Unlocking the Secrets of Cell Communication: Ras and mTORC2 in Action
Recent research by Stephen F. Smith, A.F.M. Tariqul Islam, Shoxruxxon Alimukhamedov, Ethan T. Weiss, and Pascale G. Charest published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry revealed new insights into how certain proteins, Ras and mTORC2, work together to help cells move and communicate. Ras proteins act as switches, turning on various cell processes like growth, survival, and cell migration. One specific Ras protein, called RasC, is crucial for activating mTORC2, a protein complex that helps cells respond to signals from their environment.
In the single-celled model organism Dictyostelium, scientists in the Molecular & Cellular Biology and Chemistry & Biochemistry Departments at the University of Arizona have shed light on how RasC activates mTORC2, which then controls how cells move. This study explored which parts of the RasC protein are important for turning on mTORC2. They found that key regions of the RasC protein, including parts that help it attach to the cell membrane, are essential for its own activation and in activating mTORC2.
By pinpointing the exact parts of RasC that interact with mTORC2, the researchers have deepened our understanding of how cells communicate and move. These findings could lead to new ways to target diseases where cell signaling and migration goes awry, such as in cancer.
Researcher information:
Stephen F. Smith, PhD Biochemistry U. Arizona, now post-doctoral researcher College of Pharmacy, U. Arizona
A.F.M. Tariqul Islam, Asst Research Scientist, Molecular & Cellular Biology and Chemistry & Biochemistry, U. Arizona
Shoxruxxon Alimukhamedov, BSc Molecular and Cellular Biology, U. Arizona, now Research Assistant at Stanford School of Medicine
Ethan T. Weiss, BSc Molecular & Cellular Biology, U. Arizona, now Genomics Sales Representative at Illumina
Pascale G. Charest, Assocaite Professor, Molecular & Cellular Biology and Chemistry & Biochemistry, U. Arizona