title: The p150-Spir protein provides a link between c-Jun N-terminal kinase function and actin reorganization.
abstract: The Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is a downstream effector of Rac and Cdc42 GTPases involved in actin reorganization [1-3]. A role of the Drosophila JNK homologue, Basket (DJNK/Bsk), in the regulation of cell shape changes and actin reorganization arises from its function in the process of dorsal closure [4-6]. One potential mechanism for induction of cytoskeletal changes by JNK is via transcriptional activation of the decapentaplegic gene (dpp, a member of the TGFbeta superfamily) [6]. A direct link between JNK signalling and actin organization has not yet been found, however. We have identified a novel DJNK-interacting protein, p150-Spir, that belongs to the Wiscott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) homology domain 2 (WH2) family of proteins involved in actin reorganization [7] [8]. It is a multidomain protein with a cluster of four WH2 domains, a modified FYVE zinc-finger motif [9], and a DEJL motif, a docking site for JNK [10], at its carboxy-terminal end. In mouse fibroblasts, p150-Spir colocalized with F-actin and its overexpression induced clustering of filamentous actin around the nucleus. When coexpressed with p150-Spir in NIH 3T3 cells, JNK translocated to and colocalizes with p150-Spir at discrete spots around the nucleus. Carboxy-terminal sequences of p150-Spir were phosphorylated by JNK both in vitro and in vivo. We conclude that p150-Spir is a downstream target of JNK function and provides a direct link between JNK and actin organization.
authors.affiliation: Institut für medizinische Strahlenkunde und Zellforschung, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, 97078, Germany.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Raabe
authors.forename: U E
authors.initials: UE
authors.lastname: Rennefahrt
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bork
authors.forename: U R
authors.initials: UR
authors.lastname: Rapp
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kerkhoff
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D051379:Mice; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010766:Phosphorylation
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; C402385:spir protein, Drosophila; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C117694:Hep protein, Drosophila; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases