The Ladoux/Mège published a new article in Nature material: Force transmission is a master regulator of mechanical cell competition Abstract: Cell competition is a tissue surveillance mechanism for eliminating unwanted cells, being indispensable in development, infection and tumourigenesis. Although studies have established the role of biochemical mechanisms in this process, due to challenges in measuring forces in…

The Veitia Lab published a new review in Trends in biochemical sciences: Rethinking transcription factor dynamics and transcription regulation in eukaryotes Abstract: Transcription factors (TFs) control gene expression by binding to specific DNA motifs in cis-regulatory elements. Cooperativity has been thought to ensure TF binding specificity. Recent research suggests that, at least in yeast, the role of cooperativity…

The Romet-Lemonne/Jégou lab contributed to the publication of a new article in Nature communications : Histidine 73 methylation coordinates β-actin plasticity in response to key environmental factors Abstract: The functional importance of the methylation of histidine 73 (H73) in actin remains unclear. Focusing on cytoplasmic β-actin, present in all mammalian cells, we use molecular dynamics simulations with a polarizable…

The Palancade Lab published a new article in Nature Communications: DNA lesions can frequently precede DNA:RNA hybrid accumulation   Abstract: While DNA:RNA hybrids contribute to multiple genomic transactions, their unscheduled formation is a recognized source of DNA lesions. Here, through a suite of systematic screens, we rather observed that a wide range of yeast mutant situations primarily triggering DNA…

The Conduit Lab published a new article in Current Biology: Asymmetric microtubule nucleation from Golgi stacks promotes opposite microtubule polarity in axons and dendrites   Abstract: The neuronal microtubule cytoskeleton is highly polarized, with most microtubules growing away from the soma in axons (plus-end-out), but many microtubules growing toward the soma in dendrites (minus-end- out). This differential microtubule…

The Palancade lab published a new article in Nucleic Acid Research: RNA exosome-driven RNA processing instructs the duration of the unfolded protein response Abstract: Upon stresses, cellular compartments initiate adaptive programs meant to restore homeostasis. Dedicated to the resolution of transient perturbations, these pathways are typically maintained at a basal level, activated upon stress, and critically downregulated…

The Pintard Lab published a new article in The EMBO Journal: The MAST kinase KIN-4 carries out mitotic entry functions of Greatwall in C. elegans   Abstract: MAST-like, or Greatwall (Gwl), an atypical protein kinase related to the evolutionarily conserved MAST kinase family, is crucial for cell cycle control during mitotic entry. Mechanistically, Greatwall is activated by Cyclin B-Cdk1…

The Léon Lab published a nouvel article dans Biology of the cell: Direct observation of fluorescent proteins in gels: A rapid, cost-efficient, and quantitative alternative to immunoblotting Abstract: Background Information The discovery of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and its derivatives has revolutionized cell biology. These fluorescent proteins (FPs) have enabled the real-time observation of protein localization and…

The Wassmann lab published a new preprint: Elimination of separase inhibition reveals absence of cohesin protection in oocyte metaphase II   Résumé: The meiotic segregation pattern to generate haploid gametes is mediated by step-wise cohesion removal by separase, first from chromosome arms in meiosis I, and then from the centromere region in meiosis II. In mammalian oocytes, separase…

The Romet-Lemonne/Jégou  Lab published a new review in Annual review of Biophysics: Mechanics of Single Cytoskeletal Filaments   Abstract: The cytoskeleton comprises networks of different biopolymers, which serve various cellular functions. To accomplish these tasks, their mechanical properties are of particular importance. Understanding them requires detailed knowledge of the mechanical properties of the individual filaments that make up…