title: FERM domain interaction promotes FAK signaling.
abstract: From the results of deletion analyses, the FERM domain of FAK has been proposed to inhibit enzymatic activity and repress FAK signaling. We have identified a sequence in the FERM domain that is important for FAK signaling in vivo. Point mutations in this sequence had little effect upon catalytic activity in vitro. However, the mutant exhibits reduced tyrosine phosphorylation and dramatically reduced Src family kinase binding. Further, the abilities of the mutant to transduce biochemical signals and to promote cell migration were severely impaired. The results implicate a FERM domain interaction in cell adhesion-dependent activation of FAK and downstream signaling. We also show that the purified FERM domain of FAK interacts with full-length FAK in vitro, and mutation of this sequence disrupts the interaction. These findings are discussed in the context of models of FAK regulation by its FERM domain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, USA.
authors.forename: Jill M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dunty
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gabarra-Niecko
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Derek F J
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Ceccarelli
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Eck
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Schaller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; D051418:Focal Adhesion Kinase 2; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008958:Models, Molecular; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000737:chemistry; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014443:Tyrosine; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; D051418:Focal Adhesion Kinase 2; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C496050:PTK2 protein, human; C496052:Ptk2 protein, rat; C496054:Ptk2b protein, rat; D019061:src-Family Kinases