GTPase domain driven dimerization of SEPT7 is dispensable for the critical role of septins in fibroblast cytokinesis

Sci Rep. 2016 Jan 28:6:20007. doi: 10.1038/srep20007.

Abstract

Septin 7 (SEPT7) has been described to be essential for successful completion of cytokinesis in mouse fibroblasts, and Sept7-deficiency in fibroblasts constitutively results in multinucleated cells which stop proliferation. Using Sept7(flox/flox)fibroblasts we generated a cellular system, where the cytokinetic defects of Cre-mediated deletion of the Sept7 gene can be rescued by ectopically expressed doxycycline-inducible wild type SEPT7. Using this system, we analyzed the ability of SEPT7-mutants with alterations in their GTPase domain-dependent dimerization to prevent multinucleation and rescue proliferation. Although biochemical analysis of the mutants demonstrates differences in homo- and/or hetero-polymerization, in GTP-binding and/or GTPase activities, all analyzed mutants were able to rescue the cytokinesis phenotype of Sept7(flox/flox)fibroblasts associated with Cre-mediated deletion of endogenous Sept7. These findings indicate that the ability of septins to assemble into well-defined SEPT7-dimerization dependent native filaments is dispensable for cytokinesis in fibroblasts and opens the way to search for other mechanisms of the involvement of SEPT7 in cytokinesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cytokinesis*
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism*
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / chemistry
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / genetics
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Knockout Techniques
  • Hydrolysis
  • Mice
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutation
  • Nucleotides / metabolism
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs* / genetics
  • Protein Multimerization*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Septins / chemistry
  • Septins / genetics
  • Septins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Nucleotides
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases
  • Sept7 protein, mouse
  • Septins
  • septin 9, mouse