Profilin-1

Protein Phosphatase 1 Dephosphorylates Profilin-1 at Ser-137

Profilin-1 (PFN1) plays an important role in the control of actin dynamics, and could represent an important therapeutic target in several diseases. We previously identified PFN1 as a huntingtin aggregation inhibitor, and others have implicated it as a tumor-suppressor. Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) directly phosphorylates PFN1 at Ser-137 to prevent its binding to polyproline sequences. This neg...

Profilin-1 in Capillary Morphogenesis of Vascular Endothelial Cells

Profilin 1 is required for peripheral nervous system myelination.

Myelination allows rapid saltatory propagation of action potentials along the axon and is an essential prerequisite for the normal functioning of the nervous system. During peripheral nervous system (PNS) development, myelin-forming Schwann cells (SCs) generate radial lamellipodia to sort and ensheath axons. This process requires controlled cytoskeletal remodeling, and we show that SC lamellipo...

Profilin, and Vascular Diseases

Profilin for processivity

SNX1 chooses its home via two membrane-binding domains. One targeting domain is the PX domain, which is known to bind to the endosomal phosphoinositide, PI3P. The second is a BAR domain, which was shown to target a fly protein to highly curved membranes and tubulate them. Cullen’s group shows that these domains combine to put mammalian SNX1 on the tubular portion of early endosomes (which also ...