Ankyrin-B in lens architecture and biomechanics: Just not tethering but more. Issue 2 (3rd March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rao, Ponugoti Vasantha; Maddala, Rupalatha
• Is Part Of: BioArchitecture. Volume 6:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 39
• Page End: 45
• Publication Date: 2016-03-03
• Subjects: ankyrin-B -- biomechanics -- cytoarchitecture -- cell shape -- lens fibers -- membrane organization; Cytology -- Periodicals; Cytoarchitectonics -- Periodicals; 571.6
• DOI: 10.1080/19490992.2016.1156284
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1949-0992

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The ankyrins are a family of well-characterized metazoan adaptor proteins that play a key role in linking various membrane-spanning proteins to the underlying spectrin-actin cytoskeleton; a mechanistic understanding of their role in tissue architecture and mechanics, however, remains elusive. Here we comment on a recent study demonstrating a key role for ankyrin-B in maintaining the hexagonal shape and radial alignment of ocular lens fiber cells by regulating the membrane organization of periaxin, dystrophins/dystroglycan, NrCAM and spectrin-actin network of proteins, and revealing that ankyrin-B deficiency impairs fiber cell shape and mechanical properties of the ocular lens. These observations indicate that ankyrin-B plays an important role in maintaining tissue cytoarchitecture, cell shape and biomechanical properties via engaging in key protein: protein interactions required for membrane anchoring and organization of the spectrin-actin skeleton, scaffolding proteins and cell adhesive proteins.