Expression of DFak56, a Drosophila homolog of vertebrate focal adhesion kinase, supports a role in cell migration in vivo.

ABSTRACT: Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a highly conserved, cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase that has been implicated in promoting cell migration and transmission of antiapoptotic signals in vertebrate cells. In cultured cells, integrin engagement with the extracellular matrix promotes the recruitment of FAK to focal contacts and increases in its phosphotyrosine content and kinase activity, suggesting FAK is an intracellular mediator of integrin signaling. We have identified a Drosophila FAK homolog, DFak56, that is 33% identical to vertebrate FAK, with the highest degree of homology in domains critical for FAK function, including the kinase and focal adhesion targeting domains, and several protein-protein interaction motifs. Furthermore, when expressed in NIH 3T3 cells, DFak56 both localizes to focal c

SUBMITTER: Fox GL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC24758 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature