Synthetic dysmobility screening reveals a phosphorylation-independent facet of the SLK-Ezrin-F-actin signaling cascade

Abstract This study investigates the role of Ste20-like kinase (SLK) in cytoskeletal dynamics, focusing on its interaction with Ezrin and actin remodeling, independent of phosphorylation processes. We utilized HaCaT to explore the effects of SLK and Ezrin knockdown, as well as the application of specific inhibitors on the organization of actin structures. Our findings reveal that both SLK and Ezrin significantly influence the architecture of actin cytoskeletons with differential impacts observed between protein knockdown and dephosphorylation events. Additionally, our results suggest novel, phosphorylation-independent pathways through which Ezrin modulates actin dynamics, potentially indicating alternative, non-enzymatic roles for Ezrin in cytoskeletal integrity.