Kindlin-2 promotes rear focal adhesion disassembly and directional persistence in cell migration

Abstract

Cell migration involves front-rear asymmetric FA dynamics, which facilitates trailing edge detachment and directional persistence. Here we show that kinldin-2 is critical for FA sliding and disassembly in migrating cells. Loss of kindlin-2 markedly reduced FA number and selectively impaired rear FA sliding and disassembly, resulting in defective rear retraction and reduced directional persistence during cell migration. Kindlin-2 deficient cells failed to develop serum-induced actomyosin-dependent tension at FAs. At the molecular level, kindlin-2 directly interacted with myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), which was enhanced in response to serum stimulation. Serum deprivation inhibited rear FA disassembly, which was released in response to serum stimulation. Overexpression of the MLCK-binding kindlin-2 F0F1 fragment (aa 1-167), which inhibits the interaction of endogenous kindlin-2 with MLCK, phenocopied kindlin-2 deficiency-induced migration defects. Inhibition of MLCK, like loss of kindlin-2, also impaired trailing edge detachment, rear FA disassembly and directional persistence. These results suggest a role of kindlin-2 in promoting actomyosin contractility at FAs, leading to increased rear FA sliding and disassembly and directional persistence in cell migration.