Rho GTPases and the control of cell behaviour
- 26 October 2005
- journal article
- Published by Portland Press Ltd. in Biochemical Society Transactions
- Vol. 33 (5), 891-895
- https://doi.org/10.1042/bst0330891
Abstract
Rho, Rac and Cdc42, three members of the Rho family of small GTPases, each control a signal transduction pathway linking membrane receptors to the assembly and disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton and of associated integrin adhesion complexes. Rho regulates stress fibre and focal adhesion assembly, Rac regulates the formation of lamellipodia protrusions and membrane ruffles, and Cdc42 triggers filopodial extensions at the cell periphery. These observations have led to the suggestion that wherever filamentous actin is used to drive a cellular process, Rho GTPases are likely to play an important regulatory role. Rho GTPases have also been reported to control other cellular activities, such as the JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) and p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) cascades, an NADPH oxidase enzyme complex, the transcription factors NF-κB (nuclear factor κB) and SRF (serum-response factor), and progression through G1 of the cell cycle. Thus Rho, Rac and Cdc42 can regulate the actin cytoskeleton and gene transcription to promote co-ordinated changes in cell behaviour. We have been analysing the biochemical contributions of Rho GTPases in cell movement and have found that Rac controls cell protrusion, while Cdc42 controls cell polarity.Keywords
This publication has 32 references indexed in Scilit:
- Cdc42 controls the polarity of the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons through two distinct signal transduction pathwaysJournal of Cell Science, 2005
- Actin Dynamics Control SRF Activity by Regulation of Its Coactivator MALCell, 2003
- Formation of filopodia-like bundles in vitro from a dendritic networkThe Journal of cell biology, 2003
- Cdc42 regulates GSK-3β and adenomatous polyposis coli to control cell polarityNature, 2003
- Rho GTPases in cell biologyNature, 2002
- Selective activation of the JNK signaling cascadeand c-Jun transcriptional activity by the small GTPases Rac and Cdc42HsCell, 1995
- The small GTP-binding proteins Rac1 and Cdc42regulate the activity of the JNK/SAPK signaling pathwayCell, 1995
- Rho, Rac, and Cdc42 GTPases regulate the assembly of multimolecular focal complexes associated with actin stress fibers, lamellipodia, and filopodiaCell, 1995
- The small GTP-binding protein rac regulates growth factor-induced membrane rufflingCell, 1992
- The small GTP-binding protein rho regulates the assembly of focal adhesions and actin stress fibers in response to growth factorsCell, 1992