Amino- and carboxyl-terminal domains of Filamin-A interact with CRMP1 to mediate Sema3A signalling

Reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton is an early cellular response to various extracellular signals. Sema3A, a repulsive axon guidance molecule, induces the reorganization of actin cytoskeleton in the growth cones. Collapsin response mediator protein 1 (CRMP1) mediates the intracellular Sema3A signalling through its Ser522 phosphorylation. Here we show that UNC-33, CRMP1 C. elegans homologue, interacts with FLN-1, an actin-binding Filamin-A orthologue. In nematodes, this interaction participates in the projection of DD/VD motor neurons. CRMP1 binds both the actin-binding domain and the last immunoglobulin-like repeat of Filamin-A. The alanine mutants of Filamin-A or CRMP1 in their interacting residues suppress the Sema3A repulsion in neurons. Conversely, a phosphor-mimicking mutant CRMP1(Ser522Asp) enhances the Sema3A response. Atomic-force microscopy analysis reveals that the V-shaped Filamin-A changes to a condensed form with CRMP1(Ser522Asp). CRMP1(Ser522Asp) weakens the F-actin gelation crosslinked by Filamin-A. Thus, phosphorylated CRMP1 may remove Filamin-A from the actin cytoskeleton to facilitate its remodelling.