Project description:Actin has important functions in both cytoplasm and nucleus of the cell, with active nuclear transport mechanisms maintaining the cellular actin balance. Nuclear actin levels are subject to regulation during many cellular processes from cell differentiation to cancer. Here we show that nuclear actin levels increase upon differentiation of PC6.3 cells towards neuron-like cells. Photobleaching experiments demonstrate that this increase is due to decreased nuclear export of actin during cell differentiation. Increased nuclear actin levels lead to decreased nuclear localization of MRTF-A, a well-established transcription cofactor of SRF. In line with MRTF-A localization, transcriptomics analysis reveals that MRTF/SRF target gene expression is first transiently activated, but then substantially downregulated during PC6.3 cell differentiation. This study therefore describes a novel cellular context, where regulation of nuclear actin is utilized to tune MRTF/SRF target gene expression during cell differentiation.
Project description:Serum response factor (SRF) has an established role in controlling actin homeostasis in mammalian cells, yet its role in non-vertebrate muscle development has remained enigmatic. Here, we demonstrate that the single Drosophila SRF ortholog, termed Blistered (Bs), is expressed in all adult muscles, but Bs is required for muscle organization only in the adult indirect flight muscles. Bs is a direct activator of the flight muscle actin gene Act88F, via a conserved promoter-proximal binding site. However, Bs only activates Act88F expression in the context of the flight muscle regulatory program provided by the Pbx and Meis orthologs Extradenticle and Homothorax, and appears to function in a similar manner to mammalian SRF in muscle maturation. These studies place Bs in a regulatory framework where it functions to sustain the flight muscle phenotype in Drosophila Our studies uncover an evolutionarily ancient role for SRF in regulating muscle actin expression, and provide a model for how SRF might function to sustain muscle fate downstream of pioneer factors.
Project description:Gene expression in the indirect flight muscles was evaluated by Illumina next-gen sequencing under normal conditions and in response to a genetic knockdown of Blistered (bs), a fly homolog of Serum Response Factor.
Project description:Srf is a MADS-box transcription factor that is critical for muscle differentiation. Its function in hematopoiesis has not yet been revealed. Mkl1, a cofactor of Srf, is part of the t(1;22) translocation in acute megakaryoblastic leukemia, and plays a critical role in megakaryopoiesis. In order to test the role of Srf in megakaryocyte development, we crossed Pf4-Cre mice, which express Cre recombinase in cells committed to the megakaryocytic lineage, to SrfF/F mice in which functional Srf is no longer expressed after Cre-mediated excision. Pf4-Cre/SrfF/F (KO) mice are born with normal mendelian frequency, but have significant macrothrombocytopenia with approximately 50% reduction in platelet count. In contrast, the BM has increased numbers and percentages of CD41+ megakaryocytes (WT: 0.41+/-0.06%; KO: 1.92+/-0.12%) with significantly reduced ploidy. KO mice show significantly increased megakaryocyte progenitors in the BM by both FACS analysis and CFU-Mk. Megakaryocytes lacking Srf have abnormal stress fiber and demarcation membrane formation and platelets lacking Srf have abnormal actin distribution. In vitro and in vivo assays reveal platelet function defects in KO mice. Critical actin cytoskeletal genes are downregulated in KO megakaryocytes. Thus, Srf is required for normal megakaryocyte maturation and platelet production, due at least in part, to regulation of cytoskeletal genes. C-kit+CD41+ megakaryocyte progenitors from PF4-Cre/SRF C57BL/6 SRF WT (3) and C57BL/6 SRF KO (3) mice were sorted by flow cytometry and cultured for three days in thrombopoietin.
Project description:Serum response factor (SRF) is a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor that is essential for brain development and function. SRF activity is controlled by two competing classes of coactivators, myocardin-related transcription factors (MRTF) and ternary complex factors, which introduce specificity into gene expression programs. Here, we explored the MRTF-mediated regulatory mechanism in mouse cortical neurons. Using gene-reporter assays and pharmacological and genetic approaches in isolated mouse cortical neurons, we found that cyclase-associated protein 1 (CAP1) repressed neuronal MRTF-SRF activity. CAP1 promoted cytosolic retention of MRTF by controlling cytosolic G-actin levels that required its helical folded domain and its CARP domain. This function of CAP1 was not redundant with that of its homolog CAP2 and was independent of cofilin1 and actin-depolymerizing factor. Deep RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry in cerebral cortex lysates from CAP1 knockout (CAP1-KO) mice supported the in vivo relevance for the CAP1-actin-MRTF-SRF signaling axis. Our study identified CAP1 as a repressor of neuronal gene expression and led to the identification of likely MRTF-SRF target genes in the developing cerebral cortex, whose dysregulation may contribute to impaired formation of neuronal networks in CAP1-KO mice. Together with our previous studies that implicated CAP1 in actin dynamics in axonal growth cones or excitatory synapses, we established CAP1 as a crucial actin regulator in neurons.
Project description:Srf is a MADS-box transcription factor that is critical for muscle differentiation. Its function in hematopoiesis has not yet been revealed. Mkl1, a cofactor of Srf, is part of the t(1;22) translocation in acute megakaryoblastic leukemia, and plays a critical role in megakaryopoiesis. In order to test the role of Srf in megakaryocyte development, we crossed Pf4-Cre mice, which express Cre recombinase in cells committed to the megakaryocytic lineage, to SrfF/F mice in which functional Srf is no longer expressed after Cre-mediated excision. Pf4-Cre/SrfF/F (KO) mice are born with normal mendelian frequency, but have significant macrothrombocytopenia with approximately 50% reduction in platelet count. In contrast, the BM has increased numbers and percentages of CD41+ megakaryocytes (WT: 0.41+/-0.06%; KO: 1.92+/-0.12%) with significantly reduced ploidy. KO mice show significantly increased megakaryocyte progenitors in the BM by both FACS analysis and CFU-Mk. Megakaryocytes lacking Srf have abnormal stress fiber and demarcation membrane formation and platelets lacking Srf have abnormal actin distribution. In vitro and in vivo assays reveal platelet function defects in KO mice. Critical actin cytoskeletal genes are downregulated in KO megakaryocytes. Thus, Srf is required for normal megakaryocyte maturation and platelet production, due at least in part, to regulation of cytoskeletal genes.
Project description:Myelination of neuronal axons is essential for nervous system development. Myelination requires dramatic cytoskeletal dynamics in oligodendrocytes, but how actin is regulated during myelination is poorly understood. We recently identified serum response factor (SRF)—a transcription factor known to regulate expression of actin and actin regulators in other cell types—as a critical driver of myelination in the aged brain. Yet, a major gap remains in understanding the fundamental role of SRF in oligodendrocyte lineage cells. Here we show that SRF is required cell autonomously in oligodendrocytes for myelination during development. Combining ChIP-seq with RNA-seq identifies SRF-target genes in OPCs and oligodendrocytes that include actin and other key cytoskeletal genes. Accordingly, SRF knockout oligodendrocytes exhibit dramatically reduced actin filament levels early in differentiation, consistent with its role in actin-dependent myelin sheath initiation. Together, our findings identify SRF as a transcriptional regulator that controls the expression of cytoskeletal genes required in oligodendrocytes for myelination. This study identifies a novel pathway regulating oligodendrocyte biology with high relevance to brain development, aging, and disease.
Project description:Myelination of neuronal axons is essential for nervous system development. Myelination requires dramatic cytoskeletal dynamics in oligodendrocytes, but how actin is regulated during myelination is poorly understood. We recently identified serum response factor (SRF)—a transcription factor known to regulate expression of actin and actin regulators in other cell types—as a critical driver of myelination in the aged brain. Yet, a major gap remains in understanding the fundamental role of SRF in oligodendrocyte lineage cells. Here we show that SRF is required cell autonomously in oligodendrocytes for myelination during development. Combining ChIP-seq with RNA-seq identifies SRF-target genes in OPCs and oligodendrocytes that include actin and other key cytoskeletal genes. Accordingly, SRF knockout oligodendrocytes exhibit dramatically reduced actin filament levels early in differentiation, consistent with its role in actin-dependent myelin sheath initiation. Together, our findings identify SRF as a transcriptional regulator that controls the expression of cytoskeletal genes required in oligodendrocytes for myelination. This study identifies a novel pathway regulating oligodendrocyte biology with high relevance to brain development, aging, and disease.
Project description:Myelination of neuronal axons is essential for nervous system development. Myelination requires dramatic cytoskeletal dynamics in oligodendrocytes, but how actin is regulated during myelination is poorly understood. We recently identified serum response factor (SRF)—a transcription factor known to regulate expression of actin and actin regulators in other cell types—as a critical driver of myelination in the aged brain. Yet, a major gap remains in understanding the fundamental role of SRF in oligodendrocyte lineage cells. Here we show that SRF is required cell autonomously in oligodendrocytes for myelination during development. Combining ChIP-seq with RNA-seq identifies SRF-target genes in OPCs and oligodendrocytes that include actin and other key cytoskeletal genes. Accordingly, SRF knockout oligodendrocytes exhibit dramatically reduced actin filament levels early in differentiation, consistent with its role in actin-dependent myelin sheath initiation. Together, our findings identify SRF as a transcriptional regulator that controls the expression of cytoskeletal genes required in oligodendrocytes for myelination. This study identifies a novel pathway regulating oligodendrocyte biology with high relevance to brain development, aging, and disease.
Project description:To control transcription, SRF recruits signal-regulated co-activators, the Ternary Complex Factors (TCFs) and the Myocardin-related Transcription Factors (MRTFs), which compete for a common site on its DNA-binding domain. The TCFs - SAP-1, Elk-1 and Net - are Ets proteins that link SRF activity to Ras-ERK signalling. In contrast, the two MRTFs, MRTF-A and MRTF-B, link SRF activity to Rho-actin signalling. In this novel signalling pathway, the actin-binding MRTF RPEL domain acts as a G-actin sensor, controlling MRTF nuclear accumulation in response to signal-induced depletion of the G-actin pool. Previous studies have suggested that the Ras-ERK signalling and Rho-actin pathways control specific subsets of SRF target genes. We used ChIP-seq and RNA-seq to analyse the immediate-early transcriptional response in NIH3T3 fibroblasts, using pathway-specific inhibitors to identify the contributions of Ras-ERK and Rho-actin signalling