Division of Oncology Research, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9151, USA.
J Cell Sci. 2017 Jul 15;130(14):2235-2241. doi: 10.1242/jcs.199570. Epub 2017 Jun 23.
Proteins of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) family function as nucleation-promoting factors for the ubiquitously expressed Arp2/3 complex, which drives the generation of branched actin filaments. Arp2/3-generated actin regulates diverse cellular processes, including the formation of lamellipodia and filopodia, endocytosis and/or phagocytosis at the plasma membrane, and the generation of cargo-laden vesicles from organelles including the Golgi, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the endo-lysosomal network. Recent studies have also identified roles for WASP family members in promoting actin dynamics at the centrosome, influencing nuclear shape and membrane remodeling events leading to the generation of autophagosomes. Interestingly, several WASP family members have also been observed in the nucleus where they directly influence gene expression by serving as molecular platforms for the assembly of epigenetic and transcriptional machinery. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and accompanying poster, we provide an update on the subcellular roles of WHAMM, JMY and WASH (also known as WASHC1), as well as their mechanisms of regulation and emerging functions within the cell.
Wiskott-Aldrich 综合征蛋白（WASP）家族的蛋白作为普遍表达的 Arp2/3 复合物的成核促进因子发挥作用，该复合物驱动分支肌动蛋白丝的生成。Arp2/3 生成的肌动蛋白调节多种细胞过程，包括质膜处的片状伪足和丝状伪足的形成、内吞作用和/或吞噬作用，以及来自高尔基体、内质网（ER）和内体-溶酶体网络等细胞器的载货物的小泡的生成。最近的研究还确定了 WASP 家族成员在促进中心体处的肌动蛋白动力学、影响核形状和膜重塑事件方面的作用，这些事件导致自噬体的生成。有趣的是，几个 WASP 家族成员也在核内被观察到，它们通过作为组装表观遗传和转录机制的分子平台，直接影响基因表达。在本期《细胞科学一览》文章和配套海报中，我们提供了 WHAMM、JMY 和 WASH（也称为 WASHC1）的亚细胞作用的最新信息，以及它们在细胞内的调节机制和新兴功能。
