Over the past decade, studies of signaling pathways have become increasingly more sophisticated. These studies have lead to the inescapable conclusion that the output of these cascades is dependent on how the components are organized within the cell. Consequently, it is important to understand the mechanism by which these compartmentalized components are regulated. We are in an excellent position to study this mechanism in one system, the alpha-thrombin stimulated selective translocation of RhoA to the nucleus resulting in an increase in PLD activity. This proposal is focused on key elements of this signaling cascade.
Aim I will identify the immediate post-receptor signaling component by determining which G protein couples the alpha-thrombin receptor to RhoA- mediated nuclear PLD activation. Our strategy is to establish whether Galpha subunits or betagamma dimers are involved in this activation and identify the G protein isotype by anti-sense ablation or expression of mutant alpha subunits.
Aim II will define the specificity of the signaling cascade leading to the RhoA-mediated activation of nuclear PLD. We will determine whether PLD activity in other membranes, the plasma membrane and ER (endoplasmic reticulum), is induced by alpha- thrombin and regulated in a similar RhoA-dependent manner and whether the activation of these activities are mediated by the same heterotrimeric G protein identified in Aim I.
Aim III is focused on identifying the domains in RhoA that govern it's targeting. We will test the hypothesis that either the """"""""hypervariable C-terminus"""""""" or N- terminus/effector domain of RhoA is involved in the selective localization of RhoA. This will be accomplished by examining the ability of chimeric RhoA constructs, in which the N-terminus or C- terminus is replaced by the corresponding regions in other small G proteins, on targeting and PLD activation.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 14 publications
