title: Posttranslational myristoylation of caspase-activated p21-activated protein kinase 2 (PAK2) potentiates late apoptotic events.
abstract: p21-activated protein kinase (PAK) 2 is a small GTPase-activated serine/threonine kinase regulating various cytoskeletal functions and is cleaved by caspase-3 during apoptosis. We demonstrate that the caspase-cleaved PAK2 C-terminal kinase fragment (C-t-PAK2) is posttranslationally myristoylated, although myristoylation is typically a cotranslational process. Myristoylation and an adjacent polybasic domain of C-t-PAK2 are sufficient to redirect EGFP from the cytosol to membrane ruffles and internal membranes. Membrane localization and the ability of C-t-PAK2 to induce cell death are significantly reduced when myristoylation is abolished. In addition, the proper myristoylation-dependent membrane localization of C-t-PAK2 significantly increased signaling through the stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling pathway, which often regulates apoptosis. Interestingly, C-t-PAK2 promoted cell death without compromising mitochondrial integrity. Posttranslational myristoylation of caspase-cleaved proteins involved in cytoskeletal dynamics (e.g., PAK2, actin, and gelsolin) might be part of a unique series of mechanisms involved in the regulation of the later events of apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2H7.
authors.forename: Gonzalo L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Vilas
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Corvi
authors.forename: Greg J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Plummer
authors.forename: Andrea M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Seime
authors.forename: Gareth R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Lambkin
authors.forename: Luc G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Berthiaume
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D019556:COS Cells; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D009227:Myristic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases
chemical_list: D009227:Myristic Acids; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000217:Acyltransferases; C050480:glycylpeptide N-tetradecanoyltransferase; C515907:PAK2 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases