Localized stabilization of microtubules by integrin- and FAK-facilitated Rho signaling.

Palazzo, Alexander F; Eng, Christina H; Schlaepfer, David D; Marcantonio, Eugene E; Gundersen, Gregg G · Science · 2004

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Microtubule (MT) stabilization is regulated by the small guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein Rho and its effector, mammalian homolog of Diaphanous (mDia), in migrating cells, but factors responsible for localized stabilization at the leading edge are unknown. We report that integrin-mediated activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) at the leading edge is required for MT stabilization by the Rho-mDia signaling pathway in mouse fibroblasts. MT stabilization also involved FAK-regulated localization of a lipid raft marker, ganglioside GM1, to the leading edge. The integrin-FAK signaling pathway may facilitate Rho-mDia signaling through GM1, or through a specialized membrane domain containing GM1, to stabilize MTs in the leading edge of migrating cells.

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