We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Functional characterization of KIN-32, the Caenorhabditis elegans homolog of focal adhesion kinase.
- Authors
Cram, Erin J.; Fontanez, Kristina Marie; Schwarzbauer, Jean E.
- Abstract
We have identified the single Caenorhabditis elegans focal adhesion kinase (FAK) homolog KIN-32, which has the signature FAK structure including an N-terminal Four.1- Ezrin- Radixin- Moesin (FERM) domain followed by a tyrosine kinase domain and a C-terminal domain with weak homology to the focal adhesion targeting domain. The functional requirements for KIN-32 were examined using RNA interference depletion experiments and analysis of a deletion allele, kin- 32( ok166), in which a large segment of the FERM domain is missing. Our results show that reduced levels of expression or absence of the FERM domain do not affect viability, fertility, or anatomy in C. elegans. Expression of an analogous FERM deletion in mouse FAK showed kinase activity in vitro and supported normal focal adhesion localization in cell culture. Thus, the FERM domain of KIN-32, and possibly KIN-32 activity in general, appears to be dispensable for normal C. elegans physiology. Developmental Dynamics 237:837-846, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
- Publication
Developmental Dynamics, 2008, Vol 237, Issue 3, p837
- ISSN
1058-8388
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/dvdy.21457