Actin-binding verprolin is a polarity development protein required for the morphogenesis and function of the yeast actin cytoskeleton

Yeast verprolin, encoded by VRP1, is implicated in cell growth, cytoskeletal organization, endocytosis and mitochondrial protein distribution and function. We show that verprolin is also required for bipolar bud-site selection. Previously we reported that additional actin suppresses the temperature-dependent growth defect caused by a mutation in VRP1. Here we show that additional actin suppresses all known defects caused by vrp1-1 and conclude that the defects relate to an abnormal cytoskeleton. Using the two-hybrid system, we show that verprolin binds actin. An actin-binding domain maps to the LKKAET hexapeptide located in the first 70 amino acids. A similar hexapeptide in other acting-binding proteins was previously shown to be necessary for actin-binding activity. The entire 70-amino acid motif is conserved in novel higher eukaryotic proteins that we predict to be actin-binding, and also in the actin-binding proteins, WASP and N-WASP. Verprolin-GFP in live cells has a cell cycle-dependent distribution similar to the actin cortical cytoskeleton. In fixed cells hemagglutinin-tagged Vrp1p often co-localizes with actin in cortical patches. However, disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton using Latrunculin-A does not alter verprolin's location, indicating that verprolin establishes and maintains its location independent of the actin cytoskeleton. Verprolin is a new member of the actin-binding protein family that serves as a polarity development protein, perhaps by anchoring actin. We speculate that the effects of verprolin upon the actin cytoskeleton might influence mitochondrial protein sorting/function via mRNA distribution.