• HOME
  • NEWS
    • BIOENGINEERING
    • SCIENCE NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • FORUM
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • CONTACT US
Thursday, April 22, 2021
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • BIOENGINEERING
    • SCIENCE NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • FORUM
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • BIOENGINEERING
    • SCIENCE NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • FORUM
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Biology

Eat me: The cell signal of death

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
March 26, 2021
in Biology
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

An ‘eat-me’ signal displayed on cell surfaces requires activation of a lipid-scrambling protein by a nuclear protein fragment

IMAGE

Credit: Mindy Takamiya/Kyoto University iCeMS

Scientists at the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) and colleagues in Japan have revealed molecular mechanisms involved in eliminating unwanted cells in the body. A nuclear protein fragment released into the cytoplasm activates a plasma membrane protein to display a lipid on the cell surface, signalling other cells to get rid of it. The findings were published in the journal Molecular Cell.

“Every day, ten billion cells die and are engulfed by blood cells called phagocytes. If this didn’t happen, dead cells would burst, triggering an auto-immune reaction,” explains iCeMS biochemist Jun Suzuki, who led the study. “It is important to understand how dead cells are eliminated as part of our body’s maintenance.”

Scientists already know that dead cells display an ‘eat me’ signal on their surface that is recognized by phagocytes. During this process, lipids are flipped between the inner and outer parts of the cell membrane via a variety of proteins called scramblases. Suzuki and his team have already identified several of these lipid-scrambling proteins, but some of their activation mechanisms have been unclear.

To solve this, the team used an array of screening approaches to study the scrambling protein called Xkr4. The broad aim was to single out the genes that are active during cell death and to specifically zoom in on Xkr4 and its associated proteins to understand how they interact.

“We found that a nuclear protein fragment activates Xkr4 to display the ‘eat me’ signal to phagocytes,” says iCeMS cell biologist Masahiro Maruoka, the first author of the study.

Specifically, the scientists found that cell death signals lead to a nuclear protein, called XRCC4, getting cut by an enzyme. A fragment of XRCC4 leaves the nucleus, activating Xkr4, which forms a dimer: the linking of identical pieces into configurations. Both XRCC4 binding and dimer formation are necessary for Xkr4 to ultimately transfer lipids on the cell surface to alert phagocytes.

Xkr4 is only one of the scrambling proteins. Others are activated much faster during cell death. The team now wants to understand when and why the Xkr4 pathway is specifically activated. Since it is strongly expressed in the brain, it is likely important for brain function. “We are now studying the elimination of unwanted cells or compartments in the brain to understand this process further,” says Maruoka.

###

DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.02.025

About Kyoto University’s Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS):

At iCeMS, our mission is to explore the secrets of life by creating compounds to control cells, and further down the road to create life-inspired materials.

https://www.icems.kyoto-u.ac.jp/

For more information, contact:

I. Mindy Takamiya/Mari Toyama

[email protected]ac.jp

Media Contact
Mindy Takamiya
[email protected]

Related Journal Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2021.02.025

Tags: BiochemistryBiologyBiomedical/Environmental/Chemical EngineeringBiotechnologyCell BiologyGeneticsMedicine/HealthMental Healthneurobiology
Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

IMAGE

MERS DNA vaccine induces immunity, protects from virus challenge in preclinical model

April 22, 2021
IMAGE

Scientists provide new insights into the citric acid cycle

April 22, 2021

Fat-footed tyrannosaur parents could not keep up with their skinnier adolescent offspring

April 22, 2021

Plant provenance influences pollinators

April 22, 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

POPULAR NEWS

  • IMAGE

    A sturdier spike protein explains the faster spread of coronavirus variants

    45 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 11
  • New evidence in search for the mysterious Denisovans

    34 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 9
  • Jonathan Wall receives $1.79 million to develop new amyloidosis treatment

    61 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • UofL, Medtronic to develop epidural stimulation algorithms for spinal cord injury

    56 shares
    Share 22 Tweet 14

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Tags

WeaponryVirologyVehiclesZoology/Veterinary ScienceUrbanizationVirusVaccineVaccinesWeather/StormsUrogenital SystemUniversity of WashingtonViolence/Criminals

Recent Posts

  • Successful research development approach helps cancer patients using mobile tech
  • Army-funded research paves way for improved lasers, communications
  • Silver ions hurry up, then wait as they disperse
  • C-Path opens access to Duchenne Regulatory Science Consortium database
  • Contact Us

© 2019 Bioengineer.org - Biotechnology news by Science Magazine - Scienmag.

No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

© 2019 Bioengineer.org - Biotechnology news by Science Magazine - Scienmag.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In