SUMMARY Little is known about how neutrophils and other cells establish a single zone of actin assembly during migration. A widespread assumption is that the leading edge prevents formation of additional fronts by generating long-range diffusible inhibitors or by sequestering essential polarity components. We use morphological perturbations, cell severing experiments, and computational simulations to show that diffusion-based mechanisms are not sufficient for long-range inhibition by the pseudopod. Instead, plasma membrane tension could serve as a long-range inhibitor in neutrophils. We find that membrane tension doubles during leading edge protrusion, and increasing tension is sufficient for long-range inhibition of actin assembly and Rac activation. Furthermore, reducing membrane tension causes uniform actin assembly. We suggest that tension, rather than diffusible molecules generated or sequestered at the leading edge, is the dominant source of long-range inhibition that constrains the spread of the existing front and prevents the formation of secondary fronts.

Most organisms have evolved defense mechanisms to protect themselves from viruses and other pathogens.Arthropods lack the protein-based adaptive immune response found in vertebrates. Here we show that the central catalytic component of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), the nuclease Argonaute 2 (Ago-2), is essential for antiviral defense in adult Drosophila melanogaster. Ago-2-defective flies are hypersensitive to infection with a major fruit fly pathogen, Drosophila C virus (DCV), and with Cricket Paralysis virus (CrPV). Increased mortality in ago-2 mutant flies was associated with a dramatic increase in viral RNA accumulation and virus titers. The physiological significance of this antiviral mechanism is underscored by our finding that DCV encodes a potent suppressor of RNA interference (RNAi). This suppressor binds long double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and inhibits Dicer-2-mediated processing of dsRNA into short interfering RNA (siRNA), but does not bind short siRNAs or disrupt the microRNA (miRNA) pathway. Based on these results we propose that RNAi is a major antiviral immune defense mechanism in Drosophila.

Synopsis The Phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway regulates cell proliferation, survival and migration and is consequently of great interest for targeted cancer therapy. Using a panel of small molecule PI3K isoform-selective inhibitors in a diverse set of breast cancer cell lines, we demonstrate that the biochemical and biological responses were highly variable and dependent on the genetic alterations present. p110α inhibitors were generally effective in inhibiting the phosphorylation of Akt and S6, two downstream components of PI3K signaling, in most cell lines examined. In contrast, 110β selective inhibitors only reduced Akt phosphorylation in PTEN mutant cell lines, and was associated with a lesser decrease in S6 phosphorylation. PI3K inhibitors reduced cell viability by causing a cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, with multi-targeted inhibitors causing the most potent effects. Cells expressing mutant Ras were resistant to the cell cycle effects of PI3K inhibition, which could be reversed using inhibitors of Ras signaling pathways. Taken together our data indicates that these compounds, alone or in suitable combinations, may be useful as breast cancer therapeutics, when used in appropriate genetic contexts.

Asymmetric intracellular signals enable cells to migrate in response to external cues. The multiprotein WAVE (SCAR/WASF) complex activates the actin-nucleating Arp2/3 complex [1-4] and localizes to propagating “waves”, which direct actin assembly during neutrophil migration [5, 6]. Here, we observe similar WAVE complex dynamics in other mammalian cells and analyze WAVE complex dynamics during the establishment of neutrophil polarity. Earlier models proposed that either spatially-biased generation [7] or selection of protrusions [8] enables chemotaxis. These models require existing morphological polarity to control protrusions. Similar spatially-biased generation and selection of WAVE complex recruitment occur in morphologically unpolarized neutrophils during the development of their first protrusions. Additionally, several mechanisms limit WAVE complex recruitment during polarization and movement: intrinsic cues restrict WAVE complex distribution during the establishment of polarity, and asymmetric intracellular signals constrain WAVE complex distribution in morphologically polarized cells. External gradients can overcome both intrinsic biases and control WAVE complex localization. Following latrunculin-mediated inhibition of actin polymerization, addition and removal of agonist gradients globally recruits and releases the WAVE complex from the membrane. Under these conditions the WAVE complex no longer polarizes, despite the presence of strong external gradients. Thus, actin polymer and the WAVE complex reciprocally interact during polarization.