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. 2012 Aug 6;7(8):e42577. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042577

Figure 4. The FERM domain is necessary and sufficient for membrane localization of FAK at integrin-free regions.

Figure 4

Confocal images and intensity profiles of the indicated constructs after whole mount immunostaining. The first column are top views of superficial cells of the animal cap in intact embryos and the second column are views from sagittally sectioned embryos that reveal the localization of each construct on the apical surface of superficial cells. Apical region of superficial blastomeres is to the right. (A) The FERM domain shows strong plasma membrane localization in the top view and is strongly localized to the apical surface. (B) Endogenous phosphorylated FAK shows very strong plasma membrane localization in the top view and is localized on the basolateral and apical surface of the cell. (C) Full length FAK with the point mutation K38A exhibits strong membrane localization. (D) Deletion of the FERM domain (HA-Δ375 FAK construct) abolishes the plasma membrane localization of FAK. Scale bars: 25 µm.