@article{4fc001fbc17e41a5982968cea7072804,
title = "Spectrin is a mechanoresponsive protein shaping fusogenic synapse architecture during myoblast fusion",
abstract = " Spectrin is a membrane skeletal protein best known for its structural role in maintaining cell shape and protecting cells from mechanical damage. Here, we report that α/β H -spectrin (β H is also called karst) dynamically accumulates and dissolves at the fusogenic synapse between fusing Drosophila muscle cells, where an attacking fusion partner invades its receiving partner with actin-propelled protrusions to promote cell fusion. Using genetics, cell biology, biophysics and mathematical modelling, we demonstrate that spectrin exhibits a mechanosensitive accumulation in response to shear deformation, which is highly elevated at the fusogenic synapse. The transiently accumulated spectrin network functions as a cellular fence to restrict the diffusion of cell-adhesion molecules and a cellular sieve to constrict the invasive protrusions, thereby increasing the mechanical tension of the fusogenic synapse to promote cell membrane fusion. Our study reveals a function of spectrin as a mechanoresponsive protein and has general implications for understanding spectrin function in dynamic cellular processes.",
author = "Rui Duan and Kim, {Ji Hoon} and Khurts Shilagardi and Schiffhauer, {Eric S.} and Lee, {Donghoon M.} and Sungmin Son and Shuo Li and Claire Thomas and Tianzhi Luo and Fletcher, {Daniel A.} and Robinson, {Douglas N.} and Chen, {Elizabeth H.}",
note = "Funding Information: We thank the Bloomington Stock Center for fly stocks, B. Paterson for the MHC antibody, F. Li for technical assistance, G. Zhang for help with the high-pressure freezing and freeze substitution method, J. Nathans for sharing confocal microscopes and D. Pan for critically reading the manuscript. This work was supported by the NIH grants (R01 AR053173 and R01 GM098816), the American Heart Association Established Investigator Award and the HHMI Faculty Scholar Award to E.H.C.; the NIH grants (R01 GM66817 and R01 GM109863) to D.N.R.; the NIH grants (R01 GM074751 and R01 GM114671) and the Chan Zucherberg Biohub Investigator Award to D.A.F.; the NSF grant MCB-1122013 to C.T.; the NSFC grant 11572316 to T.L.; and the NSFC grant 31771256 to R.D. R.D. was supported by an American Heart Association postdoctoral fellowship, K.S. by an American Heart Association Scientist Development Grant, D.M.L. by a Canadian Institute of Health Research postdoctoral fellowship and S.S. by a Life Sciences Research Foundation postdoctoral fellowship. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 The Author(s).",
year = "2018",
month = jun,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1038/s41556-018-0106-3",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "20",
pages = "688--698",
journal = "Nature Cell Biology",
issn = "1465-7392",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
number = "6",
}