The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) undergoes significant reorganization between interphase and mitosis, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) is an ER Ca(2+) sensor that activates store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) and also functions in ER morphogenesis through its interaction with the microtubule +TIP protein end binding 1 (EB1). We previously demonstrat...

The correct outgrowth of axons is essential for the development and regeneration of nervous systems. Axon growth is primarily driven by microtubules. Key regulators of microtubules in this context are the spectraplakins, a family of evolutionarily conserved actin-microtubule linkers. Loss of function of the mouse spectraplakin ACF7 or of its close Drosophila homolog Short stop/Shot similarly ca...

Microtubule end-binding (EB) proteins influence microtubule dynamic instability, a process that is essential for microtubule reorganisation during apico-basal epithelial differentiation. Here, we establish for the first time that expression of EB2, but not that of EB1, is crucial for initial microtubule reorganisation during apico-basal epithelial differentiation, and that EB2 downregulation pr...

Pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis due to its rapid rate of metastasis and frequent late-stage diagnosis. An improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying this disease is urgently needed to promote the development of improved diagnostic tools and more effective therapies. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) has been shown to be overexpressed in pancreatic cancer and ...

Microtubules execute diverse mitotic events that are spatially and temporally separated; the underlying regulation is poorly understood. By combining drug treatments, large-scale immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, we report the first comprehensive map of mitotic phase-specific protein interactions of the microtubule-end binding protein, EB1. EB1 interacts with some, but not all, of its ...

Protecting the ends ncreased microtubule dynamics during mitosis allows for the construction of a spindle, but may make the cytoskeleton vulnerable to the type of defects noted by Rogers et al. on page 873. They find that depletion of a fly microtubule-associated protein (MAP) called EB1 leads to problems in spindle construction, positioning, and functioning, probably because of a failure to co...

Microtubules are filamentous polymers essential for cell viability. Microtubule plus-end tracking proteins (+TIPs) associate with growing microtubule plus ends and control microtubule dynamics and interactions with different cellular structures during cell division, migration, and morphogenesis. EB1 and its homologs are highly conserved proteins that play an important role in the targeting of +...

The Kar9 pathway promotes nuclear fusion during mating and spindle alignment during metaphase in budding yeast. How Kar9 supports the different outcome of these two divergent processes is an open question. Here, we show that three sites in the C-terminal disordered domain of Kar9 mediate tight Kar9 interaction with the C-terminal dimerization domain of Bim1 (EB1 orthologue). Site1 and Site2 con...

Actin microfilaments and microtubules are both highly dynamic cytoskeleton components implicated in a wide range of intracellular processes as well as cell-cell and cell-substrate interactions. The interactions of actin filaments with the microtubule system play an important role in the assembly and maintenance of 3D cell structure. Here we demonstrate that cytoplasmic actins are differentially...

Directed cell movement involves spatial and temporal regulation of the cortical microtubule (Mt) and actin networks to allow focal adhesions (FAs) to assemble at the cell front and disassemble at the rear. Mts are known to associate with FAs, but the mechanisms coordinating their dynamic interactions remain unknown. Here we show that the CRL3(KLHL21) E3 ubiquitin ligase promotes cell migration ...