The docking protein FRS2alpha functions as a major mediator of signaling by FGF and NGF receptors. Here we demonstrate that, in addition to tyrosine phosphorylation, FRS2alpha is phosphorylated by MAP kinase on multiple threonine residues in response to FGF stimulation or by insulin, EGF, and PDGF, extracellular stimuli that do not induce tyrosine phosphorylation of FRS2alpha. Prevention of FRS2alpha threonine phosphorylation results in constitutive tyrosine phosphorylation of FRS2alpha in unstimulated cells and enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of FRS2alpha, MAPK stimulation, cell migration, and proliferation in FGF-stimulated cells. Expression of an FRS2alpha mutant deficient in MAPK phosphorylation sites induces anchorage-independent cell growth and colony formation in soft agar. These experiments reveal a novel MAPK-mediated, negative feedback mechanism for control of signaling pathways that are dependent on FRS2 and a mechanism for heterologous control of signaling via FGF receptors.

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Neuronal cells must extend a motile growth cone while maintaining the cell body in its original position. In migrating cells, myosin contraction provides the driving force that pulls the rear of the cell toward the leading edge. We have characterized the function of myosin light chain phosphatase, which down-regulates myosin activity, in Drosophila photoreceptor neurons. Mutations in the gene encoding the myosin binding subunit of this enzyme cause photoreceptors to drop out of the eye disc epithelium and move toward and through the optic stalk. We show that this phenotype is due to excessive phosphorylation of the myosin regulatory light chain Spaghetti squash rather than another potential substrate, Moesin, and that it requires the nonmuscle myosin II heavy chain Zipper. Myosin binding subunit mutant cells continue to express apical epithelial markers and do not undergo ectopic apical constriction. In addition, mutant cells in the wing disc remain within the epithelium and differentiate abnormal wing hairs. We suggest that excessive myosin activity in photoreceptor neurons may pull the cell bodies toward the growth cones in a process resembling normal cell migration. INTRODUCTIONThe cytoskeleton plays a variety of roles during development, allowing cells to change their shape, adhesive properties, and motility (Jamora and Fuchs, 2002). Two critical components of the cytoskeleton are actin and nonmuscle myosin II. The contractile activity of actomyosin complexes has been implicated in cell migration, epithelial sheet movements, cytokinesis, axon outgrowth, and cell adhesion (Maciver, 1996;Jacinto et al., 2002;Dent and Gertler, 2003). During migration of several cell types, myosin activity is required to retract the rear of the cell (Ridley et al., 2003).Nonmuscle myosin II consists of a hexamer of two myosin heavy chains (MHC), two myosin light chains (MLC), and two myosin regulatory light chains (MRLC) (Korn and Hammer, 1988). Phosphorylation of key serine and threonine residues on MRLC stimulates the ATPase activity of MHC and promotes its assembly into filaments, leading to stress fiber contraction (Adelstein and Conti, 1975;Craig et al., 1983;Umemoto et al., 1989;Katoh et al., 2001). Mutations in the Drosophila orthologs of these myosin subunits have provided insight into the developmental functions of myosin II. Mutations in zipper (zip), which encodes MHC, cause defects in cytokinesis, closure of the dorsal embryonic epidermis over the amnioserosa, axon patterning, and myofibril formation (Zhao et al., 1988;Young et al., 1993;Bloor and Kiehart, 2001). spaghetti squash (sqh), encoding MRLC, is required for cytokinesis, oogenesis, and imaginal disc eversion (Karess et al., 1991;Wheatley et al., 1995;Edwards and Kiehart, 1996;Jordan and Karess, 1997).Actin-binding proteins of the ezrin, radixin, and moesin (ERM) family are thought to link transmembrane proteins to the actin cytoskeleton (Bretscher, 1999). ERM proteins are activated by phosphorylation of a conserved threonine residue, which inhibits associati...

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The yeast gene KEMI (also named SEPI/DST2/XRNI/RAR5) produces a G4-DNA-dependent nuclease that binds to G4 tetraplex DNA structure and cuts in a single-stranded region 5' to the G4 structure. G4-DNA generated from yeast telomeric oligonucleotides competitively inhibits the cleavage reaction, suggesting that this enzyme may interact with yeast telomeres in vivo. Homozygous deletions of the KEMI gene in yeast block meiosis at the pachytene stage, which is consistent with the hypothesis that G4 tetraplex DNA may be involved in homologous chromosome pairing during meiosis. We conjectured that the mitotic defects of kemr Isepl mutant cells, such as a higher chromosome loss rate, are also due to failure in processing G4-DNA, especially at telomeres. Here we report two phenotypes associated with a keml-null allele, cellular senescence and telomere shortening, that provide genetic evidence that G4 tetraplex DNA may play a role in telomere functioning. In addition, our results reveal that chromosome ends in the same cells behave differently in a fashion dependent on the KEMI gene product.

Fuzuloparib (AiRuiYi ® , 艾瑞颐; formerly fluzoparib) is a small molecule, orally active PARP inhibitor being developed by Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (formerly Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co., Ltd.) for the treatment of solid cancers. Fuzuloparib has been approved in China for the treatment of ovarian cancer (including fallopian tube cancer or primary peritoneal cancer), and phase II and III trials are investigating fuzuloparib for the treatment of other solid cancers, including cancers of the pancreas, breast, prostate and lungs. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of fuzuloparib leading to this first approval for the treatment of platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer or primary peritoneal cancer in patients with germline BRCA mutation who have undergone second-line or above chemotherapy. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40265-021-01541-x.