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Citron, a Rho target that affects contractility during cytokinesis
P Madaule1, T Furuyashiki, M Eda
1Department of Pharmacology, Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8315, Japan.
Microscopy Research and Technique
|May 18, 2000
Summary
Citron is a Rho effector protein that regulates cell division. This study shows Citron modulates the contractile process during cytokinesis and has specialized neuronal functions.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The small GTPase Rho plays a role in cell shape regulation and cytokinesis.
- Citron has been identified as a target of Rho and possesses a kinase domain similar to ROCK.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of Citron during cell division.
- To explore the role of Citron in neuronal cells.
Main Methods:
- Localization studies of endogenous and recombinant Citron in dividing cells.
- Analysis of cell morphology and cytoskeletal organization following overexpression of a truncated Citron mutant.
- Investigation of Citron expression and localization in brain tissue.
Main Results:
- Both endogenous and recombinant Citron localize to the cleavage furrow and midbody during cell division.
- Overexpression of a C-terminally deleted Citron mutant induced abnormal contractions during cytokinesis, leading to multinucleated cells.
- A brain-specific isoform, Citron-N, lacking a kinase domain, accumulates in synapses and interacts with NMDA receptors via PSD95.
Conclusions:
- Citron functions as a Rho effector, modulating the contractile process during cytokinesis.
- Citron's function is specialized in neurons, where a kinase-deficient isoform interacts with synaptic proteins.
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