The p38/MK2/Hsp25 Pathway Is Required for BMP-2-Induced Cell Migration

Background: Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have been shown to participate in the patterning and specification of several tissues and organs during development and to regulate cell growth, differentiation and migration in different cell types. BMP-mediated cell migration requires activation of the small GTPase Cdc42 and LIMK1 activities. In our earlier report we showed that activation of LIMK1 also requires the activation of PAKs through Cdc42 and PI3K. However, the requirement of additional signaling is not clearly known. Methodology/Principal Findings: Activation of p38 MAPK has been shown to be relevant for a number of BMP-2¿s physiological effects. We report here that BMP-2 regulation of cell migration and actin cytoskeleton remodelling are dependent on p38 activity. BMP-2 treatment of mesenchymal cells results in activation of the p38/MK2/Hsp25 signaling pathway downstream from the BMP receptors. Moreover, chemical inhibition of p38 signaling or genetic ablation of either p38¿ or MK2 blocks the ability to activate the downstream effectors of the pathway and abolishes BMP-2-induction of cell migration. These signaling effects on p38/MK2/Hsp25 do not require the activity of either Cdc42 or PAK, whereas p38/MK2 activities do not significantly modify the BMP-2-dependent activation of LIMK1, measured by either kinase activity or with an antibody raised against phospho-threonine 508 at its activation loop. Finally, phosphorylated Hsp25 colocalizes with the BMP receptor complexes in lamellipodia and overexpression of a phosphorylation mutant form of Hsp25 is able to abolish the migration of cells in response to BMP-2. Conclusions: These results indicate that Cdc42/PAK/LIMK1 and p38/MK2/Hsp25 pathways, acting in parallel and modulating specific actin regulatory proteins, play a critical role in integrating responses during BMP-induced actin reorganization and cell migration

Surface degradation of InxGa1-xN thin films by sputter-anneal processing: A scanning photoemission microscope study

The effects of nitrogen ion sputtering and thermal anneal processing on the surface electronic structure of the ternary III-V semiconductor In0.12Ga0.88N have been studied using scanning photoemission microscopy. No phase separation of the material is observed for annealing temperatures up to 650degreesC. However, samples annealed at 700degreesC for 5 h show clear evidence of phase separation. Furthermore, annealing at these temperatures with the sample surface directly exposed to ultrahigh vacuum produces a surface greatly deficient in In and with considerable surface roughness. This can be circumvented by using a sacrificial sample in physical contact with the film to artificially increase the local vapor pressure of Ga, In, and N during annealing. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics

Resonant photoemission at the Ga 3p photothreshold in InxGa1-xN

Resonance effects at the Ga 3p photoabsorption threshold have been observed in photoemission spectra recorded from thin film InxGa1-xN alloys. The spectra display satellites of the main Ga 3d emission line, and the intensity of these satellites resonate at this threshold. The satellites are associated with a 3d(8) state, and have previously been observed for the semiconductors GaN, GaAs, and GaP. The resonance behavior has been studied for a variety of InxGa1-x thin films with differing In concentration and band gap. The photon energy where the maximum resonance is observed varies with band gap within the alloy system, but does not follow the trend observed for binary Ga semiconducting compounds. We also observe that the threshold resonant energy increases slightly as the In content increases. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Resonant shake-up satellites in photoemission at the Ga 3p photothreshold in GaN

Photoemission spectra recorded near the Ga 3p photothreshold from GaN have been found to contain satellites of the main Ga 3d emission line. The intensity of these satellites resonate at this threshold, and are associated with a 3d(8) state. The correlation energies and binding energies for the satellite multiplet have been measured for the satellite and related Auger transitions. The satellite multiplet contains additional constant binding energy features not observed in previous studies of other Ga compounds. The present results are compared with those for Gal? and GaAs