Epidermal growth factor induces changes of interaction between epidermal growth factor receptor and actin in intact cells.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a cytoskeleton-binding protein. Although purified EGFR can interact with actins in vitro and normally at least 10% of EGFR exist in the insoluble cytoskeleton fraction of A431 cells, interaction of cytosolic EGFR with actin can only be visualized by fluorescence resonance energy transfer when epidermal growth factor presents in the cell medium. Results indicate that the correct orientation between EGFR and actin is important in the signal transduction process.