title: Alpha-chimaerin exists in a functional complex with the Cdk5 kinase in brain.
abstract: Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in association with its neuronal activators p35 and p39 shows a complex involvement in the control of neurocytoskeletal dynamics. Here we show that alpha-chimaerin, a GTPase-activating protein specific for Rac and Cdc42, is a p35-binding protein. The interaction domains of p35 and alpha-chimaerin were delineated. In transfected HeLa cells, p35 and alpha-chimaerin displayed an overlapping distribution pattern and they could be co-immunoprecipitated from the cell lysate. As alpha-chimaerin has a regulatory function in actin repolymerization, these results suggested that the regulation of neurocytoskeleton dynamics by Cdk5 is mediated at least in part via alpha-chimaerin.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Robert Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Yick-Pang
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Ching
authors.forename: Hsiang-Fu
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.forename: Jerry H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology; D020848:Chimerin 1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051360:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D015723:Gene Library; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011485:Protein Binding; D014162:Transfection; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D020848:Chimerin 1; D051360:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5; C495905:CDK5 protein, human; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases