Issues

Summary: Nuclear migration is a central part of many cell and developmental processes. A surprisingly large number of different molecular mechanisms exist to move nuclei to specific, intracellular locations.

Summary: In this Commentary, we discuss recent findings in key physiological systems that exemplify the current understanding of the functions of GIT, PIX and the GIT–PIX complex.

Highlighted article: We describe a mutation in the human lamin A/C gene that destroys the ZMPSTE24 cleavage site and causes a progeroid disorder.

Summary: We find that nuclear translocation of paxillin is tuned by focal adhesion maturation. This could provide a method for mechanosensing signals to be used by cells to control transcription.

Highlighted article: SNAIL1 is a mechanoresponsive regulator of the fibrogenic response of tumors. The work provides insight into the transcriptional response of tumors to their microenvironment and CAF activation to sustain tumor fibrogenesis.

Summary: Cell-to-cell transmission of pathological proteins in neurodegenerative diseases is not well understood. We describe a new mechanism whereby FRMD4A, a late-onset Alzheimer's disease risk gene, regulates secretion of tau.

Highlighted article: Migration of some cancer cell lines is regulated by TRPM2 channels, which modulate the levels of Zn²⁺ and Ca²⁺ ions. In turn, these two ions regulate actin cytoskeleton dynamics in a reciprocal fashion.

Summary: Vimentin filaments underneath the plasma membrane might provide integrin-binding sites to mediate integrin clustering, which in turn can enhance integrin–ligand interaction.

Highlighted article: Microtubule arrays are reoriented in response to ethylene-mediated etiolated hypocotyl cell elongation by regulation of microtubule bundles in certain orientations within Arabidopsis.

Summary: Using real-time tracking of a fluorescent sensor molecule, these studies address signaling specificity by determining how actions of different growth factors are encoded into distinct Akt signaling dynamics.

Highlighted article: In-depth analyses of IFT train ultrastructure in regenerating Chlamydomonas flagella shows the occurrence of three train types with different 3D structure, implicating differences in function.

Summary: Inactivation of ESCRT-0 complex promotes Rb-mutant cell death by disrupting Rhomboid endosomal trafficking and inhibiting EGFR signaling.

Summary: Optogenetic activation with new PI3K and Akt probes support that both Akt-dependent and Akt-independent pathways are necessary for consistent GLUT4 translocation.

Summary: Phosphatidylinositol 4 kinases regulate the formation and function of an endothelial secretory organelle that is crucial for haemostasis in mammals.

Summary: Tubulin transport is specifically impaired by mutations to the proposed tubulin-binding domains of the intraflagellar transport proteins IFT81 and IFT74.