TPX2 is required for microtubule nucleation in mitosis, but the mechanism underlying its function is unclear. Alfaro-Aco et al. analyze the domains of TPX2 necessary for its activity and identify the minimal region required for branching microtubule nucleation.

Tumor-initiating cells (TICs), or cancer stem cells (CSC), possess stem cell-like properties observed in normal adult tissue stem cells. Normal and cancerous stem cells may therefore share regulatory mechanisms for maintaining self-renewing capacity and resisting differentiation elicited by cell-intrinsic or microenvironmental cues. Here, we show that miR-199a promotes stem cell properties in mammary stem cells (MaSCs) and breast CSCs by directly repressing nuclear receptor corepressor LCOR, which primes interferon (IFN) responses. Elevated miR-199a expression in stem cell-enriched populations protects normal and malignant stem-like cells from differentiation and senescence induced by IFNs that are produced by epithelial and immune cells in the mammary gland. Importantly, the miR-199a-LCOR-IFN axis is activated in poorly differentiated ER− breast tumors, functionally promotes tumor initiation and metastasis, and is associated with poor clinical outcome. Our study therefore reveals a common mechanism shared by normal and malignant stem cells to protect them from suppressive immune cytokine signaling.

Microtubules are nucleated from specific locations at precise times in the cell cycle. However, the factors that constitute these microtubule nucleation pathways and their mode of action still need to be identified. Using purified Xenopus laevis proteins we biochemically reconstitute branching microtubule nucleation, which is critical for chromosome segregation. We found that besides the microtubule nucleator gamma-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), the branching effectors augmin and TPX2 are required to efficiently nucleate microtubules from pre-existing microtubules. TPX2 has the unexpected capacity to directly recruit γ-TuRC as well as augmin, which in turn targets more γ-TuRC along the microtubule lattice. TPX2 and augmin enable γ-TuRC-dependent microtubule nucleation at preferred branching angles of less than 90 degrees from regularly-spaced patches along microtubules. This work provides a blueprint for other microtubule nucleation pathways and helps explain how microtubules are generated in the spindle.

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The microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton gives cells their shape, organizes the cellular interior, and segregates chromosomes. These functions rely on the precise arrangement of MTs, which is achieved by the coordinated action of MT-associated proteins (MAPs). We highlight the first and most important examples of how different MAP activities are combined in vitro to create an ensemble function that exceeds the simple addition of their individual activities, and how the Xenopus laevis egg extract system has been utilized as a powerful intermediate between cellular and purified systems to uncover the design principles of selforganized MT networks in the cell. The microtubule (MT)2 cytoskeleton forms the skeletal framework that gives eukaryotic cells their shape and organizes their cytoplasm by positioning organelles, providing tracks for transport, and establishing cell polarity. In an interphase cell, the MT cytoskeleton is also critical for cell motility and a key constituent of cilia and flagella. During cell division, the MT cytoskeleton gets remodeled into a spindle structure that segregates chromosomes. Each of these functions relies on a specific MT architecture, which must be capable of rapid and prolonged change followed by an eventual resumption of a steady state to respond to the cellular environment and morphology changes during growth and differentiation.MTs are made of ␣/␤-tubulin heterodimers, which assemble into a polar, cylindrical structure in the presence of GTP and above the so-called critical concentration in vitro. MT growth phases alternate with swift shrinkage phases (dynamic instability), and their transitions are referred to as catastrophe (switching from growth to shrinkage) and rescue (switching from shrinkage to growth) (1). In cells, a plethora of different MT-associated proteins (MAPs) regulate the MT-inherent abilities of MT nucleation and dynamics ( Fig. 1A) (2). In addition, MT cross-linking proteins connect MTs into networks and molecular motors use MTs as tracks for cargo transport or transport MTs themselves (Fig. 1A). Altogether, different combinations of these four basic groups of MAP activities drive the self-organization of the MT cytoskeleton into discrete three-dimensional patterns (Fig. 1B) (3). Thus, they establish, maintain, and disassemble functional MT structures that are observed on the cellular level.Traditionally, individual MAPs were identified by loss-offunction experiments in cells followed by their detailed in vivo and in vitro characterization. During the past decade, highthroughput genomic and proteomic screens accelerated MAP discovery by cataloging RNAi phenotypes and identifying novel microtubule binders, resulting in comprehensive lists of candidates involved in organizing the MT cytoskeleton in various cell states (4 -7). Now, the challenge is to understand how these MAPs work together to establish the physiological MT architecture of the cell. What specific MAP building blocks can generate the MT networks that shape a dendrite or a polarized epithelial cell (...

16Microtubules are nucleated from specific locations at precise times in the cell cycle. However, the 17 factors that constitute these microtubule nucleation pathways still need to be identified along with 18 their mode of action. Here, using purified Xenopus laevis proteins we biochemically reconstitute 19 branching microtubule nucleation, a nucleation pathway where microtubules originate from pre-20 existing microtubules, which is essential for spindle assembly and chromosome segregation. We 21 found that besides the microtubule nucleator gamma-tubulin ring complex (g-TuRC), the two 22 branching effectors augmin and TPX2 are required to efficiently nucleate branched microtubules. 23Specifically, TPX2 generates regularly-spaced patches that recruit augmin and g-TuRC to 24 microtubules, which then nucleate new microtubules at preferred branching angles of less than 90 25 degrees. Our work demonstrates how g-TuRC is brought to its nucleation site for branching 26 microtubule nucleation. It provides a blueprint for other microtubule nucleation pathways and for 27 generating a particular microtubule architecture by regulating microtubule nucleation. 28 29

Summary Pits are regions in the cell walls of plant tracheary elements that lack secondary walls. Each pit consists of a space within the secondary wall called a pit chamber, and a modified primary wall called the pit membrane. The pit membrane facilitates transport of solutions between vessel cells and restricts embolisms during drought. Here we analyzed the role of an angiosperm‐specific TPX2‐like microtubule protein MAP20 in pit formation using Brachypodium distachyon as a model system. Live cell imaging was used to analyze the interaction of MAP20 with microtubules and the impact of MAP20 on microtubule dynamics. MAP20‐specific antibody was used to study expression and localization of MAP20 in different cell types during vascular bundle development. We used an artificial microRNAs (amiRNA) knockdown approach to determine the function of MAP20. MAP20 is expressed during the late stages of vascular bundle development and localizes around forming pits and under secondary cell wall thickenings in metaxylem cells. MAP20 suppresses microtubule depolymerization; however, unlike the animal TPX2 counterpart, MAP20 does not cooperate with the γ‐tubulin ring complex in microtubule nucleation. Knockdown of MAP20 causes bigger pits, thinner pit membranes, perturbed vasculature development, lower reproductive potential and higher drought susceptibility. We conclude that MAP20 may contribute to drought adaptation by modulating pit size and pit membrane thickness in metaxylem.

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