Reconstitution of human Arp2/3 complex reveals critical roles of individual subunits in complex structure and activity
- Mol Cell. 2001 Nov;8(5):1041-52. doi: 10.1016/s1097-2765(01)00393-8.
- 1. Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
The Arp2/3 complex is a seven-protein assembly that is critical for actin nucleation and branching in cells. Here we report the reconstitution of active human Arp2/3 complex after expression of all seven subunits in insect cells. Expression of partial complexes revealed that a heterodimer of the p34 and p20 subunits constitutes a critical structural core of the complex, whereas the remaining subunits are peripherally located. Arp3 is crucial for nucleation, consistent with it being a structural component of the nucleation site. p41, p21, and p16 contribute differently to nucleation and stimulation by ActA and WASP, whereas p34/p20 bind actin filaments and likely function in actin branching. This study reveals that the nucleating and organizing functions of Arp2/3 complex subunits are separable, indicating that these activities may be differentially regulated in cells.