Eng2, a new player involved in feedback loop regulation of Cdc42 activity in fission yeast.

Cell polarity and morphogenesis are regulated by the small GTPase Cdc42. Even though major advances have been done in the field during the last years, the molecular details leading to its activation in particular cellular contexts are not completely understood. In fission yeast, the β(1,3)-glucanase Eng2 is a "moonlighting protein" with a dual function, acting as a hydrolase during spore dehiscence, and as component of the endocytic machinery in vegetative cells.

Paxillin-Mediated Recruitment of Calcineurin to the Contractile Ring Is Required for the Correct Progression of Cytokinesis in Fission Yeast.

Paxillin is a scaffold protein that participates in focal adhesion signaling in mammalian cells. Fission yeast paxillin ortholog, Pxl1, is required for contractile actomyosin ring (CAR) integrity and collaborates with the β-glucan synthase Bgs1 in septum formation. We show here that Pxl1's main function is to recruit calcineurin (CN) phosphatase to the actomyosin ring; and thus the absence of either Pxl1 or calcineurin causes similar cytokinesis defects.

Rga6 is a Fission Yeast Rho GAP Involved in Cdc42 Regulation of Polarized Growth.

Active Cdc42 is essential for the establishment of polarized growth. This GTPase is negatively regulated by the GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs), which are important for the spatial specificity of Cdc42 function. Rga4 is the only GAP described as negative regulator of fission yeast Cdc42.

F-BAR domain protein Rga7 collaborates with Cdc15 and Imp2 to ensure proper cytokinesis in fission yeast.

F-BAR domain proteins act as linkers between the cell cortex and cytoskeleton, and are involved in membrane binding and bending. Rga7 is one of the seven F-BAR proteins present in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In addition to the F-BAR domain in the N-terminal region, Rga7 possesses a Rho GTPase-activating protein (GAP) domain at its C-terminus.

Negative functional interaction between cell integrity MAPK pathway and Rho1 GTPase in fission yeast.

Rho1 GTPase is the main activator of cell wall glucan biosynthesis and regulates actin cytoskeleton in fungi, including Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We have obtained a fission yeast thermosensitive mutant strain carrying the rho1-596 allele, which displays reduced Rho1 GTPase activity. This strain has severe cell wall defects and a thermosensitive growth, which is partially suppressed by osmotic stabilization.

Rga2 is a Rho2 GAP that regulates morphogenesis and cell integrity in S. pombe.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe Rho2 GTPase regulates alpha-D-glucan synthesis and acts upstream of Pck2 to activate the MAP kinase pathway for cell integrity. However, little is known about its regulation. Here we describe Rga2 as a Rho2 GTPase-activating protein (GAP) that regulates cell morphology.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe Pxl1 is a paxillin homologue that modulates Rho1 activity and participates in cytokinesis.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe Rho GTPases regulate actin cytoskeleton organization and cell integrity. We studied the fission yeast gene SPBC4F6.12 based on its ability to suppress the thermosensitivity of cdc42-1625 mutant strain.

Spatial regulation of Cdc42 during cytokinesis.

Cdc42 GTPase plays a critical role in the establishment of cell polarity in most eukaryotic organisms. Cdc42 active state, as that of other GTPases, depends on the bound nucleotide. The protein with GTP is active, and only in this state can it interact with different target effector proteins.

Hob3p, the fission yeast ortholog of human BIN3, localizes Cdc42p to the division site and regulates cytokinesis.

Cdc42 GTPase is required for polarization in eukaryotic cells, but its spatial regulation is poorly understood. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Cdc42p is activated by Scd1p and Gef1p, two guanine-nucleotide exchange factors. Two-hybrid screening identified Hob3p as a Gef1p binding partner.

Gef1p, a new guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Cdc42p, regulates polarity in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe cdc42(+) regulates cell morphology and polarization of the actin cytoskeleton. Scd1p/Ral1p is the only described guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Cdc42p in S. pombe.

Rga5p is a specific Rho1p GTPase-activating protein that regulates cell integrity in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe Rho1p regulates (1,3)beta-d-glucan synthesis and is required for cell integrity maintenance and actin cytoskeleton organization, but nothing is known about the regulation of this protein. At least nine different S. pombe genes code for proteins predicted to act as Rho GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs).