The Septins

"The authors represent most of the key figures and the work and the book as a whole is an essential reference for the newcomer or specialist in this area and for any student of eukaryotic cell structure and function. This is an important and wonderful reference." -Microbiology Today, May 2009 Septins are an evolutionarily conserved group of GTP-binding and filament-forming proteins that were originally discovered in yeast. Once the preserve of a small band of yeast biologists, the field has grown rapidly in the past few years and now encompasses the whole of animal and fungal biology. Furthermore, septins are nowadays recognized to be involved in a variety of disease processes from neoplasia to neurodegenerative conditions. This book comprehensively examines the septin gene family and their proteins, providing those new to this research area with a detailed and wide ranging introduction to septin biology. It starts with a unique historical perspective on the development of the field, from its beginnings in the screen for cell division mutants by the Nobel Laureate Lee Hartwell. The evolution of the septin gene family then forms a basis for consideration of the biochemistry and functions of septins in yeast and other model organisms including C. elegans and Drosophila. A major part of the book considers the diversity of septins in mammals, their functions and properties as well as their involvement in normal and abnormal cellular states, followed by a speculative overview from the editors of the key questions in septin research and of where the field may be headed. In addition, several appendices summarise important information for those in, or just entering, the field, e.g. nomenclature and septin and septin-like sequences. This book is an essential source of reference material for researchers in septin biology, cell biology, genetics and medicine, in particular pathology, including areas of neurobiology, oncology, infectious disease and developmental biology.

Table of Contents:
Contents Authors and Affiliations vii An introduction to the septins 1 Peter A. Hall, S. E. Hilary Russell and John R. Pringle Section I Setting the scene 5 Chapter 1 Origins and development of the septin field 7 John R. Pringle Chapter 2 Evolution and conserved domains of the septins 35 Michelle Momany, Fangfang Pan and Russell L. Malmberg Section II Septins in model systems 47 Chapter 3 Biochemical properties and supramolecular architecture of septin hetero-oligomers and septin filaments 49 Michael A. McMurray and Jeremy Thorner Chapter 4 Yeast septins: a cortical organizer 101 Yves Barral Chapter 5 Septins in four model fungal systems: diversity in form and function 125 Amy Gladfelter and Peter Sudbery Chapter 6 Septins in the metazoan model systems Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans 147 Christine M. Field, Amy Shaub Maddox, John R. Pringle and Karen Oegema Section III Septins in mammals 169 Chapter 7 The genomics and regulation of the human septin genes 171 S.E. Hilary Russell Chapter 8 The functions of septins in mammals 187 Carol D. Froese and William S. Trimble Chapter 9 Septin-interacting proteins in mammals 211 Brandon E. Kremer and Ian G. Macara Chapter 10 Septin functions in the mammalian cytoskeleton 229 Elias T. Spiliotis and W. James Nelson Chapter 11 Septins and the synapse 247 Jing Xue, Victor Anggono and Phillip J. Robinson Chapter 12 Septins and platelets 269 Jerry Ware, Constantino Mart'inez and Barbara Zieger Chapter 13 Septins and apoptosis 281 Marie-Jeanne Carp and Sarit Larisch Chapter 14 Septins and human disease 295 Peter A. Hall and Fern P. Finger Chapter 15 Insight into septin functions from mouse models 319 Makoto Kinoshita Section IV Envoi 337 Chapter 16 Septins: 2008 and beyond 339 Peter A. Hall, S.E. Hilary Russell and John R. Pringle Appendix A Septin and septin-like sequences 343 Michelle Momany, Fangfang Pan and Russell L. Malmberg Appendix B Mammalian septin nomenclature 351 Peter A. Hall, Elspeth Bruford, Hilary Russell, Ian G. Macara and John R. Pringle Appendix C Septin meetings and workshops 355 Peter A. Hall and John R. Pringle Index 361