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The Plasma Membrane-Cytoskeleton Interface
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The Plasma Membrane-Cytoskeleton Interface

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 21019

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jong Tai Chun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, Italy
Interests: cell physiology; molecular neurobiology; Ca2+ signaling; actin cytoskeleton; cell biology of oocytes; reproductive biology; signal transduction; transcriptome analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

One of the common denominators of all cell types, spanning from oocytes to highly differentiated cells such as neurons, is the enormous plasticity of the cell surface. To take a few examples, drastically reorganizing microvilli of oocytes and immune cells help to capture the sperm and invading cells, respectively. Neurons utilize a similar strategy for path-finding and specific management of their synapses, while cells like oligodendrocytes manifest extreme remodeling of the cell surface to ensheathe axons. All this is made possible because the tight subplasmalemmal region is aptly modulated on demand. Indeed, the plasma membrane–cytoskeleton interface is the locus where receptors and signaling molecules (e.g., ion channels, G-proteins, and enzymes) are anchored to the membrane and intimately associated with the subjacent actin meshwork undergoing constant remodeling. In the current Special Issue, we invite reviews and research articles that address molecular events related to the dynamic changes of the plasma membrane-cytoskeleton interface. Any articles dealing with basic research, translational research, and clinical studies on the given topic are welcome.

Dr. Jong Tai Chun
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Plasma membrane
  • Actin cytoskeleton
  • Plasticity
  • Signal transduction
  • Ca2+ signaling
  • Microvilli
  • Neurons
  • Immune cells

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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47 pages, 35744 KiB  
Article
On the Role of Curved Membrane Nanodomains and Passive and Active Skeleton Forces in the Determination of Cell Shape and Membrane Budding
by Luka Mesarec, Mitja Drab, Samo Penič, Veronika Kralj-Iglič and Aleš Iglič
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(5), 2348; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22052348 - 26 Feb 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2515
Abstract
Biological membranes are composed of isotropic and anisotropic curved nanodomains. Anisotropic membrane components, such as Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) superfamily protein domains, could trigger/facilitate the growth of membrane tubular protrusions, while isotropic curved nanodomains may induce undulated (necklace-like) membrane protrusions. We review the role of [...] Read more.
Biological membranes are composed of isotropic and anisotropic curved nanodomains. Anisotropic membrane components, such as Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) superfamily protein domains, could trigger/facilitate the growth of membrane tubular protrusions, while isotropic curved nanodomains may induce undulated (necklace-like) membrane protrusions. We review the role of isotropic and anisotropic membrane nanodomains in stability of tubular and undulated membrane structures generated or stabilized by cyto- or membrane-skeleton. We also describe the theory of spontaneous self-assembly of isotropic curved membrane nanodomains and derive the critical concentration above which the spontaneous necklace-like membrane protrusion growth is favorable. We show that the actin cytoskeleton growth inside the vesicle or cell can change its equilibrium shape, induce higher degree of segregation of membrane nanodomains or even alter the average orientation angle of anisotropic nanodomains such as BAR domains. These effects may indicate whether the actin cytoskeleton role is only to stabilize membrane protrusions or to generate them by stretching the vesicle membrane. Furthermore, we demonstrate that by taking into account the in-plane orientational ordering of anisotropic membrane nanodomains, direct interactions between them and the extrinsic (deviatoric) curvature elasticity, it is possible to explain the experimentally observed stability of oblate (discocyte) shapes of red blood cells in a broad interval of cell reduced volume. Finally, we present results of numerical calculations and Monte-Carlo simulations which indicate that the active forces of membrane skeleton and cytoskeleton applied to plasma membrane may considerably influence cell shape and membrane budding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Plasma Membrane-Cytoskeleton Interface)
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Review

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23 pages, 1506 KiB  
Review
Mechanotransduction at the Plasma Membrane-Cytoskeleton Interface
by Iván P. Uray and Karen Uray
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(21), 11566; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms222111566 - 26 Oct 2021
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4777
Abstract
Mechanical cues are crucial for survival, adaptation, and normal homeostasis in virtually every cell type. The transduction of mechanical messages into intracellular biochemical messages is termed mechanotransduction. While significant advances in biochemical signaling have been made in the last few decades, the role [...] Read more.
Mechanical cues are crucial for survival, adaptation, and normal homeostasis in virtually every cell type. The transduction of mechanical messages into intracellular biochemical messages is termed mechanotransduction. While significant advances in biochemical signaling have been made in the last few decades, the role of mechanotransduction in physiological and pathological processes has been largely overlooked until recently. In this review, the role of interactions between the cytoskeleton and cell-cell/cell-matrix adhesions in transducing mechanical signals is discussed. In addition, mechanosensors that reside in the cell membrane and the transduction of mechanical signals to the nucleus are discussed. Finally, we describe two examples in which mechanotransduction plays a significant role in normal physiology and disease development. The first example is the role of mechanotransduction in the proliferation and metastasis of cancerous cells. In this system, the role of mechanotransduction in cellular processes, including proliferation, differentiation, and motility, is described. In the second example, the role of mechanotransduction in a mechanically active organ, the gastrointestinal tract, is described. In the gut, mechanotransduction contributes to normal physiology and the development of motility disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Plasma Membrane-Cytoskeleton Interface)
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16 pages, 2211 KiB  
Review
Actin Cytoskeletal Dynamics in Single-Cell Wound Repair
by Malene Laage Ebstrup, Catarina Dias, Anne Sofie Busk Heitmann, Stine Lauritzen Sønder and Jesper Nylandsted
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(19), 10886; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms221910886 - 08 Oct 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3229
Abstract
The plasma membrane protects the eukaryotic cell from its surroundings and is essential for cell viability; thus, it is crucial that membrane disruptions are repaired quickly to prevent immediate dyshomeostasis and cell death. Accordingly, cells have developed efficient repair mechanisms to rapidly reseal [...] Read more.
The plasma membrane protects the eukaryotic cell from its surroundings and is essential for cell viability; thus, it is crucial that membrane disruptions are repaired quickly to prevent immediate dyshomeostasis and cell death. Accordingly, cells have developed efficient repair mechanisms to rapidly reseal ruptures and reestablish membrane integrity. The cortical actin cytoskeleton plays an instrumental role in both plasma membrane resealing and restructuring in response to damage. Actin directly aids membrane repair or indirectly assists auxiliary repair mechanisms. Studies investigating single-cell wound repair have often focused on the recruitment and activation of specialized repair machinery, despite the undeniable need for rapid and dynamic cortical actin modulation; thus, the role of the cortical actin cytoskeleton during wound repair has received limited attention. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of membrane repair mechanisms directly or indirectly involving cortical actin cytoskeletal remodeling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Plasma Membrane-Cytoskeleton Interface)
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18 pages, 1635 KiB  
Review
Signaling Enzymes and Ion Channels Being Modulated by the Actin Cytoskeleton at the Plasma Membrane
by Filip Vasilev, Yulia Ezhova and Jong Tai Chun
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(19), 10366; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms221910366 - 26 Sep 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3029
Abstract
A cell should deal with the changing external environment or the neighboring cells. Inevitably, the cell surface receives and transduces a number of signals to produce apt responses. Typically, cell surface receptors are activated, and during this process, the subplasmalemmal actin cytoskeleton is [...] Read more.
A cell should deal with the changing external environment or the neighboring cells. Inevitably, the cell surface receives and transduces a number of signals to produce apt responses. Typically, cell surface receptors are activated, and during this process, the subplasmalemmal actin cytoskeleton is often rearranged. An intriguing point is that some signaling enzymes and ion channels are physically associated with the actin cytoskeleton, raising the possibility that the subtle changes of the local actin cytoskeleton can, in turn, modulate the activities of these proteins. In this study, we reviewed the early and new experimental evidence supporting the notion of actin-regulated enzyme and ion channel activities in various cell types including the cells of immune response, neurons, oocytes, hepatocytes, and epithelial cells, with a special emphasis on the Ca2+ signaling pathway that depends on the synthesis of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. Some of the features that are commonly found in diverse cells from a wide spectrum of the animal species suggest that fine-tuning of the activities of the enzymes and ion channels by the actin cytoskeleton may be an important strategy to inhibit or enhance the function of these signaling proteins. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Plasma Membrane-Cytoskeleton Interface)
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24 pages, 3582 KiB  
Review
Phenotypic Plasticity of Cancer Cells Based on Remodeling of the Actin Cytoskeleton and Adhesive Structures
by Svetlana N. Rubtsova, Irina Y. Zhitnyak and Natalya A. Gloushankova
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(4), 1821; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22041821 - 12 Feb 2021
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3454
Abstract
There is ample evidence that, instead of a binary switch, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer results in a flexible array of phenotypes, each one uniquely suited to a stage in the invasion-metastasis cascade. The phenotypic plasticity of epithelium-derived cancer cells gives them an [...] Read more.
There is ample evidence that, instead of a binary switch, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer results in a flexible array of phenotypes, each one uniquely suited to a stage in the invasion-metastasis cascade. The phenotypic plasticity of epithelium-derived cancer cells gives them an edge in surviving and thriving in alien environments. This review describes in detail the actin cytoskeleton and E-cadherin-based adherens junction rearrangements that cancer cells need to implement in order to achieve the advantageous epithelial/mesenchymal phenotype and plasticity of migratory phenotypes that can arise from partial EMT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Plasma Membrane-Cytoskeleton Interface)
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17 pages, 2241 KiB  
Review
Cross Talk at the Cytoskeleton–Plasma Membrane Interface: Impact on Neuronal Morphology and Functions
by Rossella Di Giaimo, Eduardo Penna, Amelia Pizzella, Raffaella Cirillo, Carla Perrone-Capano and Marianna Crispino
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(23), 9133; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms21239133 - 30 Nov 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2998
Abstract
The cytoskeleton and its associated proteins present at the plasma membrane not only determine the cell shape but also modulate important aspects of cell physiology such as intracellular transport including secretory and endocytic pathways. Continuous remodeling of the cell structure and intense communication [...] Read more.
The cytoskeleton and its associated proteins present at the plasma membrane not only determine the cell shape but also modulate important aspects of cell physiology such as intracellular transport including secretory and endocytic pathways. Continuous remodeling of the cell structure and intense communication with extracellular environment heavily depend on interactions between cytoskeletal elements and plasma membrane. This review focuses on the plasma membrane–cytoskeleton interface in neurons, with a special emphasis on the axon and nerve endings. We discuss the interaction between the cytoskeleton and membrane mainly in two emerging topics of neurobiology: (i) production and release of extracellular vesicles and (ii) local synthesis of new proteins at the synapses upon signaling cues. Both of these events contribute to synaptic plasticity. Our review provides new insights into the physiological and pathological significance of the cytoskeleton–membrane interface in the nervous system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Plasma Membrane-Cytoskeleton Interface)
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