title: Merlin phosphorylation by p21-activated kinase 2 and effects of phosphorylation on merlin localization.
abstract: The Nf2 tumor suppressor gene product merlin is related to the membrane-cytoskeleton linker proteins of the band 4.1 superfamily, including ezrin, radixin, and moesin (ERMs). Merlin is regulated by phosphorylation in a Rac/cdc42-dependent fashion. We report that the phosphorylation of merlin at serine 518 is induced by the p21-activated kinase PAK2. This is demonstrated by biochemical fractionation, use of active and dominant-negative mutants of PAK2, and immunodepletion. By using wild-type and mutated forms of merlin and phospho-directed antibodies, we show that phosphorylation of merlin at serine 518 leads to dramatic protein relocalization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Center for Cancer Research and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kissil
authors.forename: Kristen C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Matthew S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Eckman
authors.forename: Tyler
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jacks
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D025581:Neurofibromin 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012694:Serine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases
chemical_list: D025581:Neurofibromin 2; D012694:Serine; C515909:Pak2 protein, mouse; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein