Regulation of Dictyostelium myosin I and II

Biochim Biophys Acta. 2001 Mar 15;1525(3):245-61. doi: 10.1016/s0304-4165(01)00110-6.

Abstract

Dictyostelium expresses 12 different myosins, including seven single-headed myosins I and one conventional two-headed myosin II. In this review we focus on the signaling pathways that regulate Dictyostelium myosin I and myosin II. Activation of myosin I is catalyzed by a Cdc42/Rac-stimulated myosin I heavy chain kinase that is a member of the p21-activated kinase (PAK) family. Evidence that myosin I is linked to the Arp2/3 complex suggests that pathways that regulate myosin I may also influence actin filament assembly. Myosin II activity is stimulated by a cGMP-activated myosin light chain kinase and inhibited by myosin heavy chain kinases (MHCKs) that block bipolar filament assembly. Known MHCKs include MHCK A and MHCK B, which have a novel type of kinase catalytic domain joined to a WD repeat domain, and MHC-protein kinase C (PKC), which contains both diacylglycerol kinase and PKC-related protein kinase catalytic domains. A Dictyostelium PAK (PAKa) acts indirectly to promote myosin II filament formation, suggesting that the MHCKs may be indirectly regulated by Rac GTPases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Actin Cytoskeleton / metabolism
  • Actins / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Dictyostelium / genetics
  • Dictyostelium / metabolism*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Myosins / genetics
  • Myosins / metabolism*
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • Signal Transduction
  • src Homology Domains

Substances

  • Actins
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • myosin-heavy-chain kinase
  • Myosins