Association of the myosin-binding subunit of myosin phosphatase and moesin: dual regulation of moesin phosphorylation by Rho-associated kinase and myosin phosphatase

J Cell Biol. 1998 Apr 20;141(2):409-18. doi: 10.1083/jcb.141.2.409.

Abstract

The small GTPase Rho is believed to regulate the actin cytoskeleton and cell adhesion through its specific targets. We previously identified the Rho targets: protein kinase N, Rho-associated kinase (Rho-kinase), and the myosin-binding subunit (MBS) of myosin phosphatase. We found that in MDCK epithelial cells, MBS accumulated at the tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced membrane ruffling area, where moesin, a member of the ERM (ezrin, radixin, and moesin) family, was localized. Neither membrane ruffling nor an accumulation of moesin and MBS at the free-end plasma membrane was induced when MDCK cells were stimulated with TPA after the microinjection of C3, which ADP-ribosylates and inactivates Rho. MBS was colocalized with moesin at the cell-cell contact sites in MDCK cells. We also found that moesin was coimmunoprecipitated with MBS from MDCK cells. Recombinant MBS interacted with the amino-terminal domains of moesin and ezrin. Myosin phosphatase composed of the catalytic subunit and MBS showed phosphatase activity toward moesin, which was phosphorylated by Rho-kinase. The phosphatase activity was inhibited when MBS was phosphorylated by Rho-kinase. These results suggest that MBS is recruited with moesin to the plasma membrane and that myosin phosphatase and Rho-kinase regulate the phosphorylation state of moesin downstream of Rho.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ADP Ribose Transferases / genetics
  • ADP Ribose Transferases / physiology
  • Animals
  • Botulinum Toxins*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Cattle
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Membrane / chemistry
  • Cell Membrane / enzymology
  • Cell Membrane / ultrastructure
  • Cell-Free System
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Dogs
  • Epithelial Cells
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Microfilament Proteins*
  • Myosin-Light-Chain Phosphatase
  • Myosins / metabolism
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / analysis
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / genetics
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / metabolism*
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Proteins / analysis
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / pharmacology
  • rho-Associated Kinases

Substances

  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • ezrin
  • moesin
  • ADP Ribose Transferases
  • exoenzyme C3, Clostridium botulinum
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • rho-Associated Kinases
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases
  • Myosin-Light-Chain Phosphatase
  • Botulinum Toxins
  • Myosins
  • Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate