title: Cofilin promotes actin polymerization and defines the direction of cell motility.
abstract: A general caging method for proteins that are regulated by phosphorylation was used to study the in vivo biochemical action of cofilin and the subsequent cellular response. By acute and local activation of a chemically engineered, light-sensitive phosphocofilin mimic, we demonstrate that cofilin polymerizes actin, generates protrusions, and determines the direction of cell migration. We propose a role for cofilin that is distinct from its role as an actin-depolymerizing factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Mousumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ghassan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mouneimne
authors.forename: Mazen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sidani
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Condeelis
mesh_terms: D051339:Actin Depolymerizing Factors; D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001704:Biopolymers; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D008027:Light; D054461:Lim Kinases; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008845:Microinjections; D009154:Mutation; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000737:chemistry; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011485:Protein Binding; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011554:Pseudopodia / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D051339:Actin Depolymerizing Factors; D000199:Actins; D001704:Biopolymers; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D010648:Phenylacetates; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C485243:alpha-bromo-alpha-(2-nitrophenyl)acetic acid; D011494:Protein Kinases; D054461:Lim Kinases; C515894:Limk1 protein, rat