Dr. Matthias Krause - Actin cytoskeleton regulation at the intersection of endocytosis, Wnt signalling, and cell migration Dr. Matthias Krause - Actin cytoskeleton regulation at the intersection of endocytosis, Wnt signalling, and cell migration
Donnerstag 18 Juni, 10:45
Matthias Krause King's College London, UK
Actin cytoskeleton regulation at the intersection of endocytosis, Wnt signalling, and cell migration How cells internalise surface receptors controls everything from embryonic development to tissue maintenance, yet the molecular machinery driving this remains incompletely understood. Canonical Wnt signalling is essential for both, and while Wnt receptor internalisation is required for pathway activation, how this uptake occurs has been controversial. Two endocytic routes exist: classical Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis (CME), and the more recently discovered Fast Endophilin-Mediated Endocytosis (FEME) — a rapid, clathrin-independent mechanism operating at the leading edge of migrating cells. In the first of two stories, we show that Wnt3a simultaneously triggers both CME and FEME of Wnt receptors, even at low ligand concentrations sufficient for pathway activation, resolving previous controversies. This efficient endocytosis is specifically facilitated by the actin regulator Mena — identifying it as a key and unexpected mediator of Wnt receptor complex internalisation and Wnt activation.
Selected references
Narayan KB, James HP, Cope J, Mondal S, Baeyens L, Milano F, Zheng J, Krause M, Baumgart T. Endophilin-lamellipodin-VASP, key components in fast endophilin-mediated endocytosis, control actin polymerization within liquid-like condensates. J Biol Chem . 2025 Dec;301(12):110834
Law AL, Jalal S, Pallett T, Mosis F, Guni A, Brayford S, Yolland L, Marcotti S, Levitt JA, Poland SP, Rowe-Sampson M, Jandke A, Köchl R, Pula G, Ameer-Beg SM, Stramer BM, Krause M. Nance-Horan Syndrome-like 1 protein negatively regulates Scar/WAVE-Arp2/3 activity and inhibits lamellipodia stability and cell migration. Nat Commun . 2021 Sep 28;12(1):5687
Vehlow A, Soong D, Vizcay-Barrena G, Bodo C, Law AL, Perera U, Krause M. Endophilin, Lamellipodin, and Mena cooperate to regulate F-actin-dependent EGF-receptor endocytosis. EMBO J . 2013 Oct 16;32(20):2722-34
Dr. Matthias Krause - Actin cytoskeleton regulation at the intersection of endocytosis, Wnt signalling, and cell migration Dr. Matthias Krause - Actin cytoskeleton regulation at the intersection of endocytosis, Wnt signalling, and cell migration
Donnerstag 18 Juni, 10:45
Matthias Krause King's College London, UK
Actin cytoskeleton regulation at the intersection of endocytosis, Wnt signalling, and cell migration How cells internalise surface receptors controls everything from embryonic development to tissue maintenance, yet the molecular machinery driving this remains incompletely understood. Canonical Wnt signalling is essential for both, and while Wnt receptor internalisation is required for pathway activation, how this uptake occurs has been controversial. Two endocytic routes exist: classical Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis (CME), and the more recently discovered Fast Endophilin-Mediated Endocytosis (FEME) — a rapid, clathrin-independent mechanism operating at the leading edge of migrating cells. In the first of two stories, we show that Wnt3a simultaneously triggers both CME and FEME of Wnt receptors, even at low ligand concentrations sufficient for pathway activation, resolving previous controversies. This efficient endocytosis is specifically facilitated by the actin regulator Mena — identifying it as a key and unexpected mediator of Wnt receptor complex internalisation and Wnt activation.
Selected references
Narayan KB, James HP, Cope J, Mondal S, Baeyens L, Milano F, Zheng J, Krause M, Baumgart T. Endophilin-lamellipodin-VASP, key components in fast endophilin-mediated endocytosis, control actin polymerization within liquid-like condensates. J Biol Chem . 2025 Dec;301(12):110834
Law AL, Jalal S, Pallett T, Mosis F, Guni A, Brayford S, Yolland L, Marcotti S, Levitt JA, Poland SP, Rowe-Sampson M, Jandke A, Köchl R, Pula G, Ameer-Beg SM, Stramer BM, Krause M. Nance-Horan Syndrome-like 1 protein negatively regulates Scar/WAVE-Arp2/3 activity and inhibits lamellipodia stability and cell migration. Nat Commun . 2021 Sep 28;12(1):5687
Vehlow A, Soong D, Vizcay-Barrena G, Bodo C, Law AL, Perera U, Krause M. Endophilin, Lamellipodin, and Mena cooperate to regulate F-actin-dependent EGF-receptor endocytosis. EMBO J . 2013 Oct 16;32(20):2722-34
