Abstract
Tyrosine phosphorylation is implicated in regulating the adherens junction protein, p120 catenin (p120), however, the mechanisms are not well defined. Here, we show, using substrate trapping, that p120 is a direct target of the protein tyrosine phosphatase, PTP-PEST, in epithelial cells. Stable shRNA knockdown of PTP-PEST in colon carcinoma cells results in an increased cytosolic pool of p120 concomitant with its enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation and decreased association with E-cadherin. Consistent with this, PTP-PEST knockdown cells exhibit increased motility, enhanced Rac1 and decreased RhoA activity on a collagen substrate. Furthermore, p120 localization is enhanced at actin-rich protrusions and lamellipodia and has an increased association with the guanine nucleotide exchange factor, VAV2, and cortactin. Exchange factor activity of VAV2 is enhanced by PTP-PEST knockdown whereas overexpression of a VAV2 C-terminal domain or DH domain mutant blocks cell motility. Analysis of point mutations identified tyrosine 335 in the N-terminal domain of p120 as the site of PTP-PEST dephosphorylation. A Y335F mutant of p120 failed to induce the 'p120 phenotype', interact with VAV2, stimulate cell motility or activate Rac1. Together, these data suggest that PTP-PEST affects epithelial cell motility by controlling the distribution and phosphorylation of p120 and its availability to control Rho GTPase activity.