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Green fluorescent protein-mTalin causes defects in actin organization and cell expansion in Arabidopsis and inhibits actin depolymerizing factor's actin depolymerizing activity in vitro.

Expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) linked to an actin binding domain is a commonly used method for live cell imaging of the actin cytoskeleton. One of these chimeric proteins is GFP-mTalin (GFP fused to the actin binding domain of mouse talin). Although it has been demonstrated that GFP-mTalin colocalizes with the actin cytoskeleton, its effect on actin dynamics and cell expansion has not been studied in detail. We created Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants harboring alcohol inducible GFP-mTalin constructs to assess the effect of GFP-mTalin expression in vivo. We focused on the growing root hair as this is a model cell for studying cell expansion and root hair tip growth that requires a highly dynamic and polar actin cytoskeleton. We show that alcohol inducible expression of GFP-mTalin in root hairs causes severe defects in actin organization, resulting in either the termination of growth, cell death, and/or changes in cell shape. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching experiments demonstrate that the interaction of GFP-mTalin and actin filaments is highly dynamic. To assess how GFP-mTalin affects actin dynamics we performed cosedimentation assays of GFP-mTalin with actin on its own or in the presence of the actin modulating protein, actin depolymerizing factor. We show that that GFP-mTalin does not affect actin polymerization but that it does inhibit the actin depolymerizing activity of actin depolymerizing factor. These observations demonstrate that GFP-mTalin can affect cell expansion, actin organization, and the interaction of actin binding proteins with actin.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Regulation of a wheat actin-depolymerizing factor during cold acclimation.

We have previously shown that the wheat (Triticum aestivum) TaADF gene expression level is correlated with the plants capacity to tolerate freezing. Sequence analysis revealed that this gene encodes a protein homologous to members of the actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin family. We report here on the characterization of the recombinant TaADF protein. Assays for ADF activity showed that TaADF is capable of sequestering actin, preventing nucleotide exchange, and inducing actin depolymerization. In vitro phosphorylation studies showed that TaADF is a substrate for a wheat 52-kD kinase. The activity of this kinase is modulated by low temperature during the acclimation period. Western-blot analyses revealed that TaADF is expressed only in cold-acclimated Gramineae species and that the accumulation level is much higher in the freezing-tolerant wheat cultivars compared with the less tolerant ones. This accumulation was found to be regulated by a factor(s) encoded by a gene(s) located on chromosome 5A, the chromosome most often found to be associated with cold hardiness. The induction of an active ADF during cold acclimation and the correlation with an increased freezing tolerance suggest that the protein may be required for the cytoskeletal rearrangements that may occur upon low temperature exposure. These remodelings might be important for the enhancement of freezing tolerance.

Acclimatization↗

Regulation of the pollen-specific actin-depolymerizing factor LlADF1.

Pollen tube growth is dependent on a dynamic actin cytoskeleton, suggesting that actin-regulating proteins are involved. We have examined the regulation of the lily pollen-specific actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) LlADF1. Its actin binding and depolymerizing activity is pH sensitive, inhibited by certain phosphoinositides, but not controlled by phosphorylation. Compared with its F-actin binding properties, its low activity in depolymerization assays has been used to explain why pollen ADF decorates F-actin in pollen grains. This low activity is incompatible with a role in increasing actin dynamics necessary to promote pollen tube growth. We have identified a plant homolog of actin-interacting protein, AIP1, which enhances the depolymerization of F-actin in the presence of LlADF1 by approximately 60%. Both pollen ADF and pollen AIP1 bind F-actin in pollen grains but are mainly cytoplasmic in pollen tubes. Our results suggest that together these proteins remodel actin filaments as pollen grains enter and exit dormancy.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Actin-depolymerizing factor mediates Rac/Rop GTPase-regulated pollen tube growth.

Pollen tube elongation is a rapid tip growth process that is driven by a dynamic actin cytoskeleton. A ubiquitous family of actin binding proteins, actin-depolymerizing factors (ADFs)/cofilins, bind to actin filaments, induce severing, enhance depolymerization from their slow-growing end, and are important for maintaining actin dynamics in vivo. ADFs/cofilins are regulated by multiple mechanisms, among which Rho small GTPase-activated phosphorylation at a terminal region Ser residue plays an important role in regulating their actin binding and depolymerizing activity, affecting actin reorganization. We have shown previously that a tobacco pollen-specific ADF, NtADF1, is important for maintaining normal pollen tube actin cytoskeleton organization and growth. Here, we show that tobacco pollen grains accumulate phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated forms of ADFs, suggesting that phosphorylation could be a regulatory mechanism for their activity. In plants, Rho-related Rac/Rop GTPases have been shown to be important regulators for pollen tube growth. Overexpression of Rac/Rop GTPases converts polar growth into isotropic growth, resulting in pollen tubes with ballooned tips and a disrupted actin cytoskeleton. Using the Rac/Rop GTPase-induced defective pollen tube phenotype as a functional assay, we show that overexpression of NtADF1 suppresses the ability of NtRac1, a tobacco Rac/Rop GTPase, to convert pollen tube tip growth to isotropic growth. This finding suggests that NtADF1 acts in a common pathway with NtRac1 to regulate pollen tube growth. A mutant form of NtADF1 with a nonphosphorylatable Ala substitution at its Ser-6 position [NtADF1(S6A)] shows increased activity, whereas the mutant NtADF1(S6D), which has a phospho-mimicking Asp substitution at the same position, shows reduced ability to counteract the effect of NtRac1. These observations suggest that phosphorylation at Ser-6 of NtADF1 could be important for its integration into the NtRac1 signaling pathway. Moreover, overexpression of NtRac1 diminishes the actin binding activity of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-NtADF1 but has little effect on the association of GFP-NtADF1(S6A) with actin cables in pollen tubes. Together, these observations suggest that NtRac1-activated activity regulates the actin binding and depolymerizing activity of NtADF1, probably via phosphorylation at Ser-6. This notion is further supported by the observation that overexpressing a constitutively active NtRac1 in transformed pollen grains significantly increases the ratio of phosphorylated to nonphosphorylated ADFs. Together, the observations reported here strongly support the idea that NtRac1 modulates NtADF1 activity through phosphorylation at Ser-6 to regulate actin dynamics.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

ADF proteins are involved in the control of flowering and regulate F-actin organization, cell expansion, and organ growth in Arabidopsis.

Based mostly on the results of in vitro experiments, ADF (actin-depolymerizing factor) proteins are thought to be key modulators of the dynamic organization of the actin cytoskeleton. The few studies concerned with the in vivo function of ADF proteins that have been reported to date were performed almost exclusively using single-cell systems and have failed to produce consistent results. To investigate ADF functions in vivo and during the development of multicellular organs, we generated transgenic Arabidopsis plants that express a cDNA encoding an ADF protein (AtADF1) in the sense or the antisense orientation under the control of a strong constitutively active promoter. Selected lines with significantly altered levels of AtADF protein expression were characterized phenotypically. Overexpression of AtADF1 resulted in the disappearance of thick actin cables in different cell types, caused irregular cellular and tissue morphogenesis, and reduced the growth of cells and organs. In contrast, reduced AtADF expression promoted the formation of actin cables, resulted in a delay in flowering, and stimulated cell expansion as well as organ growth. These results are consistent with the molecular functions of ADF as predicted by in vitro studies, support the global roles of ADF proteins during the development of a multicellular organism, and demonstrate that these proteins are key regulators of F-actin organization, flowering, and cell and organ expansion in Arabidopsis.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Preparation of highly purified F-actin-depolymerizing factor of human serum.

F-actin depolymerizing factor (ADF) of human serum was purified 250-400-fold to more than 98% purity with high reproducibility. The purification included (1) 30-50% (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, (2) ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose, (3) chromatofocusing on Polybuffer exchanger 94 and (4) affinity chromatography on ConA-Sepharose. The recovery of ADF was estimated to be 20-30% whereas the ADF activity yield was 5-17%. The lower activity yield was thought to be due-partly to proteolysis and partly to destabilization of highly purified ADF.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Further characterization of the Ca2+-dependent F-actin-depolymerizing protein of human serum.

The F-actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) of human serum was purified and identified as a 93000-daltons protein. The concentration of ADF was calculated to 120-150 micrograms/ml in four normal sera and about half as much in three sera from leukemia patients treated with cytostatic drugs. In the presence of Ca2+ ADF shortened actin filaments into fragments, the size of which was correlated to the actin: ADF molar ratio, as judged by electron microscopy. The severing of F-actin was not necessarily followed by an increase in the quantities of monomeric actin, as determined by a DNase I inhibition assay and a sedimentation assay. The findings indicated that ADF shortens filamentous actin by breaking bonds between adjacent actin molecules thereby forming stable ADF-actin complexes, without a monomeric net release. The effect of ADF on F-actin was rapid and was reversed upon chelation of Ca2+. ADF cross-reacted immunologically and exhibited similarity in reaction mechanism with gelsolin, the Ca2+-dependent F-actin-severing protein from macrophages. This implies that the proteins are both structurally and functionally related. The physiological role of ADF may be to handle actin released at cell destruction, probably by forming ADF-G-actin 1:1 complexes thereby preventing formation of actin filaments.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Human plasma actin-depolymerizing factor. Purification, biological activity and localization in leukocytes and platelets.

The plasma and serum of humans and various animal species exert an actin-depolymerizing activity. Human actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) has been purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose and blue-Sepharose chromatography. It is a single polypeptide of approximately 90 kDa, with a pI between 6.0 and 6.5. ADF is heat and trypsin-sensitive, inactivated by EGTA, not stained by HIO4/Schiff on sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS/PAGE), and not retained on a concanavalin-A-Sepharose column. Incubation of ethanol-fixed cultured cells or unfixed cryostat tissue sections with ADF abolishes immunofluorescent actin staining, by a mechanism which involves extraction of actin from the preparations. ADF promotes fragmentation and depolymerization of actin filaments as shown by electron microscopy, differential ultracentrifugation and DNAse I inhibition assay. This depolymerized actin retains its mobility on SDS/PAGE and is able to repolymerize in the presence of EGTA. Human white blood cells and platelets (but neither human fibroblasts nor white blood cells and platelets from pig, rat and rabbit) contain a 90-kDa protein reacting with an antibody raised in rabbit against human ADF as judged by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting techniques. Immunoblots of human granulocyte subcellular fractions suggest that the protein reacting with ADF antibody is present in the soluble cytoplasmic fraction. ADF may play a role in solubilization of plasma actin and in the intracellular organization of actin, and should be useful for the evaluation of the relative stability of cytoplasmic actin filaments in various physiological and pathological processes.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Purification and characterization of a protein from chicken gizzard, which inhibits actin polymerization.

An actin-polymerization-inhibiting protein, that occurs in crude preparations of vinculin from chicken gizzard, has been purified by DEAE-cellulose and carboxymethyl ion-exchange chromatography. According to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and to gel filtration the polymerization-inhibiting protein is heterogeneous and the molecular mass ranges from 20 kDa to 80 kDa. After treatment with acid the polymerization-inhibiting activity was found to migrate on a SDS/polyacrylamide gel as a single band of molecular mass about 32 kDa. The mechanism of the action of the polymerization-inhibiting protein on actin assembly was investigated by the effect on the kinetics of actin polymerization. The polymerization-inhibiting protein blocks elongation of actin filaments at substoichiometric ratios but does not nucleate actin filaments. The equilibrium constant for binding of the polymerization-inhibiting protein to the barbed end of an actin filament was estimated to be 2 X 10(6) M-1 in 100 mM KCl and 2 mM MgCl2, and 35 X 10(6) M-1 in 2 mM MgCl2.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

An 100-kDa Ca2+-sensitive actin-fragmenting protein from unfertilized sea urchin egg.

An actin-modulating protein was purified from unfertilized eggs of sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus, by means of DNase I affinity and DEAE-cellulose column chromatographies. This protein was a globular protein with a Stokes radius of 41-42 nm and consisted of a single polypeptide chain having an apparent molecular mass of 100 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Gel filtration chromatography revealed that one 100-kDa protein molecule binds two or three actin monomers in the presence of Ca2+, but such binding was not observed in the absence of Ca2+. The effect of the 100-kDa protein on the polymerization of actin was studied by viscometry, spectrophotometry and electron microscopy. The initial rate of actin polymerization was decreased at a very low molar ratio of 100-kDa protein/actin. Acceleration of the initial rate of polymerization occurred at a relatively high, but still substoichiometric, molar ratio of 100-kDa protein/actin. The 100-kDa protein produced fragmentation of muscle actin filaments at Ca2+ concentrations greater than 0.3 microM as revealed by viscometry and electron microscopy. Evidence was also presented that the 100-kDa protein binds to the barbed end of the actin filament.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Characterization of the actin polymerization-inhibiting protein from chicken gizzard smooth muscle.

An actin polymerization-inhibiting protein, occurring in crude preparations of vinculin from chicken gizzard, has been found to be heterogeneous. The molecular masses of the polymerization-inhibiting peptides have been reported to range from 20 kDa to 80 kDa [Schröer, E. & Wegner, A (1985) Eur. J. Biochem. 153, 515-520]. In this paper, a 21-kDa peptide was isolated from the bulk of the other peptides by gel chromatography. The 21-kDa peptide was identified as a polymerization-inhibiting peptide by its ability to retard nucleated actin polymerization and to bind polymeric actin when it was blotted onto nitrocellulose. Antiserum raised to the 21-kDa peptide was found to react with almost all peptides of the blotted heterogeneous polymerization-inhibiting protein. The same peptides which reacted with antiserum cosedimented with polymeric actin. The major peptides of the blotted polymerization-inhibiting protein bound polymeric actin. The largest peptide which reacted with antiserum and cosedimented with polymeric actin had a molecular mass of 85 kDa. The results suggest that the preparation of polymerization-inhibiting protein contains mainly polymerization-inhibiting peptides and only some contaminants, and that all the polymerization-inhibiting peptides are proteolytic fragments stemming from a common precursor.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

The influence of substoichiometric concentrations of myosin subfragment 1 on the state of aggregation of actin under depolymerizing conditions.

In 3 mM KCl, 2 mM Tris/HCl pH 7.5, 22 degrees C, 0.38 microM myosin subfragment 1 delays the depolymerization of F-actin (7.2 microM measured as monomer). The depolymerization proceeds rapidly for a few minutes and then slows down suddenly when the ratio between the monomers in the actin filaments and myosin subfragment 1 reaches the value of 11. At this time myosin subfragment 1 is substantially all bound to the actin polymers which form an irregular and discontinuous network of filaments running in doublets and in triplets, perhaps cross-linked by myosin subfragment 1. Depolymerization proceeds then for several hours, apparently ending up with the formation of the 1:1 actin-S1 heteropolymer. The ratio between the monomers in the actin filaments and myosin subfragment 1 at the end of the rapid depolymerization process is different for different protein preparations and may be as low as 5.5. In 2 mM Tris/HCl pH 7.5, 25 degrees C, 1 microM myosin subfragment 1 is able to induce the formation of undecorated actin filaments from 12 microM ATP--G-actin. These filaments probably originate by redistribution of myosin subfragment 1 between the newly formed 1/1 actin-S1 heteropolymer and G-actin in the medium, a process which allows the transient formation of undecorated actin filaments.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Regulating filopodial dynamics through actin-depolymerizing factor/cofilin.

The regulation of filopodial dynamics by neurotrophins and other guidance cues plays an integral role in growth cone pathfinding. Filopodia are F-actin-based structures that explore the local environment, generate forces and play a role in growth cone translocation. Here, we review recent research showing that the actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin family of proteins mediates changes in the length and number of growth cone filopodia in response to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Although inhibition of myosin contractility also causes filopodial elongation, the elongation in response to BDNF does not occur through a myosin-dependent pathway. Active ADF/cofilin increases the rate of cycling between the monomer and polymer pools and is critical for the BDNF-induced changes. Thus, we discuss potential mechanisms by which ADF/cofilin may affect filopodial initiation and length change via its effects on F-actin dynamics in light of past research on actin and myosin function in growth cones.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Efficient Salmonella entry requires activity cycles of host ADF and cofilin.

Entry of Salmonella into mammalian cells is strictly dependent on the reorganization of actin cytoskeleton induced by a panel of Salmonella type III secreted proteins. Although several factors have been identified to be responsible for inducing the actin polymerization and stability, little is known about how the actin depolymerization contributes to Salmonella-induced actin rearrangements. We report here that activity cycles of host actin depolymerizing factor (ADF and cofilin) are modulated by Salmonella during bacterial entry. Efficient Salmonella internalization involves an initial dephosphorylation of ADF and cofilin followed by phosphorylation, suggesting that ADF and cofilin activities are increased briefly. Expression of a kinase dead form of an ADF/cofilin kinase (LIM kinase 1) or a catalytically inactive ADF/cofilin phosphatase (Slingshot), but not constitutively active LIM kinase 1 or wild-type Slingshot, resulted in decreased invasion. These data suggest that ADF/cofilin activities play a key role in the actin polymerization/depolymerization process induced by Salmonella. The activation of ADF/cofilin is brief and has to be reversed to facilitate efficient bacterial entry. Surprisingly, co-expression of constitutive active ADF and cofilin prevented efficient Salmonella entry, whereas expression of either one alone had no effect. We propose that ADF and cofilin actin-dynamizing activities and their activity cycling via phosphorylation are required for efficient Salmonella internalization.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Actin depolymerizing factor is a component of slow axonal transport.

We examined the low molecular weight proteins transported with actin in the chicken sciatic nerve after injection of [35S]methionine into the lumbar spinal cord. A prominent component of slow axonal transport with apparent molecular mass 19 kDa comigrated on two-dimensional gels with chicken actin depolymerizing factor (ADF), previously shown to be a major actin-binding protein in brain. There was comparatively little radioactivity associated with the actin monomer sequestering proteins, profilin or cofilin, and examination of the rapid component of axonal transport failed to reveal appreciable quantities of actin, ADF, profilin, or cofilin. These results show that both actin and ADF are carried by slow axonal transport and raise the possibility that actin travels within the axon in an unpolymerized form in a complex with ADF.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Mechanism of actin-based motility.

Spatially controlled polymerization of actin is at the origin of cell motility and is responsible for the formation of cellular protrusions like lamellipodia. The pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella flexneri, which undergo actin-based propulsion, are acknowledged models of the leading edge of lamellipodia. Actin-based motility of the bacteria or of functionalized microspheres can be reconstituted in vitro from only five pure proteins. Movement results from the regulated site-directed treadmilling of actin filaments, consistent with observations of actin dynamics in living motile cells and with the biochemical properties of the components of the synthetic motility medium.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

The pleckstrin homology domain-containing protein CKIP-1 is involved in regulation of cell morphology and the actin cytoskeleton and interaction with actin capping protein.

CKIP-1 is a pleckstrin homology domain-containing protein that interacts with protein kinase CK2. To elucidate the functions of CKIP-1, we generated human osteosarcoma cell lines with tetracycline-regulated expression of Flag-CKIP-1. Flag-CKIP-1 expression resulted in distinct changes in cellular morphology. Therefore, we examined the actin profile by immunofluorescence, quantitative measurement of phalloidin binding, and immunoblot analysis. These studies demonstrate that Flag-CKIP-1 expression resulted in increases in F-actin staining and protein levels of beta-actin. To elucidate the mechanisms behind the observed phenotype, we utilized tandem affinity purification to isolate CKIP-1 interacting proteins. Mass spectrometry analysis led to the identification of the actin capping protein subunits, CPalpha and CPbeta, as novel CKIP-1 interaction partners. Interactions were confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation and by colocalization. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Ser9 of CPalpha is phosphorylated by protein kinase CK2 in vitro, that CPalpha is phosphorylated in vivo, and that treatment with a CK2-specific inhibitor results in a decrease in CPalpha phosphorylation. Finally, we demonstrate that CKIP-1 and CK2 inhibit the activity of actin capping protein at the barbed ends of actin filaments. Overall, our results are consistent with CKIP-1 playing a role in the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton through its interactions with actin capping protein.

Actin Capping Proteins↗