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Nature Research, Nature Cell Biology, 2(13), p. 159-166, 2011

DOI: 10.1038/ncb2156

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Spatially restricted activation of RhoA at epithelial junctions by p114RhoGEF drives junction formation and morphogenesis

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

Signalling by the GTPase RhoA, a key regulator of epithelial cell behaviour, can stimulate opposing processes: RhoA can promote junction formation and apical constriction, as well as reduced adhesion and cell spreading1, 2. Molecular mechanisms are thus required that ensure spatially restricted and process-specific RhoA activation. For many fundamental processes, including assembly of the epithelial junctional complex, such mechanisms are still unknown. Here we show that p114RhoGEF is a junction-associated protein that drives RhoA signalling at the junctional complex and regulates tight junction assembly and epithelial morphogenesis. p114RhoGEF is required for RhoA activation at cell-cell junctions, and its depletion stimulates non-junctional Rho signalling and induction of myosin phosphorylation along the basal domain. Depletion of GEF-H1, a RhoA activator inhibited by junctional recruitment3, does not reduce junction-associated RhoA activation. p114RhoGEF associates with a complex containing myosin II, Rock II and the junctional adaptor cingulin, indicating that p114RhoGEF is a component of a junction-associated Rho signalling module that drives spatially restricted activation of RhoA to regulate junction formation and epithelial morphogenesis.