- Dai, Xiaoming;
- She, Peilu;
- Chi, Fangtao;
- Feng, Ying;
- Liu, Huan;
- Jin, Daqing;
- Zhao, Yiqiang;
- Guo, Xiaocan;
- Jiang, Dandan;
- Guan, Kun-Liang;
- Zhong, Tao P;
- Zhao, Bin
The Hippo tumor suppressor pathway plays important roles in organ size control through Lats1/2 mediated phosphorylation of the YAP/TAZ transcription co-activators. However, YAP/TAZ independent functions of the Hippo pathway are largely unknown. Here we report a novel role of the Hippo pathway in angiogenesis. Angiomotin p130 isoform (AMOTp130) is phosphorylated on a conserved HXRXXS motif by Lats1/2 downstream of GPCR signaling. Phosphorylation disrupts AMOT interaction with F-actin and correlates with reduced F-actin stress fibers and focal adhesions. Furthermore, phosphorylation of AMOT by Lats1/2 inhibits endothelial cell migration in vitro and angiogenesis in zebrafish embryos in vivo. Thus AMOT is a direct substrate of Lats1/2 mediating functions of the Hippo pathway in endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis.