title: Cofilin phosphorylation and actin cytoskeletal dynamics regulated by rho- and Cdc42-activated LIM-kinase 2.
abstract: The rapid turnover of actin filaments and the tertiary meshwork formation are regulated by a variety of actin-binding proteins. Protein phosphorylation of cofilin, an actin-binding protein that depolymerizes actin filaments, suppresses its function. Thus, cofilin is a terminal effector of signaling cascades that evokes actin cytoskeletal rearrangement. When wild-type LIMK2 and kinase-dead LIMK2 (LIMK2/KD) were respectively expressed in cells, LIMK2, but not LIMK2/KD, phosphorylated cofilin and induced formation of stress fibers and focal complexes. LIMK2 activity toward cofilin phosphorylation was stimulated by coexpression of activated Rho and Cdc42, but not Rac. Importantly, expression of activated Rho and Cdc42, respectively, induced stress fibers and filopodia, whereas both Rho- induced stress fibers and Cdc42-induced filopodia were abrogated by the coexpression of LIMK2/KD. In contrast, the coexpression of LIMK2/KD with the activated Rac did not affect Rac-induced lamellipodia formation. These results indicate that LIMK2 plays a crucial role both in Rho- and Cdc42-induced actin cytoskeletal reorganization, at least in part by inhibiting the functions of cofilin. Together with recent findings that LIMK1 participates in Rac-induced lamellipodia formation, LIMK1 and LIMK2 function under control of distinct Rho subfamily GTPases and are essential regulators in the Rho subfamilies-induced actin cytoskeletal reorganization.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biochemistry, Department of Oncology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Medical School, Suita, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D051339:Actin Depolymerizing Factors; D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000502:physiology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D054461:Lim Kinases; D051379:Mice; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000502:physiology*; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases
chemical_list: D051339:Actin Depolymerizing Factors; D000199:Actins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases; C515892:LIMK1 protein, human; C102895:LIMK2 protein, human; D054461:Lim Kinases; C515893:Limk1 protein, mouse; C095325:Limk2 protein, mouse; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins