Biochemical reconstitution of the WAVE regulatory complex

Baoyu Chen, Shae B. Padrick, Lisa Henry, Michael K. Rosen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

The WAVE regulatory complex (WRC) is a 400-kDa heteropentameric protein assembly that plays a central role in controlling actin cytoskeletal dynamics in many cellular processes. The WRC acts by integrating diverse cellular cues and stimulating the actin nucleating activity of the Arp2/3 complex at membranes. Biochemical and biophysical studies of the underlying mechanisms of these processes require large amounts of purified WRC. Recent success in recombinant expression, reconstitution, purification, and crystallization of the WRC has greatly advanced our understanding of the inhibition, activation, and membrane recruitment mechanisms of this complex. But many important questions remain to be answered. Here, we summarize and update the methods developed in our laboratory, which allow reliable and flexible production of tens of milligrams of recombinant WRC of crystallographic quality, sufficient for many biochemical and structural studies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationReconstituting the Cytoskeleton
PublisherAcademic Press Inc.
Pages55-72
Number of pages18
ISBN (Print)9780123979247
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014

Publication series

NameMethods in Enzymology
Volume540
ISSN (Print)0076-6879
ISSN (Electronic)1557-7988

Keywords

  • Actin
  • Protein complex
  • Reconstitution
  • WASP
  • WAVE
  • WRC

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology

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