Rictor: Proteins and Enzymes

Rictor (rapamycin-insensitive companion of mTOR) is a member of the mTORC2 complex, which regulates cell growth by integrating stress, energy, and nutrient signals with growth factor derived signals. Rictor contains no obvious catalytic motifs, but knockdown studies of mTOR or Rictor results in a loss actin polymerization and cell spreading. In vitro, the mTOR-Rictor complex phosphorylates Akt/PKB on Ser473, an essential step for full activation of Akt/PKB. Additionally, recent studies have shown that mTOR-Rictor regulates PKC alpha phosphorylation and PDGF R beta expression and signaling.