During antigen‐specific T‐cell activation, mitochondria mobilize towards the vicinity of the immune synapse. We show here that the mitochondrial fission factor dynamin‐related protein 1 (Drp1) docks at mitochondria, regulating their positioning and activity near the actin‐rich ring of the peripheral supramolecular activation cluster (pSMAC) of the immune synapse. Mitochondrial redistribution in response to T‐cell receptor engagement was abolished by Drp1 silencing, expression of the phosphomimetic mutant Drp1S637D and the Drp1‐specific inhibitor mdivi‐1. Moreover, Drp1 knockdown enhanced mitochondrial depolarization and T‐cell receptor signal strength, but decreased myosin phosphorylation, ATP production and T‐cell receptor assembly at the central supramolecular activation cluster (cSMAC). Our results indicate that Drp1‐dependent mitochondrial positioning and activity controls T‐cell activation by fuelling central supramolecular activation cluster assembly at the immune synapse. There is a [Have you seen?][1] (April 2011) associated with this Article. [1]: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/emboj.2011.72

Listeria monocytogenes surface proteins internalin (Inl)A and InlB interact with the junctional protein E-cadherin and the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor Met, respectively, on the surface of epithelial cells to mediate bacterial entry. Here we show that InlA triggers two successive E-cadherin post-translational modifications, i.e. the Src-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of E-cadherin followed by its ubiquitination by the ubiquitin-ligase Hakai. E-cadherin ubiquitination induces the recruitment of clathrin that is required for optimal bacterial internalization. We also show that the initial clustering of E-cadherin at the bacterial entry site requires caveolin, a protein normally involved in clathrin-independent endocytosis. Strikingly clathrin and caveolin are also recruited at the site of entry of E-cadherin-coated sepharose beads and functional experiments demonstrate that these two proteins are required for bead entry. Together these results not only document how the endocytosis machinery is recruited and involved in the internalization of a zippering bacterium, but also strongly suggest a functional link between E-cadherin endocytosis and the formation of adherens junctions in epithelial cells.

Candida albicans is a major cause of oropharyngeal, vulvovaginal and haematogenously disseminated candidiasis. Endocytosis of C. albicans hyphae by host cells is a prerequisite for tissue invasion. This internalization involves interactions between the fungal invasin Als3 and host E- or N-cadherin. Als3 shares some structural similarity with InlA, a major invasion protein of the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. InlA mediates entry of L. monocytogenes into host cells through binding to E-cadherin. A role in internalization, for a non-classical stimulation of the clathrin-dependent endocytosis machinery, was recently highlighted. Based on the similarities between the C. albicans and L. monocytogenes invasion proteins, we studied the role of clathrin in the internalization of C. albicans. Using live-cell imaging and indirect immunofluorescence of epithelial cells infected with C. albicans, we observed that host E-cadherin, clathrin, dynamin and cortactin accumulated at sites of C. albicans internalization. Similarly, in endothelial cells, host N-cadherin, clathrin and cortactin accumulated at sites of fungal endocytosis. Furthermore, clathrin, dynamin or cortactin depletion strongly inhibited C. albicans internalization by epithelial cells. Finally, beads coated with Als3 were internalized in a clathrin-dependent manner. These data indicate that C. albicans, like L. monocytogenes, hijacks the clathrin-dependent endocytic machinery to invade host cells.