Wall mechanics and exocytosis define the shape of growth domains in fission yeast

Juan F Abenza, Etienne Couturier, James Dodgson, Johanna Dickmann, Anatole Chessel, Jacques Dumais, Rafael E Carazo Salas

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

41 Citations (Scopus)
242 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The amazing structural variety of cells is matched only by their functional diversity, and reflects the complex interplay between biochemical and mechanical regulation. How both regulatory layers generate specifically shaped cellular domains is not fully understood. Here, we report how cell growth domains are shaped in fission yeast. Based on quantitative analysis of cell wall expansion and elasticity, we develop a model for how mechanics and cell wall assembly interact and use it to look for factors underpinning growth domain morphogenesis. Surprisingly, we find that neither the global cell shape regulators Cdc42-Scd1-Scd2 nor the major cell wall synthesis regulators Bgs1-Bgs4-Rgf1 are reliable predictors of growth domain geometry. Instead, their geometry can be defined by cell wall mechanics and the cortical localization pattern of the exocytic factors Sec6-Syb1-Exo70. Forceful re-directioning of exocytic vesicle fusion to broader cortical areas induces proportional shape changes to growth domains, demonstrating that both features are causally linked.

Original languageEnglish
Article number8400
Number of pages13
JournalNature Communications
Volume6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 12 Oct 2015

Keywords

  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Cell Cycle
  • Cell Wall
  • Exocytosis
  • Models, Biological
  • Schizosaccharomyces
  • cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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