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Cover This month's cover is an epifluorescence micrograph of a
HeLa cell transiently transfected with GFP-bovine myosin X (green) and
stained for actin filaments with rhodamine-phalloidin (red). Both
endogenous and exogenous myosin X exhibit a striking localization to
the tips of filopodia and retraction fiber-like structures (Bert
et al. [2002]. J. Cell Sci. 113:3429-3451;
Berg et al. [2002]. Nature Cell Biol.
4:246-250). Like myosin VII, the myosin X tail contains a
MyTH4 domain and a FERM domain, though it is unique in containing three
pleckstrin homology domains. Myosin X is widely expressed in vertebrate
cells and tissues, although it is present at low levels. The motor
domain is required for localization of GFP-myosin X to filopodial tips,
and overexpression of full-length myosin X leads to increases in
filopodial number and filopodial length. Intriguingly, myosin X can
undergo two forms of movement in the filopodia. Puncta of GFP-myosin X
can move forward (toward the tip) at a rate of approximately 100 nm/s. Rearward movements occur at rate of approximately 15 nm/s, which is
very similar to retrograde flow rates. The PH domains of myosin X may
play an important role in phagocytosis, as wortmannin treatment inhibits recruitment of myosin X to the phagocytic cup, and
overexpression of the myosin X tail inhibits IgG-mediated phagocytosis
(Cox et al. [2002], Nature Cell Biol.
4:469-477).
Omar A. Quintero and Richard E. Cheney