ADF/Cofilin Regulates Actomyosin Assembly through Competitive Inhibition of Myosin II Binding to F-Actin

作者：Wiggan O' Neil^*; Shaw Alisa E; DeLuca Jennifer G; Bamburg James R

来源：Developmental Cell, 2012, 22(3): 530-543.

DOI：10.1016/j.devcel.2011.12.026

The contractile actin cortex is important for diverse fundamental cell processes, but little is known about how the assembly of F-actin and myosin II motors is regulated. We report that depletion of actin depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin proteins in human cells causes increased contractile cortical actomyosin assembly. Remarkably, our data reveal that the major cellular defects resulting from ADF/cofilin depletion, including cortical F-actin accumulation, were largely due to excessive myosin II activity. We identify that ADF/cofilins from unicellular organisms to humans share a conserved activity to inhibit myosin II binding to F-actin, indicating a mechanistic rationale for our cellular results. Our study establishes an essential requirement for ADF/cofilin proteins in the control of normal cortical contractility and in processes such as mitotic karyokinesis. We propose that ADF/cofilin proteins are necessary for controlling actomyosin assembly and intracellular contractile force generation, a function of equal physiological importance to their established roles in mediating F-actin turnover.

• 出版日期2012-3-13