Manjin Kim

Primary cilia exert a profound impact on cell signalling and cell cycle progression. Recently, actin cytoskeleton destabilization has been recognized as a dominant inducer of ciliogenesis, but the exact mechanisms regulating ciliogenesis remain poorly understood. Here we show that the actin cytoskeleton remodelling controls ciliogenesis by regulating transcriptional coactivator YAP/TAZ as well as ciliary vesicle trafficking. Cytoplasmic retention of YAP/TAZ correlates with active ciliogenesis ei

Background: Because of genetically and phenotypically heterogenous features, identification of causative genes for inherited retinal diseases (IRD) is essential for diagnosis and treatment in coming gene therapy era. To date, there are no large-scale data of the genes responsible for IRD in Korea. The aim of this study was to identify the distribution of genetic defects in IRD patients in Korea. Methods: Medical records and DNA samples from 86 clinically diagnosed IRD patients were consecutively

We introduce a non-invasive approach for optogenetic regulation in biological cells through highly scattering skull tissue using wavefront shaping. The wavefront of the incident light was systematically controlled using a spatial light modulator in order to overcome multiple light-scattering in a mouse skull layer and to focus light on the target cells. We demonstrate that illumination with shaped waves enables spatiotemporal regulation of intracellular Ca(2+) level at the individual-cell level.

Cell migration is controlled by various Ca(2+) signals. Local Ca(2+) signals, in particular, have been identified as versatile modulators of cell migration because of their spatiotemporal diversity. However, little is known about how local Ca(2+) signals coordinate between the front and rear regions in directionally migrating cells. Here, we elucidate the spatial role of local Ca(2+) signals in directed cell migration through combinatorial application of an optogenetic toolkit. An optically guid

Cells employ signaling pathways to make decisions in response to changes in their immediate environment. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is an important growth factor that regulates many cellular functions in development and disease. Although the molecular mechanisms of TGF-β signaling have been well studied, our understanding of this pathway is limited by the lack of tools that allow the control of TGF-β signaling with high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we developed an optogenetic sy

Cells migrate by directing Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) and cell division control protein 42 (Cdc42) activities and by polymerizing actin toward the leading edge of the cell. Previous studies have proposed that this polarization process requires a local positive feedback in the leading edge involving Rac small GTPase and actin polymerization with PI3K likely playing a coordinating role. Here, we show that the pleckstrin homology and RhoGEF domain containing G3 (PLEKHG3) is a

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) inhibits matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 in synovial fibroblasts, skin fibroblasts, bronchoalveolar lavage cells and cancer cells, but activates MMP-9 in neuroblast and leukemia cells. Very little is known regarding whether ATRA can activate or inhibit MMPs in human dental pulp cells (HDPCs). The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of ATRA on the production and secretion of MMP-2 and -9 in HDPCs. The productions and messenger RNA (mRNA) ex

The actomyosin complex plays crucial roles in various life processes by balancing the forces generated by cellular components. In addition to its physical function, the actomyosin complex participates in mechanotransduction. However, the exact role of actomyosin contractility in force transmission and the related transcriptional changes during morphogenesis are not fully understood. Here, we report a mechanogenetic role of the actomyosin complex in branching morphogenesis using an organotypic cu

Actomyosin-mediated contractility is required for the majority of force-driven cellular events such as cell division, adhesion, and migration. Under pathological conditions, the role of actomyosin contractility in malignant phenotypes of various solid tumors has been extensively discussed, but the pathophysiological relevance in hematopoietic malignancies has yet to be elucidated. In this study, we found enhanced actomyosin contractility in diverse acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines represe

Under hypotonic conditions, the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) is essential to maintain physiological homeostasis and functions in diverse biological systems. Intracellular Ca 2+ has been reported as an important mediator of this response, but the underlying Ca 2+ mechanism responsible for RVD is still controversial. Here we investigate the role of Ca 2+ in the RVD response using live-cell imaging, microspectrofluorimetry, and a patch-clamp technique. A typical RVD was observed in submandibula

Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) degrade target proteins through the ubiquitin-proteasome system. To date, PROTACs are primarily used to treat various diseases; however, they have not been applied in regenerative therapy. Herein, this work introduces MDM2-targeting PROTACs customized for application in bone regeneration. An MDM2-PROTAC library is constructed by combining Nutlin-3 and CRBN ligands with various linker designs. Through a multistep validation process, this work develops MDM2