Dynamic microvilli sculpt bristles at nanometric scale

Kyojiro N. Ikeda (), Ilya Belevich, Luis Zelaya-Lainez, Lukas Orel, Josef Füssl, Jaromír Gumulec, Christian Hellmich, Eija Jokitalo and Florian Raible ()
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Kyojiro N. Ikeda: Max Perutz Labs; University of Vienna
Ilya Belevich: University of Helsinki
Luis Zelaya-Lainez: TU Wien-Vienna University of Technology
Lukas Orel: Max Perutz Labs; University of Vienna
Josef Füssl: TU Wien-Vienna University of Technology
Jaromír Gumulec: Masaryk University
Christian Hellmich: TU Wien-Vienna University of Technology
Eija Jokitalo: University of Helsinki
Florian Raible: Max Perutz Labs; University of Vienna

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Organisms generate shapes across size scales. Whereas patterning and morphogenesis of macroscopic tissues has been extensively studied, the principles underlying the formation of micrometric and submicrometric structures remain largely enigmatic. Individual cells of polychaete annelids, so-called chaetoblasts, are associated with the generation of chitinous bristles of highly stereotypic geometry. Here we show that bristle formation requires a chitin-producing enzyme specifically expressed in the chaetoblasts. Chaetoblasts exhibit dynamic cell surfaces with stereotypical patterns of actin-rich microvilli. These microvilli can be matched with internal and external structures of bristles reconstructed from serial block-face electron micrographs. Individual chitin teeth are deposited by microvilli in an extension-disassembly cycle resembling a biological 3D printer. Consistently, pharmacological interference with actin dynamics leads to defects in tooth formation. Our study reveals that both material and shape of bristles are encoded by the same cell, and that microvilli play a role in micro- to submicrometric sculpting of biomaterials.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48044-3

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