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Yeast formins regulate cell polarity by controlling the assembly of actin cables

Nature Cell Biology volume 4, pages 42–50 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Formins are conserved Rho-GTPase effectors that communicate Rho-GTPase signals to the cytoskeleton. We found that formins were required for the assembly of one of the three budding yeast actin structures: polarized arrays of actin cables. A dominant-active formin induced the assembly of actin cables. The activation and localization of the formin Bni1p required components of the polarisome complex. These findings potentially define the cellular function of formins in budding yeast and explain their involvement in the generation of cell polarity. A requirement for formins in constructing specific actin structures might be the basis for the diverse activities of formins in development.

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Figure 1: Formins are required for the integrity of actin cables.
Figure 2: The effect of bni1-FH2#1 bnr1Δ on actin cables is rapidly reversible.
Figure 3: Loss of polarized localization of Myo2p and Kar9p in bni1-FH2#1 bnr1Δ cells at 34 °C.
Figure 4: Normal actin patch motility and Las17p/Bee1p localization in the absence of formin function.
Figure 5: Activated Bni1p induces the formation of actin-cable-like structures.
Figure 6: Tropomyosins are required for the cable-like structures induced by Bni1-FΔDp.
Figure 7: Stability of the cable-like structures induced by Bni1-FΔDp.
Figure 8: Distinct functions of polarisome components in the localization and activation of Bni1p.

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Acknowledgements

We thank D. C. Amberg, D. Botstein, A. Bretscher, T. Lechler, R. Li, K. Ozaki-Kuroda, D. Pruyne, Y. Takai and B. Winsor for strains and/or reagents; J. D. Cande, B. Goode, M. E. McLaughlin, A. Rodal, S. C. Schuyler, R. Segal and B. Sheeman for reading the manuscript; B. Goode, A. Rodal and members of the Pellman laboratory for discussions; J. Liu and S. Randall for assistance and advice on microscopy; and F. Chang and C. Boone for communicating unpublished results. D.P. was supported by NIH GM61345 and a Scholar Award from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America.

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  1. Isabelle Sagot and Saskia K. Klee: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, The Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Pediatric Oncology, The Dana-Faber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney Street, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    Isabelle Sagot, Saskia K. Klee & David Pellman

  2. Institut für Biochemie, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, Stuttgart, 70569, Germany

    Saskia K. Klee

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Correspondence to David Pellman.

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Sagot, I., Klee, S. & Pellman, D. Yeast formins regulate cell polarity by controlling the assembly of actin cables. Nat Cell Biol 4, 42–50 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb719

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