title: Involvement of ezrin/moesin in de novo actin assembly on phagosomal membranes.
abstract: The current study focuses on the molecular mechanisms responsible for actin assembly on a defined membrane surface: the phagosome. Mature phagosomes were surrounded by filamentous actin in vivo in two different cell types. Fluorescence microscopy was used to study in vitro actin nucleation/polymerization (assembly) on the surface of phagosomes isolated from J774 mouse macrophages. In order to prevent non-specific actin polymerization during the assay, fluorescent G-actin was mixed with thymosin beta4. The cytoplasmic side of phagosomes induced de novo assembly and barbed end growth of actin filaments. This activity varied cyclically with the maturation state of phagosomes, both in vivo and in vitro. Peripheral membrane proteins are crucial components of this actin assembly machinery, and we demonstrate a role for ezrin and/or moesin in this process. We propose that this actin assembly process facilitates phagosome/endosome aggregation prior to membrane fusion.
authors.affiliation: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, Postfach 102209, 69012 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Defacque
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Egeberg
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Habermann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diakonova
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mangeat
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Voelter
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marriott
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pfannstiel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Faulstich
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Griffiths
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D015638:Cytochalasin D / Q000494:pharmacology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007700:Kinetics; D008264:Macrophages; D008561:Membrane Fusion; D051379:Mice; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010588:Phagosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013947:Thymosin / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4); D000099149:Ezrin
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D015638:Cytochalasin D; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013947:Thymosin; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4); D000099149:Ezrin; C071058:moesin