TY - JOUR T1 - Lamellipodia-like actin networks in cells lacking WAVE Regulatory Complex JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/2021.06.18.449030 SP - 2021.06.18.449030 AU - Frieda Kage AU - Hermann Döring AU - Magdalena Mietkowska AU - Matthias Schaks AU - Franziska Grüner AU - Stephanie Stahnke AU - Anika Steffen AU - Mathias Müsken AU - Theresia E. B. Stradal AU - Klemens Rottner Y1 - 2021/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/06/18/2021.06.18.449030.abstract N2 - Cell migration frequently involves the formation of lamellipodia induced by Rac GTPases mediating activation of WAVE Regulatory Complex (WRC) driving Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin assembly. Previous genome editing studies solidified the view of an essential, linear pathway employing aforementioned components. Using disruption of the WRC subunit Nap1 and its paralogue Hem1 followed by serum and growth factor stimulation or expression of active GTPases now revealed a pathway to formation of Arp2/3 complex-dependent, lamellipodia-like structures (LLS) that require both Rac and Cdc42, but not WRC. These observations were independent of WRC subunit eliminated and coincided with the lack of recruitment of Ena/VASP family actin polymerases. Moreover, aside from the latter, induced LLS contained all common lamellipodial regulators tested, including cortactin, the Ena/VASP ligand lamellipodin or FMNL subfamily formins. Our studies thus establish the existence of a signaling axis to Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin remodeling at the cell periphery operating without WRC and Ena/VASP.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest. ER -