| Research Abstract |
ERM (ezrin/radixin/moesin) proteins are general cross-linkers between the plasma membrane and actin filaments. Since their expression is regulated in a tissue- specific manner, each ERM protein has been proposed to have unique functions. On the other hand, experiments at the cellular Level and in vitro have suggested the functional redundancy of ERM proteins. To assess the possible unique functions of ERM proteins in vivo, the moesin gene located on the X chromosome was disrupted by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. Male mice hemizygous for the mutation as well as homozygous females were completely devoid of moesin but developed normally and were fertile, with no obvious histological abnormalities in any of the tissues examined, In the tissues of the mutant mice, moesin completely disappeared without affecting the expression levels or subcellular distribution of ezrin and radixin. Also, in platelets, fibroblasts, and mast cells isolated from moesindeficient mice, targeted disruption of the moesin gene did not affect their ERM-dependent functions, i.e. platelet aggregation, stress fiber/focal contact formation offibroblasts ; and microvillar formation of mast cells, without compensatory up-regulation of ezrin or radixin. These findings favor the notion that ERM proteins are functionally redundant at the cellular as well as the whole body level
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