Nir2, a novel regulator of cell morphogenesis.

Molecular and Cellular Biology
Donghua TianSima Lev

Abstract

Cell morphogenesis requires dynamic reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, a process that is tightly regulated by the Rho family of small GTPases. These GTPases act as molecular switches by shuttling between their inactive GDP-bound and active GTP-bound forms. Here we show that Nir2, a novel protein related to Drosophila retinal degeneration B (RdgB), markedly affects cell morphology through a novel Rho-inhibitory domain (Rid) which resides in its N-terminal region. Rid exhibits sequence homology with the Rho-binding site of formin-homology (FH) proteins and leads to an apparent loss of F-actin staining when ectopically expressed in mammalian cells. We also show that Rid inhibits Rho-mediated stress fiber formation and lysophosphatidic acid-induced RhoA activation. Biochemical studies demonstrated that Nir2, via Rid, preferentially binds to the inactive GDP-bound form of the small GTPase Rho. Microinjection of antibodies against Nir2 into neuronal cells markedly attenuates neurite extension, whereas overexpression of Nir2 in these cells attenuates Rho-mediated neurite retraction. These results implicate Nir2 as a novel regulator of the small GTPase Rho in actin cytoskeleton reorganization and cell morphogenesis.

References

Dec 1, 1988·Brain Research. Developmental Brain Research·H N Siegel, R J Lukas
Feb 1, 1997·Current Opinion in Cell Biology·M D WelchT J Mitchison
Feb 1, 1997·Current Opinion in Neurobiology·L LuoY N Jan
Jul 30, 1997·Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications·Y AikawaT Watanabe
Oct 6, 1997·Genes & Development·L Van Aelst, C D'Souza-Schorey
Feb 7, 1998·Science·A Hall
Feb 28, 1998·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·H KatohM Negishi
Feb 28, 1998·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·P FlynnP J Parker
Jun 5, 1998·Trends in Biochemical Sciences·J C WilliamsM Saraste
Aug 8, 1998·Trends in Cell Biology·S Wasserman
Feb 27, 1999·Current Opinion in Cell Biology·P Aspenström
Mar 19, 1999·Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology·J Settleman
Nov 13, 1999·Nature Cell Biology·N WatanabeS Narumiya
May 19, 2000·The Biochemical Journal·A L Bishop, A Hall
Aug 25, 2000·Molecular and Cellular Biology·S Yayoshi-YamamotoT Watanabe
Sep 20, 2000·The Journal of Cell Biology·R RohatgiM W Kirschner
Sep 22, 2000·Trends in Cell Biology·M Symons, J Settleman
Nov 1, 2000·Cell·D Bar-Sagi, A Hall

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Mar 31, 2004·Experimental Cell Research·Jill Kuglin Schweitzer, Crislyn D'Souza-Schorey
Jul 31, 2003·Trends in Cell Biology·Bradley J Wallar, Arthur S Alberts
Jun 5, 2007·Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta·Deepti Trivedi, Raghu Padinjat
Feb 4, 2006·Critical Reviews in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology·Scott E PhillipsEric A Gaucher
Sep 11, 2002·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Jeremy W PeckPeter D Burbelo
Jan 29, 2005·FASEB Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology·Arvind SinghGayatri Ramakrishna
Nov 17, 2004·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Roy AmarilioSima Lev

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Blood And Marrow Transplantation

The use of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or blood and marrow transplantation (bmt) is on the increase worldwide. BMT is used to replace damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. Here is the latest research on bone and marrow transplantation.