dynein

How NK cells avoid collateral damage

Before secreting their lytic granules to kill transformed or virally infected cells, natural killer cells converge these lysosome-related organelles around the microtubule-organizing center. Hsu et al. reveal that, by promoting the granules' directed secretion at the immunological synapse, convergence both enhances the efficiency of target cell killing and limits the death of healthy bystander cells. This biosights episode presents the paper by Hsu et al. from the December 19th, 2016, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with the paper's senior author, Jordan Orange (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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CLIP-170 tips its hand in viral transport

After entering a cell, many viruses move toward the nucleus by binding to the microtubule-based motor protein dynein. Jovasevic et al. reveal, however, that herpes simplex virus must first associate with the plus ends of microtubules in a process that requires the dynein accessory factor dynactin and the plus end tracking proteins EB1 and CLIP-170. This biosights episode presents the paper by Jovasevic et al. from the October 26th, 2015, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with the paper's corresponding author, Derek Walsh (Northwestern University, Chicago, IL). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Dynein helps centrioles stick together

Dynein has numerous functions in mitosis, but the function of the motor complex's light intermediate chains is poorly understood. Jones et al. reveal that dynein's light intermediate chains are required to maintain centrosome integrity during mitosis, preventing the premature separation of mother-daughter centrioles and the formation of multipolar spindles. This biosights episode presents the paper by Jones et al. from the November 24, 2014, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with the paper's senior authors, Viki Allan and Sarah Woolner (University of Manchester, UK). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Motors give a new twist to platelet activation

The discoid shape of resting platelets is maintained by a peripheral ring of bundled microtubules called the marginal band. Diagouraga et al. reveal that, upon platelet activation, the motor protein dynein slides microtubules apart, inducing marginal band coiling and the conversion of platelets to a spherical shape. This biosights episode presents the paper by Diagouraga et al. from the January 20, 2014, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with senior author Karin Sadoul (Institut Albert Bonniot, Grenoble, France). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Shrinking microtubules pull the centrosome into place

When a T cell encounters a target antigen-presenting cell, it moves its centrosome to the immunological synapse that connects the two cells. Yi et al. reveal that centrosome repositioning is a biphasic process driven by the dynein-dependent capture and depolymerization of microtubules. This biosights episode presents the paper by Yi et al. from the September 2, 2013, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with senior author John Hammer (NHLBI, Bethesda, MD). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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The position of the mitotic spindle is controlled by the microtubule-based motor dynein and a ternary complex of the proteins NuMA, LGN, and Ga. Kotak et al. demonstrate that the ternary complex's primary function is to localize dynein to the cell cortex and that cortical dynein is sufficient to position the mitotic spindle in HeLa cells. This biosights episode presents the paper by Kotak et al. from the October 1, 2012, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with author Pierre Gonczy (EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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In animal cells, the nuclear lamina keeps nuclear pore complexes evenly distributed throughout the nuclear envelope. Steinberg et al. reveal that fungi, which lack nuclear laminae, prevent their nuclear pores from clustering by moving them around on cytoskeletal tracks, a process that also helps to organize fungal chromosomes and optimize nucleocytoplasmic transport. This biosights episode presents the paper by Steinberg et al. from the August 6, 2012, issue of the Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with senior author Gero Steinberg (University of Exeter, UK). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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Autophagy is a cellular degradation pathway essential for neuronal survival, but little is known about the dynamics of autophagic organelles in neurons. Maday et al. reveal that autophagosomes form and engulf cargo at the distal tips of neurites and then mature into degradative autolysosomes as they move toward the cell body. This biosights episode presents the paper by Maday et al. from the February 20, 2012, issue of the Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with authors Sandra Maday and Erika Holzbaur (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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When a T cell encounters a target antigen-presenting cell, the lymphocyte's centrosome relocalizes to a specialized contact between the two cells called the immunological synapse. Zyss et al. reveal that casein kinase Iδ helps to reposition the centrosome in activated T cells, perhaps by working with the microtubule plus-end binding protein EB1 to regulate microtubule growth. This biosights episode presents the paper by Zyss et al. from the November 28, 2011, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with senior author Fanni Gergely (University of Cambridge and Cancer Research UK). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short.

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The centrosome remains closely associated with the nucleus throughout the cell cycle. Bolhy et al. reveal that the nucleoporin Nup133 anchors a network of proteins, including the motor protein dynein, that tethers centrosomes to nuclear pores in early prophase to assist the early stages of mitotic spindle assembly. This biosights episode presents the paper by Bolhy et al. from the March 7, 2011, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with senior author Valérie Doye (Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short.

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Most migrating cells place their centrosome in front of the nucleus, facing the direction in which the cell is moving. Manneville et al. identify a signaling pathway that moves the centrosome into position by recruiting the motor protein dynein to leading edge microtubules. This biosights episode presents the paper by Manneville et al. from the November 1, 2010 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with senior author Sandrine Etienne-Manneville (Institut Pasteur, Paris, France). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short.

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Many cellular processes, including polarization and differentiation, require the nucleus to move to a specific location within the cytoplasm. Fridolfsson and Starr reveal how the microtubule motors dynein and kinesin-1 control the bi-directional movements of nuclei in the embryonic hypoderm of C. elegans. This biosights episode presents the paper by Fridolfsson and Starr from the October 4, 2010 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with senior author Daniel Starr (UC Davis, CA). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short.

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