Choline transporter-like protein 4 (CTL4) links to non-neuronal acetylcholine synthesis.

Synthesis of acetylcholine (ACh) by non-neuronal cells is now well established and plays diverse physiologic roles. In neurons, the Na(+) -dependent, high affinity choline transporter (CHT1) is absolutely required for ACh synthesis. In contrast, some non-neuronal cells synthesize ACh in the absence of CHT1 indicating a fundamental difference in ACh synthesis compared to neurons.

Cysteine-rich protein 1 (CRP1) regulates actin filament bundling.

Background: Cysteine-rich protein 1 (CRP1) is a LIM domain containing protein localized to the nucleus and the actin cytoskeleton. CRP1 has been demonstrated to bind the actin-bundling protein alpha-actinin and proposed to modulate the actin cytoskeleton; however, specific regulatory mechanisms have not been identified.

Results: CRP1 expression increased actin bundling in rat embryonic fibroblasts.

Effects of inhibitors of integrin binding on cellular outgrowth from bovine inner cell masses in vitro.

Bovine inner cell masses (ICM) cultured on fibronectin give rise to extensive cellular outgrowths containing endoderm. Peptides with the Glu-Ile-Leu-Asp-Val (EILDV) and Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequences inhibit cell migration on fibronectin by binding to the fibronectin-recognition site in several integrins. To identify integrins involved in endodermal cell outgrowth on fibronectin and vitronectin, the effects of the EILDV and RGD peptides were evaluated in vitro.

Phosphoinositide binding regulates alpha-actinin dynamics: mechanism for modulating cytoskeletal remodeling.

The active association-dissociation of dynamic protein-protein interactions is critical for the ability of the actin cytoskeleton to remodel. To determine the influence of phosphoinositide binding on the dynamic interaction of alpha-actinin with actin filaments and integrin adhesion receptors, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) microscopy was carried out comparing wild-type green fluorescent protein (GFP)-alpha-actinin and a GFP-alpha-actinin mutant with a decreased affinity for phosphoinositides (Fraley, T. S.

Phosphoinositides differentially regulate alpha-actinin flexibility and function.

Alpha-actinin is a cell-adhesion and cytoskeletal protein that bundles actin microfilaments and links these filaments directly to integrin-adhesion receptors. Phosphoinositides bind to and regulate the interaction of a-actinin with actin filaments and integrin receptors. In the present study, we demonstrate that PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 inhibits and disrupts a-actinin-bundling activity, whereas PtdIns(4,5)P2 can only inhibit activity.