Molecular basis for interaction of the protein tyrosine kinase ZAP-70 with the T-cell receptor

The p56lck SH2 domain mediates recruitment of CD8/p56lck to the activated T cell receptor/CD3/zeta complex

The CD4 or CD8 co-receptors and the T cell receptor (TCR) are though to interact with the same antigen-presenting major histocompatibility complex molecule in a stable ternary complex. Therefore, the TCR and its co-receptor need to come into close proximity on the surface of the T cell. We have previously shown that the interaction of the p56lck SH2 domain with zeta-associated, tyrosine phosphorylated ZAP-70 and Syk kinases leads to an enhanced association of CD4 with TCR/CD3/zeta complex after CD3 stimulation of Jurkat cells. In this report, we analyzed whether a similar mechanism can mediate recruitment of the CD8 alpha alpha and CD8 alpha beta isoforms to the TCR. We demonstrate in vivo in association of CD8 alpha alpha/p56lck with the tyrosine kinase ZAP-70 after CD3 stimulation of Jurkat cells. A phosphopeptide competing in vitro for the binding of tyrosine phosphorylated proteins to the SH2 domain of p56lck specifically impedes the association of ZAP-70 with CD8 alpha alpha/p56lck without affecting the zeta/ZAP-70 interaction. The same peptide is able to compete for the activation-dependent association of the CD8 alpha alpha or CD8 alpha beta isoform with the TCR/CD3/zeta complex. Moreover, co-precipitation of the TCR with both CD8 isoforms was observed after CD3 stimulation. These findings strongly suggest that the p56lck SH2 domain mediates recruitment of CD8/p56lck to the activated TCR/CD3/zeta complex.

C2 domain conformational changes in phospholipase C-delta 1

The structure of the PH-domain truncated core of rat phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C-delta 1 has been determined at 2.4 A resolution and compared to the structure previously determined in a different crystal form. The stereochemical relationship between the EF, catalytic, and C2 domains is essentially identical. The Ca2+ analogue Sm3+ binds at two sites between the jaws of the C2 domain. Sm3+ binding ejects three lysine residues which bridge the gap between the jaws and occupy the Ca2+ site in the apoenzyme, triggering a conformational change in the jaws. The distal sections of the C2 jaws move apart, opening the mouth by 9 A and creating a gap large enough to bind a phospholipid headgroup.

Alternative modes of tyrosyl phosphopeptide binding to a Src family SH2 domain: implications for regulation of tyrosine kinase activity

Src homology 2 (SH2) domains interact with proteins containing phosphorylated tyrosine residues and as such play a key role in mediating tyrosine kinase signal transduction. Determination of how these interactions maintain specificity is central to understanding the mechanism of this intracellular signal processing. In the Src family tyrosine kinases specificity is enhanced by a form of regulation based on binding of a phosphotyrosine, pY, and its proximal amino acid sequence from the C-terminus to the SH2 domain of the same protein (autoregulation) or to a similar protein (homodimeric regulation). Activation of the protein is accomplished by removal of this regulatory interaction by competition from a "specific" interacting ligand. We adopt the SH2 domain from a member of the Src family, Fyn (whose predominant physiological role is in initiation of signals from the T-cell receptor complex), to explore the differences in structural, thermodynamic, and kinetic determinants of regulatory and specific interactions using tyrosyl phosphopeptides based on the C-terminus and on a putative physiological interacting species from the hamster middle-sized tumor antigen. The specific peptide interacts with micromolar affinity via embedding the pY and an isoleucine residue (in the pY + 3 position) in two deep pockets. This leads to a large favorable enthalpic contribution to free energy. The regulatory peptide interacts in the pY pocket which forms a pivot for the rest of the molecule which is dynamic. These structural data for the regulatory peptide are supported by the observation of a more favorable entropic term and a complex mode of binding revealed by kinetic analysis.

Immunodeficiencies caused by genetic defects in protein kinases

The recognition that defects of ZAP-70 and, more recently, of JAK3 kinase in humans result in severe combined immunodeficiency, and the demonstration that targeting of these and other protein-kinase genes in mice also leads to immunodeficiency, have highlighted the crucial role that these proteins play in T-cell differentiation and activation.

Differential association of protein tyrosine kinases with the T cell receptor is linked to the induction of anergy and its prevention by B7 family-mediated costimulation

When stimulated through their antigen receptor, without costimulation, T cells enter a state of antigen-specific unresponsiveness, termed anergy. B7-mediated costimulation, signaling via CD28, is sufficient to prevent the induction of anergy. Here we show that ligation of T cell receptor (TCR) by alloantigen alone, which results in anergy, activates tyrosine phosphorylation of TCR zeta and its association with fyn. In contrast, TCR ligation in the presence of B7 costimulation, which results in productive immunity, activates tyrosine phosphorylation of TCR zeta and CD3 chains, which associate with activated lck and zeta-associated protein (ZAP) 70. Under these conditions, CD28 associates with activated lck and TCR zeta. These data suggest that the induction of anergy is an active signaling process characterized by the association of TCR zeta and fyn. In addition, CD28-mediated costimulation may prevent the induction of anergy by facilitating the effective association of TCR zeta and CD3 epsilon with the critical protein tyrosine kinase lck, and the subsequent recruitment of ZAP-70. Strategies to inhibit or activate TCR-associated, specific protein tyrosine kinase-mediated pathways may provide a basis for drug development with potential applications in the fields of transplantation, autoimmunity, and tumor immunity.

Phosphotyrosines in the killer cell inhibitory receptor motif of NKB1 are required for negative signaling and for association with protein tyrosine phosphatase 1C

NKB1 is one member of a growing family of killer cell inhibitory receptors (KIR). It is expressed on natural killer (NK) cells and T cells, and has been shown to inhibit cytolytic functions of these cells upon interacting with its ligand, HLA-B (Bw4). We demonstrate here that the cytoplasmic region of NKB1 is capable of inhibiting T cell activation in Jurkat cells. The tyrosine phosphorylation of the NKB1 KIR consensus motif, YxxL(x)26 YxxL, induces an association with the protein tyrosine phosphatase 1C (PTP1C). Importantly, mutation of both tyrosines in the motif abolished the inhibitory functions of NKB1 and abrogated PTP1C association. Mutational analysis of the individual tyrosines suggest that the membrane proximal tyrosine may play a crucial role in mediating the inhibitory signal. These results demonstrate that KIR can not only inhibit cytolytic activity, but can also negatively regulate T cell receptor activation events that lead to downstream gene activation, and further supports a model that implicates PTP1C as a mediator in the KIR inhibitory signal.

Reading between the lines: SH3 recognition of an intact protein

The structure of Nef-SH3 domain complex reveals how an SH3 domain can more effectively 'read' its linear proline-rich recognition element when it is presented within the context of a folded protein.

Phosphorylated T cell receptor zeta-chain and ZAP70 tandem SH2 domains form a 1:3 complex in vitro

The zeta polypeptide is part of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR). The zeta-chain contributes to efficient cell-surface expression of the TCR and accounts for part of its signal transduction capability. TCR recognition triggers a complex set of events that result in cellular activation. The protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) Lck phosphorylates the zeta-chain, which in turn associates with another PTK, ZAP70, and stimulates its phosphorylation activity. Here we report the expression of the intracellular part of the zeta-chain and its biochemical characterization. The recombinant protein does not dimerize by itself in solution. Circular-dichroic analysis reveals a random coil conformation. zeta, phosphorylated using recombinant Lck, associates with recombinant ZAP70 tandem-SH2 domains. All three T cell activation motifs in zeta bind ZAP70 tandem-SH2 domains in vitro, forming a 1:3 complex. This result extends the picture, derived from earlier studies, of a mechanism for signal amplification.

Regulation of antigen receptor signal transduction by protein tyrosine kinases

The past two years have seen further clarification of the early events occurring in antigen receptor signal transduction that are mediated by the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM). The ITAM was shown to be a specific binding site for the ZAP-70/Syk protein tyrosine kinases and the structure of this complex was solved. In addition, possible mechanisms of activation and functions for these kinases were reported. Lastly, genetic studies established the critical importance of these kinases in antigen-receptor signaling and lymphocyte development.

Structure of the IRS-1 PTB domain bound to the juxtamembrane region of the insulin receptor

SUMMARY

Crystal structures of the insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain, alone and complexed with the juxtamembrane region of the insulin receptor, show how this domain recognizes phosphorylated "NPXY" sequence motifs. The domain is a 7-stranded beta sandwich capped by a C-terminal helix. The insulin receptor phosphopeptide fills an L-shaped cleft on the domain. The N-terminal residues of the bound peptide form an additional strand in the beta sandwich, stabilized by contacts with the C-terminal helix. These interactions explain why IRS-1 binds to the insulin receptor but not to NPXpY motifs in growth factor receptors. The PTB domains of IRS-1 and Shc share a common fold with pleckstrin homology domains. Overall, ligand binding by IRS-1 and Shc PTB domains is similar, but residues critical for phosphotyrosine recognition are not conserved.

Crystal structure of the PI 3-kinase p85 amino-terminal SH2 domain and its phosphopeptide complexes

Crystal structures of the amino-terminal SH2 domain of the p85alpha subunit of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase, alone and in complex with phosphopeptides bearing pTyr-Met/Val-Xaa-Met motifs, show that phosphopeptides bind in the two-pronged manner seen in high-affinity Lck and Src SH2 complexes, with conserved interactions between the domain and the peptide segment from phosphotyrosine to Met+3. Peptide binding requires the rearrangement of a tyrosyl side chain in the BG loop to create the hydrophobic Met+3 binding pocket. The structures suggest a mechanism for the biological specificity exhibited by PI 3-kinase in its interactions with phosphoprotein partners.

A physical interaction between the cell death protein Fas and the tyrosine kinase p59fynT

The Fas antigen (Apo1/CD95) is a transmembrane protein belonging to the nerve growth factor receptor family. It is expressed on a variety of cells, including activated T lymphocytes. Ligation of Fas with its natural ligand or with anti-Fas antibodies often results in the apoptotic death of the cell, making Fas an important mediator of down-regulating immune responses. The signal transduction pathways utilized by Fas are currently unknown, although tyrosine kinase activity has recently been strongly implicated. Here, we report that the tyrosine kinase p59fyn physically associates with Fas in Fas-sensitive cells. In addition, we show that activated T lymphocytes from fyn knockout mice exhibit elevated lifespans and reduced apoptosis in vitro compared to their normal counterparts. Furthermore, activated T lymphocytes from the fyn-deficient mice are less sensitive to killing by both anti-Fas antibody and Fas-ligand cytotoxic T cells. These results suggest that p59fyn plays an important role in Fas signal transduction.

Lck regulates the tyrosine phosphorylation of the T cell receptor subunits and ZAP-70 in murine thymocytes

The Src-family and Syk/ZAP-70 family of protein tyrosine kinases (PTK) are required for T cell receptor (TCR) functions. We provide evidence that the Src-family PTK Lck is responsible for regulating the constitutive tyrosine phosphorylation of the TCR zeta subunit in murine thymocytes. Moreover, ligation of the TCR expressed on thymocytes from Lck-deficient mice largely failed to induce the phosphorylation of TCR-zeta, CD3 epsilon, or ZAP-70. In contrast, we find that the TCR-zeta subunit is weakly constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated in peripheral T cells isolated from Lck-null mice. These data suggest that Lck has a functional role in regulation of TCR signal transduction in thymocytes. In peripheral T cells, other Src-family PTKs such as Fyn may partially compensate for the absence of Lck.

Much more than the sum of the parts: structures of the dual SH2 domains of ZAP-70 and Syp

Proteins involved in signaling pathways frequently contain one or more SH2 domains. New structural information on proteins that carry two SH2 domains show, surprisingly, that the domains are closely interlinked, so the binding sites are rigidly oriented with respect to each other. Thus, only ligands with the right spacing of the phosphotyrosines will be tightly bound.

SH2 domains: a question of independence

The three-dimensional structures of parts of two enzymes that contain tandem Src homology 2 (SH2) domains have recently been determined. The structures suggest how the SH2 domains function in concert to regulate enzymatic activity and localization.

Biophysical studies of T-cell receptors and their ligands

Recently developed methodologies for the production of the soluble extracellular domains of alpha beta TCRs have allowed several biophysical characterizations. The thermodynamic and kinetic parameters associated with specific ligand interactions between the TCR and MHC-peptide complexes, as well as superantigens, are now being established. Crystallographic studies of isolated TCR fragments have yielded the structures of a V alpha domain and the two extracellular domains of a beta-chain. These investigations are beginning to allow a new visualization of antigen recognition and T-cell activation processes.

Spatial constraints on the recognition of phosphoproteins by the tandem SH2 domains of the phosphatase SH-PTP2

The domain organization of many signalling proteins facilitates a segregation of binding, catalytic and regulatory functions. The mammalian SH2 domain protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) contain tandem SH2 domains and a single carboxy-terminal catalytic domain. SH-PTP1 (PTP1C, HCP) and SH-PTP2 (Syp, PTP2C, PTP1D) function downstream from tyrosine kinase-linked insulin, growth factor, cytokine and antigen receptors. As well as directing subcellular localization by binding to receptors and their substrates, the two SH2 domains of these PTPs function together to regulate catalysis. Here we report the structure of the tandem SH2 domains of SH-PTP2 in complex with monophosphopeptides. A fixed relative orientation of the two domains, stabilized by a disulphide bond and a small hydrophobic patch within the interface, separates the peptide binding sites by approximately 40 A. The defined orientation of the SH2 domains in the structure, and data showing that peptide orientation and spacing between binding sites is critical for enzymatic activation, suggest that spatial constraints are important in this multidomain protein-protein interaction.

Why two heads are better

The tandem SH2 domains of the ZAP-70 kinase complexed with a doubly phosphorylated ligand reveal a mechanism for building a high-affinity interaction with very low non-specific binding.

Solution structure of the C-terminal SH2 domain of the human tyrosine kinase Syk complexed with a phosphotyrosine pentapeptide

BACKGROUND

Recruitment of the intracellular tyrosine kinase Syk to activated immune-response receptors is a critical early step in intracellular signaling. In mast cells, Syk specifically associates with doubly phosphorylated immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs) that are found within the IgE receptor. The mechanism by which Syk recognizes these motifs is not fully understood. Both Syk SH2 (Src homology 2) domains are required for high-affinity binding to these motifs, but the C-terminal SH2 domain (Syk-C) can function independently and can bind, in isolation, to the tyrosine-phosphorylated IgE receptor in vitro. In order to improve understanding of the cellular function of Syk, we have determined the solution structure of Syk-C complexed with a phosphotyrosine peptide derived from the gamma subunit of the IgE receptor.

RESULTS

The Syk-C:peptide structure is compared with liganded structures of both the SH2 domain of Src and the C-terminal SH2 domain of ZAP-70 (the 70 kDa zeta-associated protein). The topologies of these domains are similar, although significant differences occur in the loop regions. In the Syk-C structure, the phosphotyrosine and leucine residues of the peptide ligand interact with pockets on the protein, and the intervening residues are extended.

CONCLUSIONS

Syk-C resembles other SH2 domains in its peptide-binding interactions and overall topology, a result that is consistent with its ability to function as an independent SH2 domain in vitro. This result suggests that Syk-C plays a unique role in the intact Syk protein. The determinants of the binding affinity and selectivity of Syk-C may reside in the least-conserved structural elements that comprise the phosphotyrosine- and leucine-binding sites. These structural features can be exploited for the design of Syk-selective SH2 antagonists for the treatment of allergic disorders and asthma.