title: ActA and human zyxin harbour Arp2/3-independent actin-polymerization activity.
abstract: The actin cytoskeleton is a dynamic network that is composed of a variety of F-actin structures. To understand how these structures are produced, we tested the capacity of proteins to direct actin polymerization in a bead assay in vitro and in a mitochondrial-targeting assay in cells. We found that human zyxin and the related protein ActA of Listeria monocytogenes can generate new actin structures in a vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein-dependent (VASP) manner, but independently of the Arp2/3 complex. These results are consistent with the concept that there are multiple actin-polymerization machines in cells. With these simple tests it is possible to probe the specific function of proteins or identify novel molecules that act upon cellular actin polymerization.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Morphogenèse et Signalisation Cellulaires, Unité Mixte de Recherche CNRS/Institut Curie (UMR144) 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248 Paris cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fradelizi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Noireaux
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plastino
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Menichi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Louvard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sykes
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Golsteyn
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Friederich
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051377:Actin-Related Protein 2; D051378:Actin-Related Protein 3; D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001681:Biological Assay; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D002474:Cell-Free System; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008667:Metalloproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D008863:Microspheres; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011108:Polymers / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014709:Vero Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051316:Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein; D060589:Zyxin; D000098662:Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein
chemical_list: C495926:ACTR2 protein, human; C495928:ACTR3 protein, human; D051377:Actin-Related Protein 2; D051378:Actin-Related Protein 3; D000199:Actins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008667:Metalloproteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011108:Polymers; D011506:Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C495767:WAS protein, human; D051316:Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein; C092842:ZYX protein, human; D060589:Zyxin; D000098662:Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein; C072980:actA protein, Listeria monocytogenes