@article{180346,
  keywords = {Animals, Locomotion, signal transduction, Caenorhabditis elegans, Membrane Proteins, Morphogenesis, Organ Specificity, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins, Gonads, Muscles, RNA Interference, Integrin beta Chains, rac GTP-Binding Proteins},
  author = {Myeongwoo Lee and Bing Shen and Jean Schwarzbauer and Jeong Ahn and John Kwon},
  title = {Connections between integrins and Rac GTPase pathways control gonad formation and function in C. elegans},
  abstract = {<p>The integrins are a family of alphabeta heterodimeric transmembrane receptors that link extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins to the cytoskeleton and orchestrate cell behaviors. It{\textquoteright}s been suggested that integrins interact with Rho family small GTPases, such as Rho and Rac. We took advantage of a C. elegans nematode line expressing HA-betatail, a beta integrin transgene inhibiting the functions of endogenous integrins, to determine the combined effects of reducing PAT-3 beta integrin and Rac pathway activities. Double mutants of HA-betatail and unc-73, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor GEF for MIG-2/Rac, had body wall and vulval muscle abnormalities. On the other hand, HA-betatail combined with mutant CED-5, another Rac interacting protein, showed ovulation defects and sterility. RNA-mediated interference (RNAi) of pat-3 on Rac mutant backgrounds also affected gonad structure and function. These results show a functional link between integrins and Rac signaling in muscles and gonads. Furthermore, data showing distinct phenotypes of HA-betatail with unc-73 versus ced-5 suggest some tissue-specificity in the usage of Rac signaling pathways.</p>
},
  year = {2005},
  journal = {Biochim Biophys Acta},
  volume = {1723},
  pages = {248-55},
  month = {05/2005},
  issn = {0006-3002},
  doi = {10.1016/j.bbagen.2005.01.003},
  language = {eng},
}