Initiation and disassembly of filopodia tip complexes containing VASP and lamellipodin

Mol Biol Cell. 2020 Aug 15;31(18):2021-2034. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E20-04-0270. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

Abstract

The shapes of many eukaryotic cells depends on the actin cytoskeleton, and changes in actin assembly dynamics underlie many changes in cell shape. Ena/VASP-family actin polymerases, for example, modulate cell shape by accelerating actin filament assembly locally and slowing filament capping. When concentrated into discrete foci at the leading edge, VASP promotes filopodia assembly and forms part of a poorly understood molecular complex that remains associated with growing filopodia tips. Here we identify precursors of this filopodia tip complex in migrating B16F1 cells: small leading-edge clusters of the adaptor protein lamellipodin (Lpd) that subsequently recruit VASP and initiate filopodia formation. Dimerization, membrane association, and VASP binding are all required for lamellipodin to incorporate into filopodia tip complexes, and overexpression of monomeric, membrane--targeted lamellipodin mutants disrupts tip complex assembly. Once formed, tip complexes containing VASP and lamellipodin grow by fusing with each other, but their growth is limited by a size-dependent dynamic instability. Our results demonstrate that assembly and disassembly dynamics of filopodia tip complexes are determined, in part, by a network of multivalent interactions between Ena/VASP proteins, EVH1 ligands, and actin filaments.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actin Cytoskeleton / metabolism
  • Actins / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / metabolism*
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / physiology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Shape
  • Cytoskeleton / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Membrane Proteins / physiology
  • Mice
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism*
  • Microfilament Proteins / physiology
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism*
  • Phosphoproteins / physiology
  • Phosphorylation
  • Pseudopodia / metabolism*
  • Pseudopodia / physiology

Substances

  • Actins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • ENA-VASP proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Raph1 protein, mouse
  • vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein