title: Direct involvement of ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM)-binding membrane proteins in the organization of microvilli in collaboration with activated ERM proteins.
abstract: Ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) proteins have been thought to play a central role in the organization of cortical actin-based cytoskeletons including microvillar formation through cross-linking actin filaments and integral membrane proteins such as CD43, CD44, and ICAM-2. To examine the functions of these ERM-binding membrane proteins (ERMBMPs) in cortical morphogenesis, we overexpressed ERMBMPs (the extracellular domain of E-cadherin fused with the transmembrane/cytoplasmic domain of CD43, CD44, or ICAM-2) in various cultured cells. In cultured fibroblasts such as L and CV-1 cells, their overexpression significantly induced microvillar elongation, recruiting ERM proteins and actin filaments. When the ERM-binding domains were truncated from these molecules, their ability to induce microvillar elongation became undetectable. In contrast, in cultured epithelial cells such as MTD-1A and A431 cells, the overexpression of ERMBMPs did not elongate microvilli. However, in the presence of EGF, overexpression of ERMBMPs induced remarkable microvillar elongation in A431 cells. These results indicated that ERMBMPs function as organizing centers for cortical morphogenesis by organizing microvilli in collaboration with activated ERM proteins. Furthermore, immunodetection with a phosphorylated ERM-specific antibody and site-directed mutagenesis suggested that ERM proteins phosphorylated at their COOH-terminal threonine residue represent activated ERM proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. yonemura@mfour.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yonemura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsukita
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsukita
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051917:Leukosialin; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008871:Microvilli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011485:Protein Binding; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013912:Threonine / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D000099149:Ezrin
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D015703:Antigens, CD; D001798:Blood Proteins; D015820:Cadherins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D051917:Leukosialin; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; D013912:Threonine; D000099149:Ezrin; C065289:ICAM2 protein, human; C465014:SPN protein, human; C071058:moesin; C071776:radixin