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Updated: Jul 22, 2026

Micromanipulation Techniques Allowing Analysis of Morphogenetic Dynamics and Turnover of Cytoskeletal Regulators
Published on: May 12, 2018
WIP regulates N-WASP-mediated actin polymerization and filopodium formation
N Martinez-Quiles1, R Rohatgi, I M Antón
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Immunology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Abstract:
Induction of filopodia is dependent on activation of the small GTPase Cdc42 and on neural Wiskott-Aldrich-syndrome protein (N-WASP). Here we show that WASP-interacting protein (WIP) interacts directly with N-WASP and actin. WIP retards N-WASP/Cdc42-activated actin polymerization mediated by the Arp2/3 complex, and stabilizes actin filaments. Microinjection of WIP into NIH 3T3 fibroblasts induces filopodia; this is inhibited by microinjection of anti-N-WASP antibody. Microinjection of anti-WIP antibody inhibits induction of filopodia by bradykinin, by an active Cdc42 mutant (Cdc42(V12)) and by N-WASP. Our results indicate that WIP and N-WASP may act as a functional unit in filopodium formation, which is consistent with their role in actin-tail formation in cells infected with vaccinia virus or Shigella.
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