title: Chemotaxis: signalling modules join hands at front and tail.
abstract: Chemotaxis is the result of a refined interplay among various intracellular molecules that process spatial and temporal information. Here we present a modular scheme of the complex interactions between the front and the back of cells that allows them to navigate. First, at the front of the cell, activated Rho-type GTPases induce actin polymerization and pseudopod formation. Second, phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3)) is produced in a patch at the leading edge, where it binds pleckstrin-homology-domain-containing proteins, which enhance actin polymerization and translocation of the pseudopod. Third, in Dictyostelium amoebae, a cyclic-GMP-signalling cascade has been identified that regulates myosin filament formation in the posterior of the cell, thereby inhibiting the formation of lateral pseudopodia that could misdirect the cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Postma
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bosgraaf
authors.forename: Harriët M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Loovers
authors.forename: Peter J M
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Van Haastert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048430:Cell Shape; D002633:Chemotaxis; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004023:Dictyostelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D018129:Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D011554:Pseudopodia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D018129:Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates; C060974:phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate; D006152:Cyclic GMP