Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

8-1-2013

Journal

PLoS ONE

Volume

Volume 8, Issue 8

Inclusive Pages

Article number e71495

Keywords

cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein--metabolism; p21-Activated Kinases--metabolism; rac GTP-Binding Proteins--metabolism

Abstract

P21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is activated by binding to GTP-bound Rho GTPases Cdc42 and Rac via its CRIB domain. Here, we provide evidence that S79 in the CRIB domain of PAK1 is not directly involved in this binding but is crucial for PAK1 activation. S79A mutation reduces the binding affinity of PAK1 for the GTPases and inhibits autophosphorylation and kinase activity of PAK1. Thus, this mutation abrogates the ability of PAK1 to induce changes in cell morphology and motility and to promote malignant transformation of prostate epithelial cells. We also show that growth of the prostate cancer cell line PC3 is inhibited by the treatment of a PAK1-inhibiting peptide comprising 19 amino acids centered on S79, but not by the PAK1 peptide containing the S79A mutation, and that this growth inhibition is correlated with reduced autophosphorylation activity of PAK1. Together, these findings demonstrate a significant role of S79 in PAK1 activation and provide evidence for a novel mechanism of the CRIB-mediated interaction of PAK1 with Cdc42 and Rac.

Comments

Reproduced with permission of PLoS ONE

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Peer Reviewed

1

Open Access

1

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