Abstract Fission yeast cytokinesis is driven by simultaneous septum synthesis, membrane furrowing and actomyosin ring constriction. The septum consists of a primary septum flanked by secondary septa. First, delivery of the glucan synthase Bgs1 and membrane vesicles initiate primary septum synthesis and furrowing. Next, Bgs4 is delivered for secondary septum formation. It is unclear how septum synthesis is coordinated with membrane furrowing. Cdc42 promotes delivery of Bgs1 but not Bgs4. We find that after primary septum initiation, Cdc42 inactivators Rga4 and Rga6 localize to the division site. Inrga4Δrga6Δmutants, Cdc42 activity is enhanced during late cytokinesis and cells take longer to separate. Electron micrographs of the division site in these mutants exhibit malformed septum with irregular membrane structures. These mutants have a larger division plane with enhanced Bgs1 delivery but fail to enhance accumulation of Bgs4 and several exocytic proteins. Additionally, these mutants show endocytic defects at the division site. This suggests that Cdc42 regulates primary septum formation and only certain membrane trafficking events. As cytokinesis progresses Rga4 and Rga6 localize to the division site to decrease Cdc42 activity to allow coupling of Cdc42‐independent membrane trafficking events with septum formation for proper septum morphology.
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A Cdc42 GEF, Gef1, through endocytosis organizes F-BAR Cdc15 along the actomyosin ring and promotes concentric furrowing
During cytokinesis, fission yeast coordinates actomyosin ring constriction with septum ingression, resulting in concentric furrow formation by a poorly defined mechanism. We report that cells lacking the Cdc42 activator Gef1, combined with an activated allele of the formin, Cdc12, display non-concentric furrowing. Non-concentrically furrowing cells display uneven distribution of the scaffold Cdc15 along the ring. This suggests that after ring assembly, uniform Cdc15 distribution along the ring enables proper furrow formation. We find that after assembly Cdc15 is recruited to the ring in an Arp2/3 complex-dependent manner and is decreased in the activated cdc12 mutant. Cdc15 at cortical endocytic patches show increased levels and extended lifetimes in gef1 and activated cdc12 mutants. We hypothesize endocytosis helps recruit Cdc15 to assembled rings; uneven Cdc15 distribution at the ring occurs when endocytic patches contain increased Cdc15 levels and patch-association rate is slow. Based on this, we developed a mathematical model that captures experimentally observed Cdc15 distributions along the ring. We propose that, at the ring, Gef1 and endocytic events promote uniform Cdc15 organization to enable proper septum ingression and concentric furrow formation.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1616495
- PAR ID:
- 10479675
- Publisher / Repository:
- Journal of Cell Science
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Cell Science
- ISSN:
- 0021-9533
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Summary During cytokinesis, animal and fungal cells form a membrane furrow via actomyosin ring constriction. Our understanding of actomyosin ring‐driven cytokinesis stems extensively from the fission yeast model system. However, unlike animal cells, actomyosin ring constriction occurs simultaneously with septum formation in fungi. While the formation of an actomyosin ring is essential for cytokinesis in fission yeast, proper furrow formation also requires septum deposition. The molecular mechanisms of spatiotemporal coordination of septum deposition with actomyosin ring constriction are poorly understood. Although the role of the actomyosin ring as a mechanical structure driving furrow formation is better understood, its role as a spatiotemporal landmark for septum deposition is not widely discussed. Here we review and discuss the recent advances describing how the actomyosin ring spatiotemporally regulates membrane traffic to promote septum‐driven cytokinesis in fission yeast. Finally, we explore emerging questions in cytokinesis, and discuss the role of extracellular matrix during cytokinesis in other organisms.more » « less
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