Integration of signals to the Arp2/3 complex.

Weaver AM, Young ME, Lee WL, Cooper JA
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2003 15 (1): 23-30

PMID: 12517700

The Arp2/3 complex is necessary for nucleating the formation of branched networks of actin filaments at the cell cortex, and an increasing number of proteins able to activate the Arp2/3 complex have been described. The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) family and cortactin comprise the large majority of the known activators. WASPs bind to Arp2/3 via an acidic (A) domain, and a WH2 domain appears to bring an actin monomer to Arp2/3, promoting the nucleation of the new filament. Cortactin also binds the Arp2/3 complex via an A domain; however, it also binds to actin filaments, which helps activate the Arp2/3 complex and stabilise the newly created branches between the filaments.

MeSH Terms (12)

Actin-Related Protein 2 Actin-Related Protein 3 Actin Cytoskeleton Animals Cortactin Cytoskeletal Proteins Eukaryotic Cells Humans Microfilament Proteins Proteins Signal Transduction Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein

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