A matricellular protein and EGF-like repeat signalling in the social amoebozoan Dictyostelium discoideum.
Matricellular proteins interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM) and modulate cellular processes by binding to cell surface receptors and initiating intracellular signal transduction. Their association with the ECM and the ability of some members of this protein family to regulate cell motility have opened up new avenues of research to investigate their functions in normal and diseased cells. In this review, we summarize the research on CyrA, an ECM calmodulin-binding protein in Dictyostelium. CyrA is proteolytically cleaved into smaller EGF-like (EGFL) repeat containing cleavage products during development. The first EGFL repeat of CyrA binds to the cell surface and activates a novel signalling pathway that modulates cell motility in this model organism. The similarity of CyrA to the most well-characterized matricellular proteins in mammals allows it to be designated as the first matricellular protein identified in Dictyostelium.
Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G5, Canada, robert.huber@utoronto.ca.
Robert J
RJ
Huber
Danton H
DH
O'Day
D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000378:metabolism; D004023:Dictyostelium / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020449:Repetitive Sequences, Amino Acid / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction
D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002147:Calmodulin; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor