RhoA Proteolysis Regulates the Actin Cytoskeleton in Response to Oxidative Stress

PLoS One. 2016 Dec 19;11(12):e0168641. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168641. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

The small GTPase RhoA regulates the actin cytoskeleton to affect multiple cellular processes including endocytosis, migration and adhesion. RhoA activity is tightly regulated through several mechanisms including GDP/GTP cycling, phosphorylation, glycosylation and prenylation. Previous reports have also reported that cleavage of the carboxy-terminus inactivates RhoA. Here, we describe a novel mechanism of RhoA proteolysis that generates a stable amino-terminal RhoA fragment (RhoA-NTF). RhoA-NTF is detectable in healthy cells and tissues and is upregulated following cell stress. Overexpression of either RhoA-NTF or the carboxy-terminal RhoA cleavage fragment (RhoA-CTF) induces the formation of disorganized actin stress fibres. RhoA-CTF also promotes the formation of disorganized actin stress fibres and nuclear actin rods. Both fragments disrupt the organization of actin stress fibres formed by endogenous RhoA. Together, our findings describe a novel RhoA regulatory mechanism.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • COS Cells
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Mice
  • Oxidative Stress / physiology*
  • Proteolysis*
  • Stress Fibers / genetics
  • Stress Fibers / metabolism*
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein

Substances

  • RhoA protein, mouse
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Canadian Institute of Health Research [CIHR MOP 136794 (AEF); Canadian Institutes of Health Research – CIHR; http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/193.html] and the McGill Training Program in Neuroengineering. RA was supported by a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.