, when we introduced HIGS constructs targeting SsGAP1, SsRAS1 and SsRAS2 in Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis thaliana, we observed reduced virulence. Taken together, our forward genetics gene discovery pipeline in S. sclerotiorum is highly effective in identifying novel HIGS targets to control S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea.

Multicellular growth as a dynamic network of cells

Cell division without cell separation produces multicellular clusters in budding yeast. Two fundamental characteristics of these clusters are their size (the number of cells per cluster) and cellular composition: the fractions of cells with different phenotypes. However, we do not understand how different cellular features quantitatively influence these two phenotypes. Using cells as nodes and links between mother and daughter cells as edges, we model cluster growth and breakage by varying three parameters: the cell division rate, the rate at which intercellular connections break, and the kissing number (the maximum number of connections to one cell). We find that the kissing number sets the maximum possible cluster size. Below this limit, the ratio of the cell division rate to the connection breaking rate determines the cluster size. If links have a constant probability of breaking per unit time, the probability that a link survives decreases exponentially with its age. Modeling this behavior recapitulates experimental data. We then use this framework to examine synthetic, differentiating clusters with two cell types, faster-growing germ cells and their somatic derivatives. The fraction of clusters that contain both cell types increases as either of two parameters increase: the kissing number and difference between the growth rate of germ and somatic cells. In a population of clusters, the variation in cellular composition is inversely correlated (r2=0.87) with the average fraction of somatic cells in clusters. Our results show how a small number of cellular features can control the phenotypes of multicellular clusters that were potentially the ancestors of more complex forms of multicellular development, organization, and reproduction.

Cdc42 couples septin recruitment to the axial landmark assembly via Axl2 in budding yeast

Cell polarization generally occurs along a single axis that is directed by a spatial cue. Cells of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae undergo polarized growth and oriented cell division in a spatial pattern by selecting a specific bud site. Haploid a or α cells bud in the axial pattern in response to a transient landmark that includes Bud3, Bud4, Axl1, and Axl2. Septins, a family of filament-forming GTP-binding proteins, are also involved in axial budding and recruited to an incipient bud site, but the mechanism of recruitment remains unclear. Here, we show that Axl2 interacts with Bud3 and the Cdc42 GTPase in its GTP-bound state. Axl2 also interacts with Cdc10, a septin subunit, promoting efficient recruitment of septins near the cell division site. Furthermore, a cdc42 mutant defective in the axial budding pattern at a semi-permissive temperature had a reduced interaction with Axl2 and compromised septin recruitment in the G1 phase. We thus propose that active Cdc42 brings Axl2 to the Bud3-Bud4 complex and that Axl2 then interacts with Cdc10, linking septin recruitment to the axial landmark.

A role for cell polarity in lifespan and mitochondrial quality control in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Babies are born young, largely independent of the age of their mothers. Mother-daughter age asymmetry in yeast is achieved, in part, by inheritance of higher-functioning mitochondria by buds and retention of some high-functioning mitochondria in mother cells. The mitochondrial F box protein, Mfb1p, tethers mitochondria at both poles in a cell cycle-regulated manner: it localizes to and anchors mitochondria at the mother cell tip throughout the cell cycle and at the bud tip before cytokinesis. Here, we report that cell polarity and polarized localization of Mfb1p decline with age in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Moreover, deletion of genes (BUD1, BUD2, and BUD5) that mediate symmetry breaking during establishment of cell polarity and asymmetric yeast cell division cause depolarized Mfb1p localization and defects in mitochondrial distribution and quality control. Our results support a role for the polarity machinery in lifespan through modulating Mfb1 function in asymmetric inheritance of mitochondria during yeast cell division.

Overexpression of the Aspergillus fumigatus Small GTPase, RsrA, Promotes Polarity Establishment during Germination

Cell polarization comprises highly controlled processes and occurs in most eukaryotic organisms. In yeast, the processes of budding, mating and filamentation require coordinated mechanisms leading to polarized growth. Filamentous fungi, such as Aspergillus fumigatus, are an extreme example of cell polarization, essential for both vegetative and pathogenic growth. A major regulator of polarized growth in yeast is the small GTPase Rsr1, which is essential for bud-site selection. Here, we show that deletion of the putative A. fumigatus ortholog, rsrA, causes only a modest reduction of growth rate and delay in germ tube emergence. In contrast, overexpression of rsrA results in a morphogenesis defect, characterized by a significant delay in polarity establishment followed by the establishment of multiple growth axes. This aberrant phenotype is reversed when rsrA expression levels are decreased, suggesting that correct regulation of RsrA activity is crucial for accurate patterning of polarity establishment. Despite this finding, deletion or overexpression of rsrA resulted in no changes of A. fumigatus virulence attributes in a mouse model of invasive aspergillosis. Additional mutational analyses revealed that RsrA cooperates genetically with the small GTPase, RasA, to support A. fumigatus viability.

Regulation of Cdc42 for polarized growth in budding yeast

The Rho GTPase Cdc42 is a central regulator of cell polarity in diverse cell types. The activity of Cdc42 is dynamically controlled in time and space to enable distinct polarization events, which generally occur along a single axis in response to spatial cues. Our understanding of the mechanisms underlying Cdc42 polarization has benefited largely from studies of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a genetically tractable model organism. In budding yeast, Cdc42 activation occurs in two temporal steps in the G1 phase of the cell cycle to establish a proper growth site. Here, we review findings in budding yeast that reveal an intricate crosstalk among polarity proteins for biphasic Cdc42 regulation. The first step of Cdc42 activation may determine the axis of cell polarity, while the second step ensures robust Cdc42 polarization for growth. Biphasic Cdc42 polarization is likely to ensure the proper timing of events including the assembly and recognition of spatial landmarks and stepwise assembly of a new ring of septins, cytoskeletal GTP-binding proteins, at the incipient bud site. Biphasic activation of GTPases has also been observed in mammalian cells, suggesting that biphasic activation could be a general mechanism for signal-responsive cell polarization. Cdc42 activity is necessary for polarity establishment during normal cell division and development, but its activity has also been implicated in the promotion of aging. We also discuss negative polarity signaling and emerging concepts of Cdc42 signaling in cellular aging.

Rap2c as a Novel Biomarker for Predicting Poor Prognosis in Glioma

Objective

Rap2c is a member of the Ras superfamily that has been implicated in various types of cancers. However, its role in glioma remains elusive. This study aimed to elucidate the role of Rap2c in glioma and its specific molecular mechanism.

Methods

We determined the expression of Rap2c in glioma tissues by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays. The proliferation and apoptosis of cells were explored using CCK-8 and flow cytometry assay, whereas the migration and invasion of glioma cells were determined using transwell assay. The potential mechanism of Rap2c in the migration of glioma cell lines was investigated through Western blotting analysis and transwell assay. BALB/c nude mice were used to establish tumor models to test the effect of Rap2c on cancer metastasis in vivo.

Results

Our data showed that the protein expression of Rap2c was significantly up-regulated in glioma tissues compared with normal brain tissues, and Rap2c overexpression negatively correlated with 5-year overall survival rate. However, there was no correlation between Rap2c expression and clinicopathological parameters of glioma patients. Overexpression of Rap2c promoted the migration and invasion abilities of glioma cells but had no significant effect on the proliferation of glioma cells. Western blotting analysis revealed that Rap2c overexpression increased the phosphorylation level of extracellular signal-related kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), and this effect was abolished with U0126, a selective MEK inhibitor. Furthermore, overexpression of Rap2c induced lung metastasis of glioma cells in xenograft models.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that high Rap2c expression predicts poor prognosis in glioma. Rap2c-mediated ERK1/2 phosphorylation initiates EMT cascade and promotes migration and invasion of glioma cells. Thus, targeting Rap2c and ERK signaling pathway could be a novel treatment modality for glioma.

Temporal regulation of cell polarity via the interaction of the Ras GTPase Rsr1 and the scaffold protein Bem1

The Cdc42 guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) plays a central role in polarity development in species ranging from yeast to humans. In budding yeast, a specific growth site is selected in the G1 phase. Rsr1, a Ras GTPase, interacts with Cdc42 and its associated proteins to promote polarized growth at the proper bud site. Yet how Rsr1 regulates cell polarization is not fully understood. Here, we show that Rsr1-GDP interacts with the scaffold protein Bem1 in early G1, likely hindering the role of Bem1 in Cdc42 polarization and polarized secretion. Consistent with these in vivo observations, mathematical modeling predicts that Bem1 is unable to promote Cdc42 polarization in early G1 in the presence of Rsr1-GDP. We find that a part of the Bem1 Phox homology domain, which overlaps with a region interacting with the exocyst component Exo70, is necessary for the association of Bem1 with Rsr1-GDP. Overexpression of the GDP-locked Rsr1 interferes with Bem1-dependent Exo70 polarization. We thus propose that Rsr1 functions in spatial and temporal regulation of polarity establishment by associating with distinct polarity factors in its GTP- and GDP-bound states.

Conidial Morphogenesis and Septin-Mediated Plant Infection Require Smo1, a Ras GTPase-Activating Protein in Magnaporthe oryzae

The pathogenic life cycle of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae involves a series of morphogenetic changes, essential for its ability to cause disease. The smo mutation was identified > 25 years ago, and affects the shape and development of diverse cell types in M. oryzae, including conidia, appressoria, and asci. All attempts to clone the SMO1 gene by map-based cloning or complementation have failed over many years. Here, we report the identification of SMO1 by a combination of bulk segregant analysis and comparative genome analysis. SMO1 encodes a GTPase-activating protein, which regulates Ras signaling during infection-related development. Targeted deletion of SMO1 results in abnormal, nonadherent conidia, impaired in their production of spore tip mucilage. Smo1 mutants also develop smaller appressoria, with a severely reduced capacity to infect rice plants. SMO1 is necessary for the organization of microtubules and for septin-dependent remodeling of the F-actin cytoskeleton at the appressorium pore. Smo1 physically interacts with components of the Ras2 signaling complex, and a range of other signaling and cytoskeletal components, including the four core septins. SMO1 is therefore necessary for the regulation of RAS activation required for conidial morphogenesis and septin-mediated plant infection.

The Rap2c GTPase facilitates B cell receptor-induced reorientation of the microtubule-organizing center

When B lymphocytes encounter antigen-bearing surfaces, B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling initiates remodeling of the F-actin network and reorientation of the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) towards the antigen contact site. We have previously shown that the Rap1 GTPase, an evolutionarily conserved regulator of cell polarity, is essential for these processes and that Rap1-regulated actin remodeling is required for MTOC polarization. The role of Rap2 proteins in establishing cell polarity is not well understood. We now show that depleting Rap2c, the only Rap2 isoform expressed in the A20 B-cell line, impairs BCR-induced MTOC reorientation as well as the actin remodeling that supports MTOC polarization. Thus Rap1 and Rap2 proteins may have similar but non-redundant functions in coupling the BCR to MTOC polarization.

Fine-tuning the orientation of the polarity axis by Rga1, a Cdc42 GTPase-activating protein

In vivo and in vitro analyses reveal how a Cdc42 GTPase-activating protein (GAP) interacts with other negative polarity cues at old division sites in budding yeast. Mathematical modeling suggests that spatial distribution of a Cdc42 GAP in coordination with G1 progression is critical for fine-tuning the orientation of the polarity axis.

In yeast and animal cells, signaling pathways involving small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) regulate cell polarization. In budding yeast, selection of a bud site directs polarity establishment and subsequently determines the plane of cell division. Rga1, a Cdc42 GTPase-activating protein, prevents budding within the division site by inhibiting Cdc42 repolarization. A protein complex including Nba1 and Nis1 is involved in preventing rebudding at old division sites, yet how these proteins and Rga1 might function in negative polarity signaling has been elusive. Here we show that Rga1 transiently localizes to the immediately preceding and older division sites by interacting with Nba1 and Nis1. The LIM domains of Rga1 are necessary for its interaction with Nba1, and loss of this interaction results in premature delocalization of Rga1 from the immediately preceding division site and, consequently, abnormal bud-site selection in daughter cells. However, such defects are minor in mother cells of these mutants, likely because the G1 phase is shorter and a new bud site is established prior to delocalization of Rga1. Indeed, our biphasic mathematical model of Cdc42 polarization predicts that premature delocalization of Rga1 leads to more frequent Cdc42 repolarization within the division site when the first temporal step in G1 is assumed to last longer. Spatial distribution of a Cdc42 GAP in coordination with G1 progression may thus be critical for fine-tuning the orientation of the polarity axis in yeast.

Evolutionary dynamics in the fungal polarization network, a mechanistic perspective

Polarity establishment underlies proper cell cycle completion across virtually all organisms. Much progress has been made in generating an understanding of the structural and functional components of this process, especially in model species. Here we focus on the evolutionary dynamics of the fungal polarization protein network in order to determine general components and mechanistic principles, species- or lineage-specific adaptations and the evolvability of the network. The currently available genomic and proteomic screens in a variety of fungal species have shown three main characteristics: (1) certain proteins, processes and functions are conserved throughout the fungal clade; (2) orthologous functions can never be assumed, as various cases have been observed of homologous loci with dissimilar functions; (3) species have, typically, various species- or lineage-specific proteins incorporated in their polarization network. Further large-scale comparative and experimental studies, including those on non-model species representing the great fungal diversity, are needed to gain a better understanding of the evolutionary dynamics and generalities of the polarization network in fungi.

Knockdown of Rap2B, a Ras Superfamily Protein, Inhibits Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion in Cervical Cancer Cells via Regulating the ERK1/2 Signaling Pathway

Rap2B, belonging to the Ras superfamily, has been implicated in cancer development and functions as a tumor promoter. However, the role of Rap2B in cervical cancer is unknown. In this study, we investigated the expression pattern and biological functions of Rap2B in cervical cancer. The results showed that Rap2B was overexpressed in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of Rap2B inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells. In addition, our tumorigenesis assay showed that Rap2B knockdown suppressed cervical cancer cell growth and metastasis in vivo. We also found that the ERK1/2 signaling pathway is involved in the inhibitory effect of Rap2B knockdown on cervical cancer development. In conclusion, we suggest that Rap2B is an oncogene and may be a promising therapeutic target for cervical cancer.

The final cut: cell polarity meets cytokinesis at the bud neck in S. cerevisiae

Cell division is a fundamental but complex process that gives rise to two daughter cells. It includes an ordered set of events, altogether called "the cell cycle", that culminate with cytokinesis, the final stage of mitosis leading to the physical separation of the two daughter cells. Symmetric cell division equally partitions cellular components between the two daughter cells, which are therefore identical to one another and often share the same fate. In many cases, however, cell division is asymmetrical and generates two daughter cells that differ in specific protein inheritance, cell size, or developmental potential. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has proven to be an excellent system to investigate the molecular mechanisms governing asymmetric cell division and cytokinesis. Budding yeast is highly polarized during the cell cycle and divides asymmetrically, producing two cells with distinct sizes and fates. Many components of the machinery establishing cell polarization during budding are relocalized to the division site (i.e., the bud neck) for cytokinesis. In this review we recapitulate how budding yeast cells undergo polarized processes at the bud neck for cell division.

Spatial landmarks regulate a Cdc42-dependent MAPK pathway to control differentiation and the response to positional compromise

A fundamental problem in cell biology is to understand how spatial information is recognized and integrated into morphogenetic responses. Budding yeast undergoes differentiation to filamentous growth, which involves changes in cell polarity through mechanisms that remain obscure. Here we define a regulatory input where spatial landmarks (bud-site-selection proteins) regulate the MAPK pathway that controls filamentous growth (fMAPK pathway). The bud-site GTPase Rsr1p regulated the fMAPK pathway through Cdc24p, the guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the polarity establishment GTPase Cdc42p. Positional landmarks that direct Rsr1p to bud sites conditionally regulated the fMAPK pathway, corresponding to their roles in regulating bud-site selection. Therefore, cell differentiation is achieved in part by the reorganization of polarity at bud sites. In line with this conclusion, dynamic changes in budding pattern during filamentous growth induced corresponding changes in fMAPK activity. Intrinsic compromise of bud-site selection also impacted fMAPK activity. Therefore, a surveillance mechanism monitors spatial position in response to extrinsic and intrinsic stress and modulates the response through a differentiation MAPK pathway.

The Genomes of Three Uneven Siblings: Footprints of the Lifestyles of Three Trichoderma Species

The genus Trichoderma contains fungi with high relevance for humans, with applications in enzyme production for plant cell wall degradation and use in biocontrol. Here, we provide a broad, comprehensive overview of the genomic content of these species for "hot topic" research aspects, including CAZymes, transport, transcription factors, and development, along with a detailed analysis and annotation of less-studied topics, such as signal transduction, genome integrity, chromatin, photobiology, or lipid, sulfur, and nitrogen metabolism in T. reesei, T. atroviride, and T. virens, and we open up new perspectives to those topics discussed previously. In total, we covered more than 2,000 of the predicted 9,000 to 11,000 genes of each Trichoderma species discussed, which is >20% of the respective gene content. Additionally, we considered available transcriptome data for the annotated genes. Highlights of our analyses include overall carbohydrate cleavage preferences due to the different genomic contents and regulation of the respective genes. We found light regulation of many sulfur metabolic genes. Additionally, a new Golgi 1,2-mannosidase likely involved in N-linked glycosylation was detected, as were indications for the ability of Trichoderma spp. to generate hybrid galactose-containing N-linked glycans. The genomic inventory of effector proteins revealed numerous compounds unique to Trichoderma, and these warrant further investigation. We found interesting expansions in the Trichoderma genus in several signaling pathways, such as G-protein-coupled receptors, RAS GTPases, and casein kinases. A particularly interesting feature absolutely unique to T. atroviride is the duplication of the alternative sulfur amino acid synthesis pathway.

Regulation of Cdc42 polarization by the Rsr1 GTPase and Rga1, a Cdc42 GTPase-activating protein, in budding yeast

Cdc42 plays a central role in establishing polarity in yeast and animals, yet how polarization of Cdc42 is achieved in response to spatial cues is poorly understood. Using live-cell imaging, we found distinct dynamics of Cdc42 polarization in haploid budding yeast in correlation with two temporal steps of the G1 phase. The position at which the Cdc42-GTP cluster develops changes rapidly around the division site during the first step but becomes stabilized in the second step, suggesting that an axis of polarized growth is determined in mid G1. Cdc42 polarization in the first step and its proper positioning depend on Rsr1 and its GTPase-activating protein (GAP) Bud2. Interestingly, Rga1, a Cdc42 GAP, exhibits transient localization to a site near the bud neck and to the division site during cytokinesis and G1, and this temporal change of Rga1 distribution is necessary for determination of a proper growth site. Mathematical modeling suggests that a proper axis of Cdc42 polarization in haploid cells might be established through a biphasic mechanism involving sequential positive feedback and transient negative feedback.

Rap2a is a novel target gene of p53 and regulates cancer cell migration and invasion

The p53 transcription factor is a critical regulator of the cell cycle, DNA repair, and apoptosis. Recent evidences suggest that p53 may contribute to the regulation of cell invasion and migration. Rap2a, a member of the small GTPase superfamily, mediates diverse cellular events such as cell adhesion, migration and proliferation through various signaling pathways. In this study, we identify that Rap2a is a novel target of p53 and is induced upon DNA damage in a p53-dependent manner. Upon DNA damage, p53 directly binds to the promoter of Rap2a and activates its transcription. We show that Rap2a is significantly upregulated in many types of tumors. In addition, the ectopic expression of Rap2a enhances the migration and invasive ability of cancer cells and increases activities of matrix metalloproteinase MMP2 and MMP9. In contrast, the inactivation of Rap2a inhibits cell invasion and activities of MMP2 and MMP9. We also show that Rap2a regulates the phosphorylation level of Akt. Collectively, our results show that ectopic expression of Rap2a has a key role in enhancing migration, invasion and metastasis by upregulating p-Akt.

Evolution of the Ras-like small GTPases and their regulators

Small GTPases are molecular switches at the hub of many signaling pathways and the expansion of this protein family is interwoven with the origin of unique eukaryotic cell features. We have previously reported on the evolution of CDC25 Homology Domain containing proteins, which act as guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) for Ras-like proteins. We now report on the evolution of both the Ras-like small GTPases as well as the GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) for Ras-like small GTPases. We performed an in depth phylogenetic analysis in 64 genomes of diverse eukaryotic species. These analyses revealed that multiple ancestral Ras-like GTPases and GAPs were already present in the Last Eukaryotic Common Ancestor (LECA), compatible with the presence of RasGEFs in LECA . Furthermore, we endeavor to reconstruct in which order the different Ras-like GTPases diverged from each other. We identified striking differences between the expansion of the various types of Ras-like GTPases and their respective GAPs and GEFs. Altogether, our analysis forms an extensive evolutionary framework for Ras-like signaling pathways and provides specific predictions for molecular biologists and biochemists.

The Drosophila F-box protein Fbxl7 binds to the protocadherin fat and regulates Dachs localization and Hippo signaling

The Drosophila protocadherin Fat (Ft) regulates growth, planar cell polarity (PCP) and proximodistal patterning. A key downstream component of Ft signaling is the atypical myosin Dachs (D). Multiple regions of the intracellular domain of Ft have been implicated in regulating growth and PCP but how Ft regulates D is not known. Mutations in Fbxl7, which encodes an F-box protein, result in tissue overgrowth and abnormalities in proximodistal patterning that phenocopy deleting a specific portion of the intracellular domain (ICD) of Ft that regulates both growth and PCP. Fbxl7 binds to this same portion of the Ft ICD, co-localizes with Ft to the proximal edge of cells and regulates the levels and asymmetry of D at the apical membrane. Fbxl7 can also regulate the trafficking of proteins between the apical membrane and intracellular vesicles. Thus Fbxl7 functions in a subset of pathways downstream of Ft and links Ft to D localization.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03383.001

Multi-cellular organisms are made up of cells that are organized into tissues and organs that reach a predictable size and shape at the end of their development. To do this, cells must be able to sense their position and orientation within the body and know when to stop growing.

Epithelial cells—which make up the outer surface of an animal's body and line the cavities of its internal organs—connect to each other to form flat sheets. These sheets of cells contain structures that are oriented along the plane of the sheet. However, how this so-called ‘planar cell polarity’ coordinates with cell growth in order to build complex tissues and organs remains to be discovered.

A protein called Fat is a major player in both planar cell polarity and the Hippo signaling pathway, which controls cell growth. As such, the Fat protein appears to be crucial for controlling the size and shape of organs. Mutations in the Fat protein cause massive tissue overgrowth, prevent planar cell polarity being established correctly, and stop the legs and wings of fruit flies developing normally.

The Fat protein also plays a role in distributing another protein called Dachs—which is also part of the Hippo signaling pathway. In epithelial cells of the developing wing, Dachs is mostly located on the side of the cell that is closest to the tip of the developing wing (the so-called ‘distal surface’). How Fat and Dachs work together is not understood, but it is known that they do not bind to each other directly.

Now, Bosch et al. show that in the fruit fly Drosophila, the Fat protein binds to another protein called Fbxl7. Flies that cannot produce working Fbxl7 have defects in some aspects of planar cell polarity and a modest increase in tissue growth. Fbxl7 seems to account for part, but not all, of the ability of Fat to restrict tissue growth. Furthermore, a lack of the Fbxl7 protein results in a spreading of Dachs protein across the apical surface—which faces out of the epithelial sheet—of epithelial cells. On the other hand, if Fbxl7 is over-expressed, Dachs is driven to the interior of each cell. Hence, a normal level of Fbxl7 protein restricts the Dachs protein to the correct parts of the cell surface.

Together, the findings of Bosch et al. show that the Fbxl7 protein is a key link between the Fat and Dachs proteins. These results also provide an understanding of how growth and planar cell polarity—two processes that are essential for normal development of all multi-cellular organisms—are coordinated.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03383.002

A sphingolipid-dependent diffusion barrier confines ER stress to the yeast mother cell

In many cell types, lateral diffusion barriers compartmentalize the plasma membrane and, at least in budding yeast, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, the molecular nature of these barriers, their mode of action and their cellular functions are unclear. Here, we show that misfolded proteins of the ER remain confined into the mother compartment of budding yeast cells. Confinement required the formation of a lateral diffusion barrier in the form of a distinct domain of the ER-membrane at the bud neck, in a septin-, Bud1 GTPase- and sphingolipid-dependent manner. The sphingolipids, but not Bud1, also contributed to barrier formation in the outer membrane of the dividing nucleus. Barrier-dependent confinement of ER stress into the mother cell promoted aging. Together, our data clarify the physical nature of lateral diffusion barriers in the ER and establish the role of such barriers in the asymmetric segregation of proteotoxic misfolded proteins during cell division and aging.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01883.001

Cell division isn't always about splitting a cell into two identical parts. The diversity of many of our own cells relies on asymmetric cell divisions. The yeast used to make bread rely on a process called ‘budding’ that involves a small daughter cell emerging from the surface of the mother cell. Mother cells can only produce around 20–50 daughter cells before dying from old age. However, their daughters are always born rejuvenated, and not aged like their mothers.

Budding involves part of the plasma membrane that surrounds the mother cell being pinched off to produce the daughter cell. This part of the membrane contains diffusion barriers that prevent various factors—including factors that cause aging—from entering the daughter cell. The barriers are known to contain several layers, but the details of how they work were not understood.

Inside the budding cell, the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) also contains lateral diffusion barriers. The ER is the structure in the cell responsible for folding newly made proteins correctly. Any misfolded, toxic proteins are kept in the ER to be refolded or destroyed. However, if there are too many misfolded proteins, the ER gets stressed and triggers a mechanism that in extreme cases causes the cell to self-destruct.

Clay, Caudron et al. have now shown that ER stress causes yeast cells to age. Moreover, when the ER is stressed, the ER diffusion barrier prevents the stress that causes aging entering the daughter cells.

Clay, Caudron et al. also established that the diffusion barrier in the ER is made up of three layers. A layer of fatty molecules called sphingolipids is found at the bottom of the barrier, and such a layer is also present in other diffusion barriers. This could therefore act as the skeleton on which diffusion barriers form. Further investigation of this layer should provide a better understanding of how diffusion barriers work.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01883.002

A role for the rap GTPase YlRsr1 in cellular morphogenesis and the involvement of YlRsr1 and the ras GTPase YlRas2 in bud site selection in the dimorphic yeast Yarrowia lipolytica

Yarrowia lipolytica is a dimorphic yeast species that can grow in the ovoid yeast form or in the elongated pseudohyphal or hyphal form depending on the growth conditions. Here, we show that the Rap GTPase Rsr1 of Y. lipolytica (YlRsr1) plays an important role in cellular morphogenesis in this microorganism. Cells deleted for YlRSR1 exhibited impaired polarized growth during yeast-form growth. Pseudohyphal and hyphal development were also abnormal. YlRsr1 is also important for cell growth, since the deletion of YlRSR1 in cells lacking the Ras GTPase YlRas2 caused lethality. Y. lipolytica cells bud in a bipolar pattern in which the cells produce the new buds at the two poles. YlRsr1 plays a prominent role in this bud site selection process. YlRsr1's function in bud site selection absolutely requires the cycling of YlRsr1 between the GTP- and GDP-bound states but its function in cellular morphogenesis does not, suggesting that the two processes are differentially regulated. Interestingly, the Ras GTPase YlRas2 is also involved in the control of bud site selection, as Ylras2Δ cells were severely impaired in bipolar bud site selection. The GTP/GDP cycling and the plasma membrane localization of YlRas2 are important for YlRas2's function in bud site selection. However, they are not essential for this process, suggesting that the mechanism by which YlRas2 acts is different from that of YlRsr1. Our results suggest that YlRsr1 is regulated by the GTPase-activating protein (GAP) YlBud2 and partially by YlCdc25, the potential guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for YlRas2.

Interaction between bud-site selection and polarity-establishment machineries in budding yeast

Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells polarize in order to form a single bud in each cell cycle. Distinct patterns of bud-site selection are observed in haploid and diploid cells. Genetic approaches have identified the molecular machinery responsible for positioning the bud site: during bud formation, specific locations are marked with immobile landmark proteins. In the next cell cycle, landmarks act through the Ras-family GTPase Rsr1 to promote local activation of the conserved Rho-family GTPase, Cdc42. Additional Cdc42 accumulates by positive feedback, creating a concentrated patch of GTP-Cdc42, which polarizes the cytoskeleton to promote bud emergence. Using time-lapse imaging and mathematical modelling, we examined the process of bud-site establishment. Imaging reveals unexpected effects of the bud-site-selection system on the dynamics of polarity establishment, raising new questions about how that system may operate. We found that polarity factors sometimes accumulate at more than one site among the landmark-specified locations, and we suggest that competition between clusters of polarity factors determines the final location of the Cdc42 cluster. Modelling indicated that temporally constant landmark-localized Rsr1 would weaken or block competition, yielding more than one polarity site. Instead, we suggest that polarity factors recruit Rsr1, effectively sequestering it from other locations and thereby terminating landmark activity.

Arf3p GTPase is a key regulator of Bud2p activation for invasive growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The regulation and signaling pathways involved in the invasive growth of yeast have been studied extensively because of their general applicability to fungal pathogenesis. Bud2p, which functions as a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) for Bud1p/Rsr1p, is required for appropriate budding patterns and filamentous growth. The regulatory mechanisms leading to Bud2p activation, however, are poorly understood. In this study, we report that ADP-ribosylation factor 3p (Arf3p) acts as a regulator of Bud2p activation during invasive growth. Arf3p binds directly to the N-terminal region of Bud2p and promotes its GAP activity both in vitro and in vivo. Genetic analysis shows that deletion of BUD1 suppresses the defect of invasive growth in arf3Δ or bud2Δ cells. Lack of Arf3p, like that of Bud2p, causes the intracellular accumulation of Bud1p-GTP. The Arf3p-Bud2p interaction is important for invasive growth and facilitates the Bud2p-Bud1p association in vivo. Finally, we show that under glucose depletion-induced invasion conditions in yeast, more Arf3p is activated to the GTP-bound state, and the activation is independent of Arf3p guanine nucleotide-exchange factor Yel1p. Thus we demonstrate that a novel spatial activation of Arf3p plays a role in regulating Bud2p activation during glucose depletion-induced invasive growth.

Polarization of diploid daughter cells directed by spatial cues and GTP hydrolysis of Cdc42 budding yeast

Cell polarization occurs along a single axis that is generally determined by a spatial cue. Cells of the budding yeast exhibit a characteristic pattern of budding, which depends on cell-type-specific cortical markers, reflecting a genetic programming for the site of cell polarization. The Cdc42 GTPase plays a key role in cell polarization in various cell types. Although previous studies in budding yeast suggested positive feedback loops whereby Cdc42 becomes polarized, these mechanisms do not include spatial cues, neglecting the normal patterns of budding. Here we combine live-cell imaging and mathematical modeling to understand how diploid daughter cells establish polarity preferentially at the pole distal to the previous division site. Live-cell imaging shows that daughter cells of diploids exhibit dynamic polarization of Cdc42-GTP, which localizes to the bud tip until the M phase, to the division site at cytokinesis, and then to the distal pole in the next G1 phase. The strong bias toward distal budding of daughter cells requires the distal-pole tag Bud8 and Rga1, a GTPase activating protein for Cdc42, which inhibits budding at the cytokinesis site. Unexpectedly, we also find that over 50% of daughter cells lacking Rga1 exhibit persistent Cdc42-GTP polarization at the bud tip and the distal pole, revealing an additional role of Rga1 in spatiotemporal regulation of Cdc42 and thus in the pattern of polarized growth. Mathematical modeling indeed reveals robust Cdc42-GTP clustering at the distal pole in diploid daughter cells despite random perturbation of the landmark cues. Moreover, modeling predicts different dynamics of Cdc42-GTP polarization when the landmark level and the initial level of Cdc42-GTP at the division site are perturbed by noise added in the model.

Coupling of septins to the axial landmark by Bud4 in budding yeast

Cells of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae select a site for polarized growth in a specific pattern that depends on their cell type. Haploid a and α cells bud in the axial budding pattern, which requires assembly of a landmark that includes the Bud4 protein. To understand how an axial bud site is established, we performed a structure-function analysis of Bud4. Bud4 contains DUF1709 (domain of unknown function), which is similar to a part of the anillin-homology domain, and a putative Pleckstrin homology (PH) domain near to its C terminus. Although its localization depends on septins, a conserved family of GTP-binding proteins, Bud4 is necessary for the stable inheritance of septin rings during cell division. Although some anillins interact directly with septins, we find that neither DUF1709 nor the PH domain is necessary for targeting Bud4 to the mother-bud neck. Instead, this C-terminal region is crucial for association of Bud4 with Bud3 and other components of the axial landmark. Remarkably, septins colocalize with Bud4 mutant proteins that lack these C-terminal domains, forming an arc or a single ring instead of a double ring during and after cytokinesis. Interestingly, overexpression of Bud4 also induces formation of extra Bud4 rings and arcs that are associated with septins. Analyses of a series of bud4 truncation mutants suggest that at least two domains in the central region play a redundant role in targeting Bud4 to the mother-bud neck and are thus likely to interact with septins. Taken together, these results indicate that Bud4 functions as a platform that links septins to the axial landmark.

Identifying responsive modules by mathematical programming: an application to budding yeast cell cycle

High-throughput biological data offer an unprecedented opportunity to fully characterize biological processes. However, how to extract meaningful biological information from these datasets is a significant challenge. Recently, pathway-based analysis has gained much progress in identifying biomarkers for some phenotypes. Nevertheless, these so-called pathway-based methods are mainly individual-gene-based or molecule-complex-based analyses. In this paper, we developed a novel module-based method to reveal causal or dependent relations between network modules and biological phenotypes by integrating both gene expression data and protein-protein interaction network. Specifically, we first formulated the identification problem of the responsive modules underlying biological phenotypes as a mathematical programming model by exploiting phenotype difference, which can also be viewed as a multi-classification problem. Then, we applied it to study cell-cycle process of budding yeast from microarray data based on our biological experiments, and identified important phenotype- and transition-based responsive modules for different stages of cell-cycle process. The resulting responsive modules provide new insight into the regulation mechanisms of cell-cycle process from a network viewpoint. Moreover, the identification of transition modules provides a new way to study dynamical processes at a functional module level. In particular, we found that the dysfunction of a well-known module and two new modules may directly result in cell cycle arresting at S phase. In addition to our biological experiments, the identified responsive modules were also validated by two independent datasets on budding yeast cell cycle.

Cell polarization and cytokinesis in budding yeast

Asymmetric cell division, which includes cell polarization and cytokinesis, is essential for generating cell diversity during development. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae reproduces by asymmetric cell division, and has thus served as an attractive model for unraveling the general principles of eukaryotic cell polarization and cytokinesis. Polarity development requires G-protein signaling, cytoskeletal polarization, and exocytosis, whereas cytokinesis requires concerted actions of a contractile actomyosin ring and targeted membrane deposition. In this chapter, we discuss the mechanics and spatial control of polarity development and cytokinesis, emphasizing the key concepts, mechanisms, and emerging questions in the field.

A novel role for the GTPase-activating protein Bud2 in the spindle position checkpoint

The spindle position checkpoint (SPC) ensures correct mitotic spindle position before allowing mitotic exit in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In a candidate screen for checkpoint genes, we identified bud2Δ as deficient for the SPC. Bud2 is a GTPase activating protein (GAP), and the only known substrate of Bud2 was Rsr1/Bud1, a Ras-like GTPase and a central component of the bud-site-selection pathway. Mutants lacking Rsr1/Bud1 had no checkpoint defect, as did strains lacking and overexpressing Bud5, a guanine-nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Rsr1/Bud1. Thus, the checkpoint function of Bud2 is distinct from its role in bud site selection. The catalytic activity of the Bud2 GAP domain was required for the checkpoint, based on the failure of the known catalytic point mutant Bud2^R682A to function in the checkpoint. Based on assays of heterozygous diploids, bud2^R682A, was dominant for loss of checkpoint but recessive for bud-site-selection failure, further indicating a separation of function. Tem1 is a Ras-like protein and is the critical regulator of mitotic exit, sitting atop the mitotic exit network (MEN). Tem1 is a likely target for Bud2, supported by genetic analyses that exclude other Ras-like proteins.

Bud4 mediates the cell-type-specific assembly of the axial landmark in budding yeast

Cell polarization occurs along a single axis that is generally determined by a spatial cue. Cells of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae select a site for polarized growth in a specific pattern depending on cell type. Haploid a and α cells bud in the axial budding pattern, which depends on a transient marker and requires proteins Bud3, Bud4, Axl1 and Axl2. Here, we report that Bud4 functions as a platform that mediates the ordered assembly of the axial landmark at the division site during M and early G1 phase. Whereas Bud4 associates with Bud3 in all cell types and in the absence of Axl1 or Axl2, Bud4 interacts with Axl1 and Axl2 mainly in haploid cells and only in the presence of all other components of the landmark. Bud4 can bind to GTP or GDP, and a GTP-binding-defective Bud4 fails to interact with Axl1 in vitro. The same bud4 mutation leads to mis-localization of Axl1 and disrupts the axial budding pattern, indicating that GTP binding to Bud4 is important for its role in bud-site selection. We also show the cell-type-specific association of the axial landmark with Bud5, a GDP/GTP exchange factor for Rsr1. Despite their expression in all cell types, Bud4 and Axl2 associate with Bud5 specifically in haploid cells and in the presence of Axl1, whose expression is limited to a and α cells. Together, our findings suggest that Bud4 plays a critical role in the assembly of the axial landmark and its link to the Rsr1 GTPase module.

Semaphorin signaling meets rap

Plexins are transmembrane receptors for semaphorins that serve as guidance cues for neurite outgrowth. The intracellular region of plexins contains a guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase)-activating protein (GAP) domain for Ras. New evidence shows that the GAP activity is specific for Rap proteins, small GTPases involved in the regulation of processes that are potentially important for axon guidance, including cell adhesion and migration. Semaphorin-induced dimerization stimulates plexin GAP activity, thereby locally inhibiting Rap1 and enabling neurite retraction. This important finding connects semaphorin signaling to Rap-mediated signaling and is another intriguing example of how small GTPases are used for spatial and temporal control of cell behavior.

The Rho1 GTPase acts together with a vacuolar glutathione S-conjugate transporter to protect yeast cells from oxidative stress

Maintenance of redox homeostasis is critical for the survival of all aerobic organisms. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as in other eukaryotes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated during metabolism and upon exposure to environmental stresses. The abnormal production of ROS triggers defense mechanisms to avoid the deleterious consequence of ROS accumulation. Here, we show that the Rho1 GTPase is necessary to confer resistance to oxidants in budding yeast. Temperature-sensitive rho1 mutants (rho1(ts)) are hypersensitive to oxidants and exhibit high accumulation of ROS even at a semipermissive temperature. Rho1 associates with Ycf1, a vacuolar glutathione S-conjugate transporter, which is important for heavy metal detoxification in yeast. Rho1 and Ycf1 exhibit a two-hybrid interaction with each other and form a bimolecular fluorescent complex on the vacuolar membrane. A fluorescent-based complementation assay suggests that the GTP-bound Rho1 associates with Ycf1 and that their interaction is enhanced upon exposure to hydrogen peroxide. The rho1(ts) mutants also exhibit hypersensitivity to cadmium, while cells carrying a deletion of YCF1 or mutations in a component of the Pkc1-MAP kinase pathway exhibit little or minor sensitivity to oxidants. We thus propose that Rho1 protects yeast cells from oxidative stress by regulating multiple downstream targets including Ycf1. Since both Rho1 and Ycf1 belong to highly conserved families of proteins, similar mechanisms may exist in other eukaryotes.

PKN-1, a homologue of mammalian PKN, is involved in the regulation of muscle contraction and force transmission in C. elegans

To examine the in vivo functions of protein kinase N (PKN), one of the effectors of Rho small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases), we used the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a genetic model system. We identified a C. elegans homologue (pkn-1) of mammalian PKN and confirmed direct binding to C. elegans Rho small GTPases. Using a green fluorescent protein reporter, we showed that pkn-1 is mainly expressed in various muscles and is localized at dense bodies and M lines. Overexpression of the PKN-1 kinase domain and loss-of-function mutations by genomic deletion of pkn-1 resulted in a loopy Unc phenotype, which has been reported in many mutants of neuronal genes. The results of mosaic analysis and body wall muscle-specific expression of the PKN-1 kinase domain suggests that this loopy phenotype is due to the expression of PKN-1 in body wall muscle. The genomic deletion of pkn-1 also showed a defect in force transmission. These results suggest that PKN-1 functions as a regulator of muscle contraction-relaxation and as a component of the force transmission mechanism.

Phosphorylation of Lte1 by Cdk prevents polarized growth during mitotic arrest in S. cerevisiae

Lte1 is known as a regulator of mitotic progression in budding yeast. Here we demonstrate phosphorylation-dependent inhibition of polarized bud growth during G2/M by Lte1. Cla4 activity first localizes Lte1 to the polarity cap and thus specifically to the bud. This localization is a prerequisite for subsequent Clb-Cdk-dependent phosphorylation of Lte1 and its relocalization to the entire bud cortex. There, Lte1 interferes with activation of the small GTPases, Ras and Bud1. The inhibition of Bud1 prevents untimely polarization until mitosis is completed and Cdc14 phosphatase is released. Inhibition of Bud1 and Ras depends on Lte1's GEF-like domain, which unexpectedly inhibits these small G proteins. Thus, Lte1 has dual functions for regulation of mitotic progression: it both induces mitotic exit and prevents polarized growth during mitotic arrest, thereby coupling cell cycle progression and morphological development.

The Rsr1/Bud1 GTPase interacts with itself and the Cdc42 GTPase during bud-site selection and polarity establishment in budding yeast

Bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays allow the visualization of the homotypic and heterotypic GTPase interactions in vivo. The Rsr1 homotypic interaction involves its polybasic region and depends on its GDP-GTP exchange factor. Dimerization of GTPases may be an efficient mechanism to set up cellular asymmetry.

Cell polarization occurs along a single axis that is generally determined in response to spatial cues. In budding yeast, the Rsr1 GTPase and its regulators direct the establishment of cell polarity at the proper cortical location in response to cell type–specific cues. Here we use a combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches to understand how Rsr1 polarization is established. We find that Rsr1 associates with itself in a spatially and temporally controlled manner. The homotypic interaction and localization of Rsr1 to the mother-bud neck and to the subsequent division site are dependent on its GDP-GTP exchange factor Bud5. Analyses of rsr1 mutants suggest that Bud5 recruits Rsr1 to these sites and promotes the homodimer formation. Rsr1 also exhibits heterotypic interaction with the Cdc42 GTPase in vivo. We show that the polybasic region of Rsr1 is necessary for the efficient homotypic and heterotypic interactions, selection of a proper growth site, and polarity establishment. Our findings thus suggest that dimerization of GTPases may be an efficient mechanism to set up cellular asymmetry.

Unravelling the mechanism of dual-specificity GAPs

The molecular mechanism by which dual-specificity RasGAPs of the Gap1 subfamily activate the GTP hydrolysis of both Rap and Ras is an unresolved phenomenon. RasGAPs and RapGAPs use different strategies to stimulate the GTPase reaction of their cognate G-proteins. RasGAPs contribute an arginine finger to orient through the Gln61 of Ras the nucleophilic water molecule. RapGAP contributes an asparagine (Asn thumb) into the active site to substitute for the missing Gln61. Here, by using steady-state kinetic assays and time-resolved Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) experiments with wild type and mutant proteins, we unravel the remarkable mechanism for the specificity switch. The plasticity of GAP1(IP4BP) and RASAL is mediated by the extra GTPase-activating protein (GAP) domains, which promote a different orientation of Ras and Rap's switch-II and catalytic residues in the active site. Thereby, Gln63 in Rap adopts the catalytic role normally taken by Gln61 of Ras. This re-orientation requires specific interactions between switch-II of Rap and helix-alpha6 of GAPs. This supports the notion that the specificities of fl proteins versus GAP domains are potentially different.

Rap1, a mercenary among the Ras-like GTPases

The small Ras-like GTPase Rap1 is an evolutionary conserved protein that originally gained interest because of its capacity to revert the morphological phenotype of Ras-transformed fibroblasts. Rap1 is regulated by a large number of stimuli that include growth factors and cytokines, but also physical force and osmotic stress. Downstream of Rap1, a plethora of effector molecules has been proposed on the basis of biochemical studies. Here, we present an overview of genetic studies on Rap1 in various model organisms and relate the observed phenotypes to in vitro studies. The picture that emerges is one in which Rap1 is a versatile regulator of morphogenesis, by regulating diverse processes that include establishment of cellular polarity, cell-matrix interactions and cell-cell adhesion. Surprisingly, genetic experiments indicate that in the various model organisms, Rap1 uses distinct effector molecules that impinge upon the actin cytoskeleton and adhesion molecules.

Symmetry breaking in the life cycle of the budding yeast

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been an invaluable model system for the study of the establishment of cellular asymmetry and growth polarity in response to specific physiological cues. A large body of experimental observations has shown that yeast cells are able to break symmetry and establish polarity through two coupled and partially redundant intrinsic mechanisms, even in the absence of any pre-existing external asymmetry. One of these mechanisms is dependent upon interplay between the actin cytoskeleton and the Rho family GTPase Cdc42, whereas the other relies on a Cdc42 GTPase signaling network. Integral to these mechanisms appear to be positive feedback loops capable of amplifying small and stochastic asymmetries. Spatial cues, such as bud scars and pheromone gradients, orient cell polarity by modulating the regulation of the Cdc42 GTPase cycle, thereby biasing the site of asymmetry amplification.

An internal polarity landmark is important for externally induced hyphal behaviors in Candida albicans

Directional growth is a function of polarized cells such as neurites, pollen tubes, and fungal hyphae. Correct orientation of the extending cell tip depends on signaling pathways and effectors that mediate asymmetric responses to specific environmental cues. In the hyphal form of the eukaryotic fungal pathogen Candida albicans, these responses include thigmotropism and galvanotropism (hyphal turning in response to changes in substrate topography and imposed electrical fields, respectively) and penetration into semisolid substrates. During vegetative growth in C. albicans, as in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Ras-like GTPase Rsr1 mediates internal cellular cues to position new buds in a prespecified pattern on the mother cell cortex. Here, we demonstrate that Rsr1 is also important for hyphal tip orientation in response to the external environmental cues that induce thigmotropic and galvanotropic growth. In addition, Rsr1 is involved in hyphal interactions with epithelial cells in vitro and its deletion diminishes the hyphal invasion of kidney tissue during systemic infection. Thus, Rsr1, an internal polarity landmark in yeast, is also involved in polarized growth responses to asymmetric environmental signals, a paradigm that is different from that described for the homologous protein in S. cerevisiae. Rsr1 may thereby contribute to the pathogenesis of C. albicans infections by influencing hyphal tip responses triggered by interaction with host tissues.

Central roles of small GTPases in the development of cell polarity in yeast and beyond

SUMMARY

The establishment of cell polarity is critical for the development of many organisms and for the function of many cell types. A large number of studies of diverse organisms from yeast to humans indicate that the conserved, small-molecular-weight GTPases function as key signaling proteins involved in cell polarization. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a particularly attractive model because it displays pronounced cell polarity in response to intracellular and extracellular cues. Cells of S. cerevisiae undergo polarized growth during various phases of their life cycle, such as during vegetative growth, mating between haploid cells of opposite mating types, and filamentous growth upon deprivation of nutrition such as nitrogen. Substantial progress has been made in deciphering the molecular basis of cell polarity in budding yeast. In particular, it becomes increasingly clear how small GTPases regulate polarized cytoskeletal organization, cell wall assembly, and exocytosis at the molecular level and how these GTPases are regulated. In this review, we discuss the key signaling pathways that regulate cell polarization during the mitotic cell cycle and during mating.

The GAP1 family of GTPase-activating proteins: spatial and temporal regulators of small GTPase signalling

Ras proteins are binary switches that, by cycling between inactive GDP-bound and active GTP-bound conformations, regulate multiple cellular signalling pathways including those that control cell growth, differentiation and survival. Approximately 30% of all human tumours express Ras-containing oncogenic mutations that lock the protein into a constitutively active conformation. The activation status of Ras is regulated by two groups of proteins: GEFs (guanine nucleotide-exchange factors) bind to Ras and enhance the exchange of GDP for GTP, thereby activating it, whereas GAPs (GTPase-activating proteins) inactivate Ras by binding to the GTP-bound form and enhancing the hydrolysis of the bound nucleotide back to GDP. In this review, we focus on a group of key regulators of Ras inactivation, the GAP1 family of Ras-GAPs. The members of this family are GAP1m, GAP1IP4BP, CAPRI (Ca2+-promoted Ras inactivator) and RASAL (Ras-GTPase-activating-like protein) and, as we will discuss, they are emerging as important modulators of Ras and small GTPase signalling that are subject to regulation by a diverse array of events and second messenger signals.