Spatiotemporal regulation of the kinase Mst1 by binding protein RAPL is critical for lymphocyte polarity and adhesion.

RAPL, a protein that binds the small GTPase Rap1, is required for efficient immune cell trafficking. Here we have identified the kinase Mst1 as a critical effector of RAPL. RAPL regulated the localization and kinase activity of Mst1. 'Knockdown' of the gene encoding Mst1 demonstrated its requirement for the induction of both a polarized morphology and integrin LFA-1 clustering and adhesion triggered by chemokines and T cell receptor ligation. RAPL and Mst1 localized to vesicular compartments and dynamically translocated with LFA-1 to the leading edge upon Rap1 activation, suggesting a regulatory function for the RAPL-Mst1 complex in intracellular transport of LFA-1. Our study demonstrates a previously unknown function for Mst1 of relaying the Rap1-RAPL signal to induce cell polarity and adhesion of lymphocytes.