rhogtpases

Formin' actin at adherens junctions

Actin assembly promotes the formation of intercellular adherens junctions, but the role of actin-nucleating formin proteins in this process remains unclear. Grikscheit et al. reveal that, in breast epithelial cells cultured in 3D, the formin FMNL2 stimulates junctional actin assembly downstream of the small GTPase Rac1. This biosights episode presents the paper by Grikscheit et al. from the May 11, 2015, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with the paper's senior author, Robert Grosse (University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

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During an immune response, T cells move into tissues from the vasculature by crossing the endothelial cell layer lining blood vessel walls. Heasman et al. reveal that this transendothelial migration requires signaling at both the front and back of leukocytes by the small GTPase RhoA. This biosights episode presents the paper by Heasman et al. from the August 23, 2010 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with senior author Anne Ridley. Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short.

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The Rockefeller University Press
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