Biology subjects

Marquez-Nogueras, K. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Marquez-Nogueras, K. M..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

Utilization of the genetically encoded calcium indicator Salsa6F in cardiac applications

Calcium signaling is a critical process required for cellular mechanisms such as cardiac contractility. The inability of the cell to properly activate or regulate calcium signaling can lead to contractile dysfunction. In isolated cardiomyocytes, calcium signaling has been primarily studied using calcium fluorescent dyes, however these dyes have limited applicability to whole organs. Here, we crossed the Salsa6f mouse which expresses a genetically encoded ratiometric cytosolic calcium indicator with a cardiomyocyte specific inducible cre to temporally-induce expression and studied cytosolic calcium transients in isolated cardiomyocytes and modified Langendorff heart preparations. Isolated cardiomyocytes expressing Salsa6f or Fluo-4AM loaded were compared. We also crossed the Salsa6f mouse with a floxed Polycystin 2 (PC2) mouse to test the feasibility of using the Salsa6f mouse to measure calcium transients in PC2 heterozygous or homozygous knock out mice. Although there are caveats in the applicability of the Salsa6f mouse, there are clear advantages to using the Salsa6f mouse to measure whole heart calcium signals.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2023

TRiPPing the sensors: The osmosensing pathway of Polycystin 2

Mutations to polycystin-2 (PC2), a non-selective cation permeant transient receptor potential channel, results in polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Despite the disease relevance of PC2, the physiological agonist that activates PC2 has remained elusive. As one of the earliest symptoms in PKD is a urine concentrating deficiency, we hypothesized that shifts in osmolarity experienced by the collecting duct cells would activate PC2 and loss of PC2 would prevent osmosensing. We found that mice with inducible PC2 knocked out (KO) in renal tubules had dilute urine. Hyperosmotic stimuli induced a rise in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mediated cytosolic calcium which was absent in PC2 KO mice and PC2 KO cells. A pathologic point mutation that prevents ion flux through PC2 inhibited the calcium rise, pointing to the centrality of PC2 in the osmotic response. To understand how an extracellular stimulus activated ER-localized PC2, we examined microtubule-ER dynamics, and found that the osmotically induced calcium increase was preceded by microtubule destabilization. This was due to a novel interaction between PC2 and the microtubule binding protein MAP4 that tethers the microtubules to the ER. Finally, disruption of the MAP4-PC2 interaction prevented incorporation of the water channel aquaporin 2 following a hyperosmotic challenge, in part explaining the dilute urine. Our results demonstrate that MAP4-dependent microtubule stabilization of ER-resident PC2 is required for PC2 to participate in the osmosensing pathway. Moreover, osmolarity represents a bona fide physiological stimulus for ER-localized PC2 and loss of PC2 in renal epithelial cells impairs osmosensing ability and urine concentrating capacity. Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=92 SRC="FIGDIR/small/540007v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (42K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ddf689org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@164a89corg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@179d1dforg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@c1be99_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

physiology↗

bioRxiv2020

Calcium signaling through a Transient Receptor Channel is important for Toxoplasma gondii growth

Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels participate in ion calcium (Ca2+) influx and intracellular Ca2+ release. TRP channels have not been studied in Toxoplasma gondii or any other Apicomplexan parasite. We characterized a protein predicted to possess a TRP domain (TgTRPPL-2) and determined its role in Ca2+ signaling in T. gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. TgTRPPL-2 localized to the plasma membrane and the endoplasmic reticulum of T. gondii. The{Delta} TgTRPPL-2 mutant was defective in growth and Ca2+ influx. Heterologous expression of TgTRPPL-2 in HEK-3KO cells allowed its functional characterization. Patching of ER-nuclear membranes demonstrated that TgTRPPL-2 is a non-selective cation channel that conducts Ca2+. Pharmacological blockers of TgTRPPL-2 inhibited Ca2+ influx and parasite growth. This is the first report of an Apicomplexan channel that conducts Ca2+ and initiates the Ca2+ signaling cascade that culminates in the stimulation of motility, invasion and egress. TgTRPPL-2 is a potential target for combating toxoplasmosis.

microbiology↗