A potential Rho GEF and Rac GAP for coupled Rac and Rho cycles during mesenchymal-to-epithelial-like transitions

Christopher P Toret; Andre Le Bivic

doi:10.1080/21541248.2018.1502592

A potential Rho GEF and Rac GAP for coupled Rac and Rho cycles during mesenchymal-to-epithelial-like transitions

Small GTPases. 2021 Jan;12(1):13-19. doi: 10.1080/21541248.2018.1502592. Epub 2018 Aug 29.

Authors

Christopher P Toret¹, Andre Le Bivic¹

Affiliation

¹ Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille , Marseille, France.

Abstract

The leading edge-to-cadherin contact transitions that occur during metazoan developmental processes and disease states require fine coordination of Rac and Rho pathways. Recently the elmo-mbc complex, a Rac GEF and RhoGAP19D, a Rho GAP were identified as key, conserved regulators that link Rac and Rho during these transitions. The corresponding Rho GEF and Rac GAP remain hidden amongst the large family of GEF and GAP proteins. Identification of these regulators is essential to understand GTPase coordination during these transitions. Here we find two candidates based on the mammalian literature and use RNAi to explore the fly ortholog effects on the dorsal closure epidermis. RhoGEF64C and RhoGAP92B are strong contenders to couple Rac and Rho during mesenchymal-to-epithelial-like transitions.

Keywords: Net1; Rac; Rho; RhoGAP19D; RhoGAP92B; RhoGEF64C; dorsal closure; elmo-dock; elmo-mbc; mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors*

Substances

Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the INFORM/LABEX [ANR-11-LABX-0054];