The Cas family docking protein, HEF1, promotes the formation of neurite-like membrane extensions.

The Cas family proteins are a family of adhesion docking molecules that mediate protein-protein interactions and contribute to a number of signal transduction pathways. Recent studies of two family members, p130Cas and Sin, have suggested that they may play a role in neurite formation. The current study demonstrates that the third family member, HEF1, can also stimulate the formation of neurite-like processes, in the presence of Rho kinase inhibitors.

Frequent mitochondrial gene rearrangements at the hymenopteran nad3-nad5 junction.

We characterized the organization of mitochondrial genes from a diverse range of hymenopterans. Of the 21 taxa characterized, 12 had distinct, derived organizations. Some rearrangements were consistent with the duplication-random loss mechanism, while others were not.