Arf1 is involved in Neisseria meningitidis-induced cortical branched F-actin network reorganization
Cells experience external forces that deform the plasma membrane to which they adapt by reorganizing their actin cytoskeleton. Here, using the extracellular bacterium Neisseria meningitidis as a model system, we explore how this bacterium reorganizes the cortical actin cytoskeleton subsequently to mechanical membrane deformations. Meningococci trigger the formation of tubular cellular plasma membrane protrusions by a previously described adhesion-driven process known as one-dimensional wetting. Cryo-electron tomography reveals that in epithelial cells such a deformation of the plasma membrane leads to the formation of F-actin bundles. In contrast, in endothelial cells a branched F-actin network is formed. By combining high resolution photonic microscopy approaches with genetic and drug perturbations in endothelial cells, we demonstrate that Arp2/3 activity is necessary for forming this branched network. We demonstrate the role of the nucleating-promoting factor N-WASP downstream of Cdc42. Proteomic analyses reveal the contribution of the small GTPase Arf1. Taken together, our results delineate an Arf1-Cdc42-N-WASP-Arp2/3 pathway that links mechanical plasma membrane deformation to the subsequent reorganization of a cortical branched F-actin network in endothelial cells.
Authors
- Audrey Salles (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1890-6957)
- Gaël Moneron (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1027-4359)
- Guillaume Duménil (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9174-9110)
- Anna Sartori-Rupp (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8540-9910)
- Adeline Mallet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1604-7308)
- Mariette Matondo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3958-7710)
- Sylvie Goussard
- Magalie Duchateau (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5475-3065)
- Léa Swistak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5637-2415)
- Daria Bonazzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2046-7188)
- Esthel Pénard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4442-7503)
- Jean-Yves Tinévez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0998-4718)
- Arthur Charles‐Orszag (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5185-4124)
- Cyril Scandola (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5305-9095)
- Dorian Obino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4108-2714)
- Stéphane Tachon
- Margot Sahnine
- Quentin Giai Gianetto
- Morgane Crochet
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Inserm (FR)
- Institut Pasteur (FR)
- Université Paris Cité (FR)
- Institut Cochin (FR)
- Dynamique du noyau (FR)
- University of California, Davis (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- EMBO Reports
- Published
- 2026-06-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44319-026-00843-z
- Primary Topic
- Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale
- Institut Pasteur
- Université de Paris
- European Research Council