Functional interactions between the p35 subunit of the Arp2/3 complex and calmodulin in yeast

The end9-1 (arc35-1) mutant was identified as an endocytosis mutant and is a mutant allele of ARC35 that encodes a subunit of the Arp2/3 complex. As for other mutants in the Arp2/3 complex, arc35-1 is defective for endocytosis and organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Both defects can be suppressed by overexpression of calmodulin. Analysis of a collection of temperature-sensitive cmd1 mutants for their ability to suppress either the endocytic defect and/or the actin defect indicates that the two defects are tightly coupled. We demonstrate that Arc35p and Cmd1p interact and that Arc35p is required for cortical localization of calmodulin. This is the first report linking Arp2/3 complex function with calmodulin through which it exercises at least one of its endocytic functions.