Making Connections

T cells respond to antigen through multiple signals, many of which are driven by proteins that coassociate at the cell membrane. SLP-76 is a primary signaling molecule that is recruited by the integral membrane protein LAT, and together they initiate several signaling pathways. Yoder et al. show that GADS, a small adaptor protein, is critical in mediating this association and thus has a significant impact on T cell development. Thymocytes from mice deficient in the expression of GADS displayed defects in cellular proliferation, as well as in positive and negative selection. By connecting SLP-76 and LAT, GADS facilitates important SLP-76-dependent signals at different stages of T cell development. J. Yoder, C. Pham, Y.-M. Iizuka, O. Kanagawa, S. K. Liu, J. McGlade, A. M. Cheng, Requirement for the SLP-76 adaptor GADS in T cell development. Science 291 , 1987-1991 (2001). [Abstract] [Full Text]