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Rab27a co-ordinates actin-dependent transport by controlling organelle-associated motors and track assembly proteins

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Alzahofi, Noura 
Welz, Tobias 
Robinson, Christopher L. 
Page, Emma L. 
Briggs, Deborah A. 

Abstract

Abstract: Cell biologists generally consider that microtubules and actin play complementary roles in long- and short-distance transport in animal cells. On the contrary, using melanosomes of melanocytes as a model, we recently discovered that the motor protein myosin-Va works with dynamic actin tracks to drive long-range organelle dispersion in opposition to microtubules. This suggests that in animals, as in yeast and plants, myosin/actin can drive long-range transport. Here, we show that the SPIRE-type actin nucleators (predominantly SPIRE1) are Rab27a effectors that co-operate with formin-1 to generate actin tracks required for myosin-Va-dependent transport in melanocytes. Thus, in addition to melanophilin/myosin-Va, Rab27a can recruit SPIREs to melanosomes, thereby integrating motor and track assembly activity at the organelle membrane. Based on this, we suggest a model in which organelles and force generators (motors and track assemblers) are linked, forming an organelle-based, cell-wide network that allows their collective activity to rapidly disperse the population of organelles long-distance throughout the cytoplasm.

Description

Keywords

Article, /631/80, /631/80/128, /631/80/128/1276, /13/1, /13/89, /13/44, /13/95, /13/106, /13/109, /14, /14/19, /14/28, /14/33, /82/29, /96/63, article

Journal Title

Nature Communications

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2041-1723

Volume Title

11

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group UK
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (Wellcome) (108429/Z/15/Z, 204843/Z/16/Z)
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) (SPP1464, KE 447/10-2, KE 447/18-1)
RCUK | Medical Research Council (MRC) (G1100063)
RCUK | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) (BB/F016956/1)