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Nuclear pores enable sustained perinuclear calcium oscillations
Teresa Vaz Martins1, Matthew J Evans2, Derin B Wysham3
1Computational & Systems Biology and Crop Genetics, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK. Teresa.VazMartins@jic.ac.uk.
BMC Systems Biology
|July 25, 2016
Summary
Calcium signalling within cells can be independent in the nucleus and cytoplasm, despite connections through nuclear pores. This study shows how varying channel properties reconcile different experimental observations of calcium oscillations.
Area of Science:
- Cellular Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Calcium signalling involves ion flux across membranes, but inter-compartmental signal relationships are unclear.
- Similar calcium signals near the nuclear envelope are often attributed to passive diffusion, yet distinct cytosolic and nucleosolic signatures suggest independent machinery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the generation of perinuclear calcium oscillations using a computational model.
- To explore the interplay between nuclear and cytosolic calcium signalling through nuclear pores.
Main Methods:
- Adaptation of the fire-diffuse-fire model to simulate spatio-temporal calcium patterns.
- Analysis of autonomous pattern generation under varying nuclear pore coupling strengths and channel properties.
Main Results:
- Autonomous calcium oscillations can occur even with nuclear-cytosolic coupling via nuclear pores.
- Signal autonomy depends on coupling strength and calcium channel firing rates.
- Nuclear pore coupling ensures robust signalling irrespective of diffusion constant variations.
Conclusions:
- The model reconciles conflicting experimental data on nuclear calcium oscillation autonomy.
- Discrepancies arise from variations in nuclear pore permeability and channel refractory periods.
- Nuclear and cytosolic calcium oscillations may cooperate for sustained perinuclear signalling.
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