title: An Elmo-Dock complex locally controls Rho GTPases and actin remodeling during cadherin-mediated adhesion.
abstract: Cell-cell contact formation is a dynamic process requiring the coordination of cadherin-based cell-cell adhesion and integrin-based cell migration. A genome-wide RNA interference screen for proteins required specifically for cadherin-dependent cell-cell adhesion identified an Elmo-Dock complex. This was unexpected as Elmo-Dock complexes act downstream of integrin signaling as Rac guanine-nucleotide exchange factors. In this paper, we show that Elmo2 recruits Dock1 to initial cell-cell contacts in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. At cell-cell contacts, both Elmo2 and Dock1 are essential for the rapid recruitment and spreading of E-cadherin, actin reorganization, localized Rac and Rho GTPase activities, and the development of strong cell-cell adhesion. Upon completion of cell-cell adhesion, Elmo2 and Dock1 no longer localize to cell-cell contacts and are not required subsequently for the maintenance of cell-cell adhesion. These studies show that Elmo-Dock complexes are involved in both integrin- and cadherin-based adhesions, which may help to coordinate the transition of cells from migration to strong cell-cell adhesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology; and Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 christopher.TORET@univ-amu.fr wjnelson@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Toret
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology; and Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305.
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology; and Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 Department of Biology; and Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 christopher.TORET@univ-amu.fr wjnelson@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: W James
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004285:Dogs; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D061985:Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D021381:Protein Transport; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins