Identification of two regions of beta G spectrin that bind to distinct sites in brain membranes

Degradation of βII-Spectrin Protein by Calpain-2 and Caspase-3 Under Neurotoxic and Traumatic Brain Injury Conditions

A major consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the rapid proteolytic degradation of structural cytoskeletal proteins. This process is largely reflected by the interruption of axonal transport as a result of extensive axonal injury leading to neuronal cell injury. Previous work from our group has described the extensive degradation of the axonally enriched cytoskeletal αII-spectrin protein which results in molecular signature breakdown products (BDPs) indicative of injury mechanisms and to specific protease activation both in vitro and in vivo. In the current study, we investigated the integrity of βII-spectrin protein and its proteolytic profile both in primary rat cerebrocortical cell culture under apoptotic, necrotic, and excitotoxic challenge and extended to in vivo rat model of experimental TBI (controlled cortical impact model). Interestingly, our results revealed that the intact 260-kDa βII-spectrin is degraded into major fragments (βII-spectrin breakdown products (βsBDPs)) of 110, 108, 85, and 80 kDa in rat brain (hippocampus and cortex) 48 h post-injury. These βsBDP profiles were further characterized and compared to an in vitro βII-spectrin fragmentation pattern of naive rat cortex lysate digested by calpain-2 and caspase-3. Results revealed that βII-spectrin was degraded into major fragments of 110/85 kDa by calpain-2 activation and 108/80 kDa by caspase-3 activation. These data strongly support the hypothesis that in vivo activation of multiple protease system induces structural protein proteolysis involving βII-spectrin proteolysis via a specific calpain and/or caspase-mediated pathway resulting in a signature, protease-specific βsBDPs that are dependent upon the type of neural injury mechanism. This work extends on previous published work that discusses the interplay spectrin family (αII-spectrin and βII-spectrin) and their susceptibility to protease proteolysis and their implication to neuronal cell death mechanisms.

Dances with Membranes: Breakthroughs from Super-resolution Imaging

Biological membrane organization mediates numerous cellular functions and has also been connected with an immense number of human diseases. However, until recently, experimental methodologies have been unable to directly visualize the nanoscale details of biological membranes, particularly in intact living cells. Numerous models explaining membrane organization have been proposed, but testing those models has required indirect methods; the desire to directly image proteins and lipids in living cell membranes is a strong motivation for the advancement of technology. The development of super-resolution microscopy has provided powerful tools for quantification of membrane organization at the level of individual proteins and lipids, and many of these tools are compatible with living cells. Previously inaccessible questions are now being addressed, and the field of membrane biology is developing rapidly. This chapter discusses how the development of super-resolution microscopy has led to fundamental advances in the field of biological membrane organization. We summarize the history and some models explaining how proteins are organized in cell membranes, and give an overview of various super-resolution techniques and methods of quantifying super-resolution data. We discuss the application of super-resolution techniques to membrane biology in general, and also with specific reference to the fields of actin and actin-binding proteins, virus infection, mitochondria, immune cell biology, and phosphoinositide signaling. Finally, we present our hopes and expectations for the future of super-resolution microscopy in the field of membrane biology.

The role of cell adhesion molecules in visual circuit formation: from neurite outgrowth to maps and synaptic specificity

The formation of visual circuitry is a multistep process that involves cell–cell interactions based on a range of molecular mechanisms. The correct implementation of individual events, including axon outgrowth and guidance, the formation of the topographic map, or the synaptic targeting of specific cellular subtypes, are prerequisites for a fully functional visual system that is able to appropriately process the information captured by the eyes. Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) with their adhesive properties and their high functional diversity have been identified as key actors in several of these fundamental processes. Because of their growth‐promoting properties, CAMs play an important role in neuritogenesis. Furthermore, they are necessary to control additional neurite development, regulating dendritic spacing and axon pathfinding. Finally, trans‐synaptic interactions of CAMs ensure cell type‐specific connectivity as a basis for the establishment of circuits processing distinct visual features. Recent discoveries implicating CAMs in novel mechanisms have led to a better general understanding of neural circuit formation, but also revealed an increasing complexity of their function. This review aims at describing the different levels of action for CAMs to shape neural connectivity, with a special focus on the visual system. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 75: 569–583, 2015

The actin binding domain of βI-spectrin regulates the morphological and functional dynamics of dendritic spines

Actin microfilaments regulate the size, shape and mobility of dendritic spines and are in turn regulated by actin binding proteins and small GTPases. The βI isoform of spectrin, a protein that links the actin cytoskeleton to membrane proteins, is present in spines. To understand its function, we expressed its actin-binding domain (ABD) in CA1 pyramidal neurons in hippocampal slice cultures. The ABD of βI-spectrin bundled actin in principal dendrites and was concentrated in dendritic spines, where it significantly increased the size of the spine head. These effects were not observed after expression of homologous ABDs of utrophin, dystrophin, and α-actinin. Treatment of slice cultures with latrunculin-B significantly decreased spine head size and decreased actin-GFP fluorescence in cells expressing the ABD of α-actinin, but not the ABD of βI-spectrin, suggesting that its presence inhibits actin depolymerization. We also observed an increase in the area of GFP-tagged PSD-95 in the spine head and an increase in the amplitude of mEPSCs at spines expressing the ABD of βI-spectrin. The effects of the βI-spectrin ABD on spine size and mEPSC amplitude were mimicked by expressing wild-type Rac3, a small GTPase that co-immunoprecipitates specifically with βI-spectrin in extracts of cultured cortical neurons. Spine size was normal in cells co-expressing a dominant negative Rac3 construct with the βI-spectrin ABD. We suggest that βI-spectrin is a synaptic protein that can modulate both the morphological and functional dynamics of dendritic spines, perhaps via interaction with actin and Rac3.

Unexpected complexity in the mechanisms that target assembly of the spectrin cytoskeleton

The spectrin cytoskeleton assembles within discrete regions of the plasma membrane in a wide range of animal cell types. Although recent studies carried out in vertebrate systems indicate that spectrin assembly occurs indirectly through the adapter protein ankyrin, recent studies in Drosophila have established that spectrin can also assemble through a direct ankyrin-independent mechanism. Here we tested specific regions of the spectrin molecule for a role in polarized assembly and function. First, we tested mutant beta-spectrins lacking ankyrin binding activity and/or the COOH-terminal pleckstrin homology (PH) domain for their assembly competence in midgut, salivary gland, and larval brain. Remarkably, three different assembly mechanisms operate in these three cell types: 1) neither site was required for assembly in salivary gland; 2) only the PH domain was required in midgut copper cells; and 3) either one of the two sites was sufficient for spectrin assembly in larval brain. Further characterization of the PH domain revealed that it binds strongly to lipid mixtures containing phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2)) but not phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate. A K8Q mutation in the lipid binding region of the PH domain eliminated the PIP(2) interaction in vitro, yet the mutant protein retained full biological function in vivo. Reporter gene studies revealed that PIP(2) and the spectrin PH domain codistribute with one another in cells but not with authentic wild type alphabeta-spectrin. Thus, it appears that the PH domain imparts membrane targeting activity through a second mechanism that takes precedence over its PIP(2) binding activity.

Phospholipase C-eta enzymes as putative protein kinase C and Ca2+ signalling components in neuronal and neuroendocrine tissues

Phosphoinositol-specific phospholipase C enzymes (PLCs) are central to inositol lipid signalling pathways, facilitating intracellular Ca2+ release and protein kinase C activation. A sixth class of phosphoinositol-specific PLC with a novel domain structure, PLC-eta (PLCeta) has recently been discovered in mammals. Recent research, reviewed here, shows that this class consists of two enzymes, PLCeta1 and PLCeta2. Both enzymes hydrolyze phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and are more sensitive to Ca2+ than other PLC isozymes and are likely to mediate G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling pathways. Both enzymes are expressed in neuron-enriched regions, being abundant in the brain. We demonstrate that they are also expressed in neuroendocrine cell lines. PLCeta enzymes therefore represent novel proteins influencing intracellular Ca2+ dynamics and protein kinase C activation in the brain and neuroendocrine systems as putative mediation of GPCR regulation.

beta-Spectrin functions independently of Ankyrin to regulate the establishment and maintenance of axon connections in the Drosophila embryonic CNS

alpha- and beta-Spectrin are major components of a submembrane cytoskeletal network connecting actin filaments to integral plasma membrane proteins. Besides its structural role in red blood cells, the Spectrin network is thought to function in non-erythroid cells during protein targeting and membrane domain formation. Here, we demonstrate that beta-Spectrin is required in neurons for proper midline axon guidance in the Drosophila embryonic CNS. In beta-spectrin mutants many axons inappropriately cross the CNS midline, suggesting a role for beta-Spectrin in midline repulsion. Surprisingly, neither the Ankyrin-binding nor the pleckstrin homology (PH) domains of beta-Spectrin are required for accurate guidance decisions. alpha-Spectrin is dependent upon beta-Spectrin for its normal subcellular localization and/or maintenance, whereas alpha-spectrin mutants exhibit a redistribution of beta-Spectrin to the axon scaffold. beta-spectrin mutants show specific dose-dependent genetic interactions with the midline repellent slit and its neuronal receptor roundabout (robo), but not with other guidance molecules. The results suggest that beta-Spectrin contributes to midline repulsion through the regulation of Slit-Robo pathway components. We propose that the Spectrin network is playing a role independently of Ankyrin in the establishment and/or maintenance of specialized membrane domains containing guidance molecules that ensure the fidelity of axon repulsion at the midline.

Spectrin functions upstream of ankyrin in a spectrin cytoskeleton assembly pathway

Prevailing models place spectrin downstream of ankyrin in a pathway of assembly and function in polarized cells. We used a transgene rescue strategy in Drosophila melanogaster to test contributions of four specific functional sites in beta spectrin to its assembly and function. (1) Removal of the pleckstrin homology domain blocked polarized spectrin assembly in midgut epithelial cells and was usually lethal. (2) A point mutation in the tetramer formation site, modeled after a hereditary elliptocytosis mutation in human erythrocyte spectrin, had no detectable effect on function. (3) Replacement of repetitive segments 4-11 of beta spectrin with repeats 2-9 of alpha spectrin abolished function but did not prevent polarized assembly. (4) Removal of the putative ankyrin-binding site had an unexpectedly mild phenotype with no detectable effect on spectrin targeting to the plasma membrane. The results suggest an alternate pathway in which spectrin directs ankyrin assembly and in which some important functions of spectrin are independent of ankyrin.

Molecular Mechanism of Apoptosis Induced by Mechanical Forces

In all biological systems, a balance between cell proliferation/growth and death is required for normal development as well as for adaptation to a changing environment. To affect their fate, it is essential for cells to integrate signals from the environment. Recently, it has been recognized that physical forces such as stretch, strain, and tension play a critical role in regulating this process. Despite intensive investigation, the pathways by which mechanical signals are converted to biochemical responses is yet to be completely understood. In this review, we will examine our current understanding of how mechanical forces induce apoptosis in a variety of biological systems. Rather than being a degenerative event, physical forces act through specific receptor-like molecules such as integrins, focal adhesion proteins, and the cytoskeleton. These molecules in turn activate a limited number of protein kinase pathways (p38 MAPK and JNK/SAPK), which amplify the signal and activate enzymes (caspases) that promote apoptosis. Physical forces concurrently activate other signaling pathways such as PIK-3 and Erk 1/2 MAPK, which modulate the apoptotic response. The cell phenotype and the character of the physical stimuli determine which pathways are activated and, consequently, allow for variability in response to a specific stimulus in different cell types.

The C-terminal domain ofDrosophilaβHeavy-spectrin exhibits autonomous membrane association and modulates membrane area

Current models of cell polarity invoke asymmetric cues that reorganize the secretory apparatus to induce polarized protein delivery. An important step in this process is the stabilization of the protein composition in each polarized membrane domain. The spectrin-based membrane skeleton is thought to contribute to such stabilization by increasing the half-life of many proteins at the cell surface. Genetic evidence is consistent with a negative role for Drosophila βHeavy-spectrin in endocytosis, but the inhibitory mechanism has not been elucidated. Here, we investigated the membrane binding properties of the C-terminal nonrepetitive domain of βHeavy-spectrin through its in vivo expression in transgenic flies. We found that this region is a membrane-association domain that requires a pleckstrin homology domain for full activity, and we showed for the first time that robust membrane binding by such a C-terminal domain requires additional contributions outside the pleckstrin homology. In addition, we showed that expression of the βHeavy-spectrin C-terminal domain has a potent effect on epithelial morphogenesis. This effect is associated with its ability to induce an expansion in plasma membrane surface area. The membrane expansions adopt a very specific bi-membrane structure that sequesters both the C-terminal domain and the endocytic protein dynamin. Our data provide supporting evidence for the inhibition of endocytosis by βHeavy-spectrin, and suggest that the C-terminal domain mediates this effect through interaction with the endocytic machinery. Spectrin may be an active partner in the stabilization of polarized membrane domains.

Expression of phosphatidylinositol (4,5) bisphosphate-specific pleckstrin homology domains alters direction but not the level of axonal transport of mitochondria

Axonal transport of membranous organelles such as mitochondria is essential for neuron viability and function. How signaling mechanisms regulate or influence mitochondrial distribution and transport is still largely unknown. We observed an increase in the distal distribution of mitochondria in neurons upon the expression of pleckstrin homology (PH) domains of phospholipase Cdelta1 (PLCdelta-PH) and spectrin (spectrin-PH). Quantitative analysis of mitochondrial transport showed that specific binding of PH domains to phosphatidylinositol (4,5) bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) but not 3' phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol species enhanced plus-end-directed transport of mitochondria two- to threefold and at the same time decreased minus-end-directed transport of mitochondria along axonal microtubules (MTs) without altering the overall level of motility. Further, the velocity and duration of mitochondrial transport plus the association of molecular motors with mitochondria remained unchanged by the expression of PH domains. Thus, PtdIns(4,5)P2-specific PH domains caused an increase in distal mitochondria by disturbing the balance of plus- and minus-end-directed transport rather than directly affecting the molecular machinery involved. Taken together our data reveal that level and directionality of transport are separable and that PtdIns(4,5)P2 has a novel role in regulation of the directionality of axonal transport of mitochondria.

Occurrence of lipid receptors inferred from brain and erythrocyte spectrins binding NaOH-extracted and protease-treated neuronal and erythrocyte membranes

It was previously shown in model systems that brain spectrin binds membrane phospholipids. In the present study, we analysed binding of isolated brain spectrin and red blood cell spectrin to red blood or neuronal membranes which had been treated as follows: (1). extracted with low ionic-strength solution, (2). the above membranes extracted with 0.1 M NaOH, and (3). membranes treated as above, followed by protease treatment and re-extraction with 0.1 M NaOH. It was found that isolated, NaOH-extracted, protease-treated neuronal and red blood cell membranes bind brain and red blood cell spectrin with moderate affinities similar to those obtained in model phospholipid membrane-spectrin interaction experiments. Moreover, this binding was competitively inhibited by liposomes prepared from membrane lipids. The presented results indicate the occurrence of receptor sites for spectrins that are extraction- and protease-resistant, therefore most probably of lipidic nature, in native membranes.

Spectrin and ankyrin-based pathways: metazoan inventions for integrating cells into tissues

The spectrin-based membrane skeleton of the humble mammalian erythrocyte has provided biologists with a set of interacting proteins with diverse roles in organization and survival of cells in metazoan organisms. This review deals with the molecular physiology of spectrin, ankyrin, which links spectrin to the anion exchanger, and two spectrin-associated proteins that promote spectrin interactions with actin: adducin and protein 4.1. The lack of essential functions for these proteins in generic cells grown in culture and the absence of their genes in the yeast genome have, until recently, limited advances in understanding their roles outside of erythrocytes. However, completion of the genomes of simple metazoans and application of homologous recombination in mice now are providing the first glimpses of the full scope of physiological roles for spectrin, ankyrin, and their associated proteins. These functions now include targeting of ion channels and cell adhesion molecules to specialized compartments within the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum of striated muscle and the nervous system, mechanical stabilization at the tissue level based on transcellular protein assemblies, participation in epithelial morphogenesis, and orientation of mitotic spindles in asymmetric cell divisions. These studies, in addition to stretching the erythrocyte paradigm beyond recognition, also are revealing novel cellular pathways essential for metazoan life. Examples are ankyrin-dependent targeting of proteins to excitable membrane domains in the plasma membrane and the Ca(2+) homeostasis compartment of the endoplasmic reticulum. Exciting questions for the future relate to the molecular basis for these pathways and their roles in a clinical context, either as the basis for disease or more positively as therapeutic targets.

A new spectrin, beta IV, has a major truncated isoform that associates with promyelocytic leukemia protein nuclear bodies and the nuclear matrix

We isolated cDNAs that encode a 77-kDa peptide similar to repeats 10-16 of beta-spectrins. Its gene localizes to human chromosome 19q13.13-q13.2 and mouse chromosome 7, at 7.5 centimorgans. A 289-kDa isoform, similar to full-length beta-spectrins, was partially assembled from sequences in the human genomic DNA data base and completely cloned and sequenced. RNA transcripts are seen predominantly in the brain, and Western analysis shows a major peptide that migrates as a 72-kDa band. This new gene, spectrin betaIV, thus encodes a full-length minor isoform (SpbetaIVSigma1) and a truncated major isoform (SpbetaIVSigma5). Immunostaining of cells shows a micropunctate pattern in the cytoplasm and nucleus. In mesenchymal stem cells, the staining concentrates at nuclear dots that stain positively for the promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML). Expression of SpbetaIVSigma5 fused to green fluorescence protein in cells produces nuclear dots that include all PML bodies, which double in number in transfected cells. Deletion analysis shows that partial repeats 10 and 16 of SpbetaIVSigma5 are necessary for nuclear dot formation. Immunostaining of whole-mount nuclear matrices reveals diffuse positivity with accentuation at PML bodies. Spectrin betaIV is the first beta-spectrin associated with a subnuclear structure and may be part of a nuclear scaffold to which gene regulatory machinery binds.

Spectrin oligomerization is cooperatively coupled to membrane assembly: a linkage targeted by many hereditary hemolytic anemias?

In the erythrocyte, ankyrin is the major adapter protein linking tetramers of band 3 to the spectrin-actin cytoskeleton. This linkage involves a direct interaction between ankyrin and the 14th-15th repeat unit of beta-spectrin. The spectrin cytoskeleton itself is stabilized by the self-association of spectrin heterodimers into tetramers and larger oligomers, a process mediated by the 17th repeat unit of beta-spectrin and a short NH(2) -terminal sequence in alpha-spectrin. The self-association of spectrin and its ankyrin-mediated membrane binding have generally been considered independent events. We now demonstrate that spectrin self-association, the binding of spectrin to ankyrin, and the binding of ankyrin to the 43-kDa cytoplasmic domain of band 3 (cdb3) are coupled in a positively cooperative way. In solution, [(125)I]-labeled ankyrin was found by ND-PAGE3 to enhance the affinity of spectrin self-association by 10-fold. The reciprocal process was also true, in that spectrin tetramers and oligomers bound ankyrin with enhanced affinity relative to dimer spectrin. Saturation of the beta-spectrin self-association site by an NH(2) -terminal 80-kDa alpha-spectrin peptide enhanced the affinity of spectrin dimer for ankyrin, indicating a direct relationship between ankyrin binding and the occupancy of the beta-spectrin self-association site. cdb3 accentuated these cooperative interactions. Several inherited spectrin mutations that cause hemolytic disease but that do not directly destabilize the self-association or ankyrin-binding sites can be explained by these results. Three classes of mutations appear to disrupt cooperative coupling between self-association and ankyrin binding: (i) mutation of the linker sequences that join helices C and A in repeat units that intervene between the two functional sites, mutations that presumably block repeat-to-repeat transfer of conformational information; (ii) mutations in alpha-spectrin repeats 4 to 6 that disrupt the ability of this region to trans-regulate ankyrin binding by the adjacent beta-spectrin repeats 14-15; and (iii) exon-skipping mutations that shorten alpha-spectrin and force repeats 4 to 6 to fall out-of-register with the ankyrin-binding motif in beta-spectrin. Collectively, these results demonstrate a molecular mechanism whereby a membrane receptor can directly promote cytoskeletal assembly.

alpha -Catenin binds directly to spectrin and facilitates spectrin-membrane assembly in vivo

The anchorage of spectrin to biological membranes is mediated by protein and phosphoinositol phospholipid interactions. In epithelial cells, a nascent spectrin skeleton assembles in regions of cadherin-mediated cell-cell contact, and conversely, cytoskeletal assembly is required to complete the cell-adhesion process. The molecular interactions guiding these processes remain incompletely understood. We have examined the interaction of spectrin with alpha-catenin, a component of the adhesion complex. Spectrin (alphaIIbetaII) and alpha-catenin coprecipitate from extracts of confluent Madin-Darby canine kidney, HT29, and Clone A cells and from solutions of purified spectrin and alpha-catenin in vitro. By surface plasmon resonance and in vitro binding assays, we find that alpha-catenin binds alphaIIbetaII spectrin with an apparent K(d) of approximately 20-100 nm. By gel-overlay assay, alpha-catenin binds recombinant betaII-spectrin peptides that include the first 313 residues of spectrin but not to peptides that lack this region. Similarly, the binding activity of alpha-catenin is fully accounted for in recombinant peptides encompassing the NH(2)-terminal 228 amino acid region of alpha-catenin. An in vivo role for the interaction of spectrin with alpha-catenin is suggested by the impaired membrane assembly of spectrin and its enhanced detergent solubility in Clone A cells that harbor a defective alpha-catenin. Transfection of these cells with wild-type alpha-catenin reestablishes alpha-catenin at the plasma membrane and coincidentally recruits spectrin to the membrane. We propose that ankyrin-independent interactions of modest affinity between alpha-catenin and the amino-terminal domain of beta-spectrin augment the interaction between alpha-catenin and actin, and together they provide a polyvalent linkage directing the topographic assembly of a nascent spectrin-actin skeleton to membrane regions enriched in E-cadherin.

betaIV spectrin, a new spectrin localized at axon initial segments and nodes of ranvier in the central and peripheral nervous system

We report the identification of betaIV spectrin, a novel spectrin isolated as an interactor of the receptor tyrosine phosphatase-like protein ICA512. The betaIV spectrin gene is located on human and mouse chromosomes 19q13.13 and 7b2, respectively. Alternative splicing of betaIV spectrin generates at least four distinct isoforms, numbered betaIVSigma1-betaIVSigma4 spectrin. The longest isoform (betaIVSigma1 spectrin) includes an actin-binding domain, followed by 17 spectrin repeats, a specific domain in which the amino acid sequence ERQES is repeated four times, several putative SH3-binding sites and a pleckstrin homology domain. betaIVSigma2 and betaIVSigma3 spectrin encompass the NH(2)- and COOH-terminal halves of betaIVSigma1 spectrin, respectively, while betaIVSigma4 spectrin lacks the ERQES and the pleckstrin homology domain. Northern blots revealed an abundant expression of betaIV spectrin transcripts in brain and pancreatic islets. By immunoblotting, betaIVSigma1 spectrin is recognized as a protein of 250 kD. Anti-betaIV spectrin antibodies also react with two additional isoforms of 160 and 140 kD. These isoforms differ from betaIVSigma1 spectrin in terms of their distribution on subcellular fractionation, detergent extractability, and phosphorylation. In islets, the immunoreactivity for betaIV spectrin is more prominent in alpha than in beta cells. In brain, betaIV spectrin is enriched in myelinated neurons, where it colocalizes with ankyrin(G) 480/270-kD at axon initial segments and nodes of Ranvier. Likewise, betaIV spectrin is concentrated at the nodes of Ranvier in the rat sciatic nerve. In the rat hippocampus, betaIVSigma1 spectrin is detectable from embryonic day 19, concomitantly with the appearance of immunoreactivity at the initial segments. Thus, we suggest that betaIVSigma1 spectrin interacts with ankyrin(G) 480/270-kD and participates in the clustering of voltage-gated Na(+) channels and cell-adhesion molecules at initial segments and nodes of Ranvier.

Spectrin tethers and mesh in the biosynthetic pathway

The paradox of how the Golgi and other organelles can sort a continuous flux of protein and lipid but maintain temporal and morphological stability remains unresolved. Recent discoveries highlight a role for the cytoskeleton in guiding the structure and dynamics of organelles. Perhaps one of the more striking, albeit less expected, of these discoveries is the recognition that a spectrin skeleton associates with many organelles and contributes to the maintenance of Golgi structure and the efficiency of protein trafficking in the early secretory pathway. Spectrin interacts directly with phosphoinositides and with membrane proteins. The small GTPase ARF, a key player in Golgi dynamics, regulates the assembly of the Golgi spectrin skeleton through its ability to control phosphoinositide levels in Golgi membranes, whereas adapter molecules such as ankyrin link spectrin to other membrane proteins. Direct interactions of spectrin with actin and centractin (ARP1) provide a link to dynein, myosin and presumably other motors involved with intracellular transport. Building on the recognized ability of spectrin to organize macromolecular complexes of membrane and cytosolic proteins into a multifaceted scaffold linked to filamentous structural elements (termed linked mosaics), recent evidence supports a similar role for spectrin in organelle function and the secretory pathway. Two working models accommodate much of the available data: the Golgi mesh hypothesis and the spectrin ankyrin adapter protein tethering system (SAATS) hypothesis.

Identification of a novel C-terminal variant of beta II spectrin: two isoforms of beta II spectrin have distinct intracellular locations and activities

It is established that variations in the structure and activities of betaI spectrin are mediated by differential mRNA splicing. The two betaI spectrin splice forms so far identified have either long or short C-terminal regions. Are analogous mechanisms likely to mediate regulation of betaII spectrins? Thus far, only a long form of betaII spectrin is reported in the literature. Five human expressed sequence tags indicated the existence of a short splice variant of betaII spectrin. The occurrence and DNA sequence of the short C-terminal variant was confirmed by analysis of human and rat cDNA. The novel variant lacks a pleckstrin homology domain, and has 28 C-terminal residues not present in the previously recognized longer form. Transcripts of the short C-terminal variant (7.5 and 7. 0 kb) were most abundant in tissues originating from muscle and nervous system. Antibodies raised to a unique sequence of short C-terminal variant recognized 240 kDa polypeptides in cardiac and skeletal muscle and in nervous tissue; in cerebellum and forebrain, additional 270 kDa polypeptides were detected. In rat heart and skeletal muscle, both long and short C-terminal forms of betaII spectrin localized in the region of the Z line. The central region of the sarcomere, coincident with the M line, was selectively labeled with antibodies to the short C-terminal form. In cerebellum, the short form was not detectable in parallel fibers, structures in which the long form was readily detected. In cultured cerebellar granule neurons, the long form was dominant in neurites, with the short form being most abundant in cell bodies. In vitro, the short form was found to lack the binding activity for the axonal protein fodaxin, which characterizes the C-terminal region of the long form. Subcellular fractionation of brain revealed that the short form was scarcely detectable in post-synaptic density preparations, in which the long form was readily detected. We conclude that variation in the structure of the C-terminal regions of betaII spectrin isoforms correlates with their differential intracellular targeting.

Mutations in beta-spectrin disrupt axon outgrowth and sarcomere structure

beta-Spectrin is a major component of the membrane skeleton, a structure found at the plasma membrane of most animal cells. beta-Spectrin and the membrane skeleton have been proposed to stabilize cell membranes, generate cell polarity, or localize specific membrane proteins. We demonstrate that the Caenorhabditis elegans homologue of beta-spectrin is encoded by the unc-70 gene. unc-70 null mutants develop slowly, and the adults are paralyzed and dumpy. However, the membrane integrity is not impaired in unc-70 animals, nor is cell polarity affected. Thus, beta-spectrin is not essential for general membrane integrity or for cell polarity. However, beta-spectrin is required for a subset of processes at cell membranes. In neurons, the loss of beta-spectrin leads to abnormal axon outgrowth. In muscles, a loss of beta-spectrin leads to disorganization of the myofilament lattice, discontinuities in the dense bodies, and a reduction or loss of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. These defects are consistent with beta-spectrin function in anchoring proteins at cell membranes.

Controlling cytoskeleton structure by phosphoinositide-protein interactions: phosphoinositide binding protein domains and effects of lipid packing

Cell movement and resistance to mechanical forces are largely governed by the cytoskeleton, a three-dimensional network of protein filaments that form viscoelastic networks within the cytoplasm. The cytoskeleton underlying the plasma membrane of most cells is rich in actin filaments whose assembly and disassembly are regulated by actin binding proteins that are stimulated or inhibited by signals received and transmitted at the membrane/cytoplasm interface. Inositol phospholipids, or phosphoinositides, are potent regulators of many actin binding proteins, and changes in the phosphorylation of specific phosphoinositide species or in their spatial localization are associated with cytoskeletal remodeling in vitro. This review will focus on recent studies directed at defining the structural features of phosphoinositide binding sites in actin binding proteins and on the influence of the physical state of phosphoinositides on their ability to interact with their target proteins.

Na,K-ATPase transport from endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi requires the Golgi spectrin-ankyrin G119 skeleton in Madin Darby canine kidney cells

Spectrin (betaISigma*) and ankyrin (AnkG119) associate with Golgi membranes and the dynactin complex, but their role in vesicle trafficking remains uncertain. We find that the actin-binding domain and membrane-association domain 1 (MAD1) of betaI spectrin together form a constitutive Golgi targeting signal in transfected MDCK cells. Expression of this signal in transfected cells disrupts the endogenous Golgi spectrin skeleton and blocks transport of alpha- and beta-Na,K-ATPase and vesicular stomatitis virus-G protein from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) but does not disrupt the formation of Golgi stacks, the distribution of beta-COP, or the transport and surface display of E-cadherin. The Golgi spectrin skeleton is thus required for the transport of a subset of membrane proteins from the ER to the Golgi. We postulate that together with polyfunctional adapter proteins such as AnkG119, Golgi spectrin forms a docking complex that acts prior to the cis-Golgi, presumably with vesicular-tubular clusters (VTCs or ERGIC), to sequester specific membrane proteins into vesicles transiting between the ER and Golgi, and subsequently (probably involving other isoforms of spectrin and ankyrin) to mediate cargo transport within the Golgi and to other membrane compartments. We hypothesize that this vesicular spectrin-ankyrin adapter-protein trafficking (or tethering) system (SAATS) mediates the capture and transport of many membrane proteins and acts in conjunction with vesicle-targeting molecules to effect the efficient transport of cargo proteins.

The role of the PH domain and SH3 binding domains in dynamin function

Dynamin, a 100 kD GTPase, is necessary for the normal development and function of mammalian neural tissue. In neurons, it is necessary for the biogenesis of synaptic vesicles, and in other cell types dynamin has a general and important role in clathrin mediated receptor endocytosis. Different isoforms function as molecular scissors either during the formation of coated vesicles from plasma membrane coated pits, or during the release of intracellular vesicles from donor membranes. The mechanism entails the formation of a horseshoe-shaped dynamin polymer at the neck of the budding vesicle, followed by neck scission through a GTP hydrolysis dependent activity. The primary sequence of dynamin contains several C-terminal SH3 binding proline motifs, a central pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, and an N-terminal GTPase domain. Each of these domains appears to play a distinct role in dynamin function. Dynamin is activated by stimulus coupled PKC phosphorylation in brain, possibly mediated through PKC interactions with the PH domain. Further, SH3 domain interactions with the C-terminal sequences and phophatidylinositol/G beta gamma interactions with the PH domain also increase dynamin GTPase activity. Each of these various regulatory mechanisms is important in dynamin function during vesicle budding, although the means by which these mechanisms integrate in the overall function of dynamin remains to be elucidated.

Interactions between protein kinase C and pleckstrin homology domains. Inhibition by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate

Pleckstrin homology (PH) domains comprised of loosely conserved sequences of approximately 100 amino acid residues are a functional protein motif found in many signal-transducing and cytoskeletal proteins. We recently demonstrated that the PH domains of Tec family protein-tyrosine kinases Btk and Emt (equal to Itk and Tsk) interact with protein kinase C (PKC) and that PKC down-regulates Btk by phosphorylation. In this study we have characterized the PKC-BtkPH domain interaction in detail. Using pure PKC preparations, it was shown that the Btk PH domain interacts with PKC with high affinity (KD = 39 nM). Unlike other tested phospholipids, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, which binds to several PH domains, competed with PKC for binding to the PH domain apparently because their binding sites on the amino-terminal portion of the PH domains overlap. The minimal PKC-binding sequence within the Btk PH domain was found to correspond roughly to the second and third beta-sheets of the PH domains of known tertiary structures. On the other hand, the C1 regulatory region of PKCepsilon containing the pseudosubstrate and zinc finger-like sequences was found to be sufficient for strong binding to the Btk PH domain. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a potent activator of PKC that interacts with the C1 region of PKC, inhibited the PKC-PH domain interaction, whereas the bioinactive PMA (4-alpha-PMA) was ineffective. The zeta isoform of PKC, which has a single zinc finger-like motif instead of the two tandem zinc finger-like sequences present in conventional and novel PKC isoforms, does not bind PMA. Thus, as expected, PH domain binding with PKCzeta was not interfered with by PMA. Further, inhibitors that are known to attack the catalytic domains of serine/threonine kinases did not affect this PKC-PH domain interaction. In contrast, the presence of physiological concentrations of Ca2+ induced less than a 2-fold increase in PKC-PH domain binding. These results indicate that PKC binding to PH domains involve the beta2-beta3 region of the Btk PH domain and the C1 region of PKC, and agents that interact with either of these regions (i.e. phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate binding to the PH domain and PMA binding to the C1 region of PKC) might act to regulate PKC-PH domain binding.

Phosphorylation of platelet pleckstrin activates inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase I

Pleckstrin is the major substrate phosphorylated on serine and threonine in response to stimulation of human platelets by thrombin (Abrams, C. S., Zhao, W., Belmonte, E., and Brass, L. F. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 23317-23321). We now show that pleckstrin in platelets is in a complex with inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase I (5-phosphatase I). This enzyme hydrolyzes the 5-phosphate from inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate and thus serves as a calcium signal-terminating enzyme, since the substrates but not the products mobilize intracellular calcium. Pleckstrin co-immunoprecipitates with 5-phosphatase I in homogenates of platelets. Platelet homogenates fractionated by anion exchange chromatography show co-elution of pleckstrin and 5-phosphatase I. Fractions containing phosphorylated pleckstrin have 7-fold greater 5-phosphatase activity than those containing unphosphorylated pleckstrin. Mixing experiments with recombinant 5-phosphatase I and pleckstrin in vitro show that they form a stoichiometric complex. A mutant form of pleckstrin, in which the serine and threonine residues that are phosphorylated by protein kinase C are substituted with glutamic acid (pseudophosphorylated pleckstrin), activates recombinant 5-phosphatase I 2-3-fold while native unphosphorylated pleckstrin does not stimulate the enzyme. Thus pleckstrin functions to terminate calcium signaling in platelets when it is phosphorylated by binding to and activating 5-phosphatase I.

The pleckstrin homology domain mediates transformation by oncogenic dbl through specific intracellular targeting

The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain is an approximately 100 amino acid structural motif found in many cellular signaling molecules, including the Dbl oncoprotein and related, putative guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). Here we have examined the role of the Dbl PH (dPH) domain in the activities of oncogenic Dbl. We report that the dPH domain is not involved in the interaction of Dbl with small GTP-binding proteins and is incapable of transforming NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. On the other hand, co-expression of the dPH domain with oncogenic Dbl inhibits Dbl-induced transformation. A deletion mutant of Dbl that lacks a significant portion of the PH domain retains full GEF activity, but is completely inactive in transformation assays. Replacement of the PH domain by the membrane-targeting sequence of Ras is not sufficient for the recovery of transforming activity. However, subcellular fractionations of Dbl and Dbl mutants revealed that the PH domain is necessary and sufficient for the association of Dbl with the Triton X-100-insoluble cytoskeletal components. Thus, our results suggest that the dPH domain mediates cellular transformation by targeting the Dbl protein to specific cytoskeletal locations to activate Rho-type small GTP-binding proteins.

Regulation of the disassembly/assembly of the membrane skeleton in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells

The effects of pH, temperature, block of energy production, calcium/calmodulin, protein phosphorylation, and cytoskeleton-disrupting agents (cytochalasin D, nocodazole) on the integrity of the membrane skeleton were studied in polarized MDCK cells. The intracellular distributions of alpha-fodrin, actin, and ankyrin were monitored by immunofluorescence microscopy. The membrane skeleton, once assembled, seemed to be quite stable; the only factors releasing alpha-fodrin from the lateral walls were the acidification of the cytoplasm and the depletion of extracellular calcium ions. Upon cellular acidification, some actin was also released from its normal location along the lateral walls and was seen in colocalization with alpha-fodrin in the cytoplasm, whereas ankyrin remained associated with the lateral walls. No accumulation of plasma membrane lipids was observed in the cytoplasm of acidified cells, as visualized by TMA-DPH. These results suggest that the linkages between the fodrin-actin complex and its membrane association sites are broken upon acidification. The pH-induced change in alpha-fodrin localization was reversible upon restoring the normal pH. Reassembly of the membrane skeleton, however, required temperatures above +20 degrees C, normal energy production, proper cell-cell contacts, and polymerized actin. Release of alpha-fodrin from the lateral walls to the cytoplasm was also observed upon depletion of extracellular calcium ions. This change was accompanied by the disruption of cell-cell contacts, supporting the role of proper cell-cell contacts in the maintenance of the membrane skeleton polarity. These results suggest that local alterations of the cytoplasmic pH and calcium ion concentration may be important in regulating the integrity of the membrane skeleton.

Spectrin: on the path from structure to function

New structural analyses of the spectrin family of actin cross-linking proteins are providing molecular explanations for both the interchain binding between the alpha and beta chains of spectrin and the intermolecular associations between spectrin and other proteins. Additionally, the analyses bring into focus a conformation which may explain aspects of spectrin's interaction with lipids.

The pleckstrin homology domain: an intriguing multifunctional protein module

Pleckstrin homology (PH) domains are a family of compact protein modules defined by sequences of roughly 100 amino acids. These domains are common in vertebrate, Drosophila, C. elegans and yeast proteins, suggesting an early origin and fundamental importance to eukaryotic biology. Many enzymes which have important regulatory functions contain PH domains, and mutant forms of several such proteins are implicated in oncogenesis and developmental disorders. Numerous recent studies show that PH domains bind various proteins and inositolphosphates. Here I discuss PH domains in detail and conclude that they form a versatile family of membrane binding and protein localization modules.

Mechanism for binding site diversity on ankyrin. Comparison of binding sites on ankyrin for neurofascin and the Cl-/HCO3- anion exchanger

Ankyrins are a family of spectrin-binding proteins that associate with at least seven distinct membrane proteins, including ion transporters and cell adhesion molecules. The membrane-binding domain of ankyrin is comprised of a tandem array of 24 ANK repeats organized into four 6-repeat folding domains. Tandem arrays of ANK repeats have been proposed to mediate protein interactions in a variety of proteins including factors involved in the regulation of transcription and the cell cycle. This report provides several new insights into the versatility of ANK repeats of ankyrin in protein recognition, using neurofascin and the Cl-/HCO3- anion exchanger as model ligands and ankyrinR as the prototypic ankyrin. Different combinations of ANK repeat domains from this ankyrin form two distinct, high affinity binding sites for neurofascin. One site requires both repeat domains 3 and 4. The other site involves both repeat domains 2 and 3, although domain 2 has significant activity alone. The sites appear to be independent with Kd values of 3 and 14 nM, respectively. Both the Cl-/HCO3- anion exchanger and neurofascin can interact simultaneously with repeat domains 3 and 4, because neurofascin is unable to displace binding of the anion exchanger cytoplasmic domain to domains 3 and 4, despite having a 3-5-fold higher affinity. These results demonstrate two levels of diversity in the binding sites on ankyrin: one resulting from different combinations of ANK repeat domains and another from different determinants within the same combination of repeat domains. One consequence of this diversity is that ankyrin can accommodate two neurofascin molecules as well as the anion exchanger through interactions mediated by ANK repeats. The ability of ankyrin to simultaneously associate with multiple types of membrane proteins is an unanticipated finding with implications for the assembly of integral membrane proteins into specialized regions of the plasma membrane.

Structure of the high affinity complex of inositol trisphosphate with a phospholipase C pleckstrin homology domain

The X-ray crystal structure of the high affinity complex between the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain from rat phospholipase C-delta 1 (PLC-delta 1) and inositol-(1,4,5)-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) has been refined to 1.9 A resolution. The domain fold is similar to others of known structure. Ins(1,4,5)P3 binds on the positively charged face of the electrostatically polarized domain, interacting predominantly with the beta 1/beta 2 and beta 3/beta 4 loops. The 4- and 5-phosphate groups of Ins(1,4,5)P3 interact much more extensively than the 1-phosphate. Two amino acids in the PLC-delta 1 PH domain that contact Ins(1,4,5)P3 have counterparts in the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) PH domain, where mutational changes cause inherited agammaglobulinemia, suggesting a mechanism for loss of function in Btk mutants. Using electrostatics and varying levels of head-group specificity, PH domains may localize and orient signaling proteins, providing a general membrane targeting and regulatory function.

Solution structure of the pleckstrin homology domain of Drosophila beta-spectrin

BACKGROUND

The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, which is approximately 100 amino acids long, has been found in about 70 proteins involved in signal transduction and cytoskeletal function, a frequency comparable to SH2 (src homology 2) and SH3 domains. PH domains have been shown to bind the beta gamma-subunits of G-proteins and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). It is conceivable that the PH domain of beta-spectrin plays a part in the association of spectrin with the plasma membrane of cells.

RESULTS

We have solved the solution structure of the 122-residue PH domain of Drosophila beta-spectrin. The overall fold consists of two antiparallel beta-sheets packing against each other at an angle of approximately 60 degrees to form a beta-sandwich, a two-turn alpha-helix unique to spectrin PH domains, and a four-turn C-terminal alpha-helix. One of the major insertions in beta-spectrin PH domains forms a long, basic surface loop and appears to undergo slow conformational exchange in solution. This loop shows big spectral changes upon addition of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3).

CONCLUSIONS

We propose that the groove at the outer surface of the second beta-sheet is an important site of association with other proteins. This site and the possible lipid-binding site can serve to localize the spectrin network under the plasma membrane. More generally, it has to be considered that the common fold observed for the PH domain structures solved so far does not necessarily mean that all PH domains have similar functions. In fact, the residues constituting potential binding sites for ligands or other proteins are only slightly conserved between different PH domains.

Mouse alpha 1- and beta 2-syntrophin gene structure, chromosome localization, and homology with a discs large domain

The syntrophin family of dystrophin-associated proteins consists of three isoforms, alpha 1, beta 1, and beta 2, each encoded by a distinct gene. We have cloned and characterized the mouse alpha 1- and beta 2-syntrophin genes. The mouse alpha 1-syntrophin gene ( > 24 kilobases) is comprised of eight exons. The mouse beta 2-syntrophin gene ( > 33 kilobases) contains seven exons, all of which have homologues at the corresponding position in the alpha 1-syntrophin gene. Primer extension analysis reveals two transcription initiation sites in the alpha 1-syntrophin gene and a single site in the beta 2-syntrophin gene. The sequence immediately 5' of the transcription start sites of both genes lacks a TATA box but is GC-rich and has multiple putative SP1 binding sites. The alpha 1-syntrophin gene is located on human chromosome 20 and mouse chromosome 2, while the beta 2-syntrophin gene is on human chromosome 16 and mouse chromosome 8. Analysis of the amino acid sequence of the syntrophins reveals the presence of four conserved domains. The carboxyl-terminal 56 amino acids are highly conserved and constitute a syntrophin unique domain. Two pleckstrin homology domains are located at the amino-terminal end of the protein. The first pleckstrin homology domain is interrupted by a domain homologous to repeated sequences originally found in the Drosophila discs-large protein.

Scratching the surface with the PH domain

Pleckstrin homology (PH) domains bind to membrane surfaces, and inositol phospholipids appear to form part of the binding sites. Recent structural studies provide a model for PH domain anchoring to inositol phospholipids that will open new avenues for functional investigation.

Adducin: a physical model with implications for function in assembly of spectrin-actin complexes

Adducin binds to spectrin-actin complexes, promotes association of spectrin with actin, and is subject to regulation by calmodulin as well as protein kinases A and C. Adducin is a heteromer comprised of homologous alpha and beta-subunits with an NH2-terminal protease-resistant head domain, connected by a neck region to a COOH-terminal hydrophilic, protease-sensitive region. This study provides evidence that adducin in solution is a mixture of heterodimers and tetramers. CD spectroscopy of COOH-terminal domains of alpha- and beta-adducin bacterial recombinants provides direct evidence for an unstructured random coil configuration. Cross-linking, proteolysis, and blot-binding experiments suggest a model for the adducin tetramer in which four head domains contact one another to form a globular core with extended interacting alpha- and beta-adducin tails. The site for binding to spectrin-actin complexes on adducin was identified as the COOH-terminal tail of both the alpha- and beta-adducin subunits. The capacity of native adducin to recruit spectrin to actin filaments is similar to that of adducin tail domains. Thus, adducin tail domains alone are sufficient to interact with F-actin and a single spectrin and to recruit additional spectrin molecules to the ternary complex.

Structural characterization of the interaction between a pleckstrin homology domain and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate

The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain is a protein module of approximately 100 amino acids that is found in several proteins involved in signal transduction [for a recent review, see Gibson et al. (1994) Trends Biochem. Sci. 19, 349-353]. Although the specific function of the PH domain has not yet been elucidated, many of the proteins which contain this domain associate with phospholipid membranes, and PH domains have been shown to bind to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) [Harlan et al. (1994) Nature 371, 168-170] and the beta gamma subunits of G-proteins [Touhara et al. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 10217-10220]. We have postulated that pleckstrin homology domains may be important for the translocation of proteins to the membrane by an interaction with the negatively charged head group of phospholipids. Here we show the importance of three conserved lysine residues for binding to PIP2 by site-directed mutagenesis. These results should aid future site-directed mutagenesis studies in probing the function of PIP2-PH domain interactions in the various proteins containing this module. In addition, we examine the specificity of this binding and illustrate the importance of charge--charge interactions in PIP2-PH domain complex formation from binding experiments involving PIP2 analogs.

Expression cloning of lfc, a novel oncogene with structural similarities to guanine nucleotide exchange factors and to the regulatory region of protein kinase C

In order to identify cDNAs that can induce oncogenic transformation, a retroviral vector was used to transfer a library of cDNAs from the murine 32D hemopoietic cell line into NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. We have identified and recovered a provirus containing a 1.8-kilobase pair cDNA whose expression causes morphological transformation in NIH 3T3 cells. The transforming cDNA contains a complete open reading frame that encodes a protein (designated Lfc) with a region of sequence similarity to the product of the lbc oncogene. This region includes a domain that is characteristic of the CDC24 family of guanine nucleotide exchange factors in tandem with a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. The Lfc protein is distinguished from Lbc by a 150-amino acid NH2-terminal extension that contains a cysteine- and histidine-rich domain similar to the diacylglycerol-binding site (zinc butterfly) found in protein kinase C. NH2- and COOH-terminal deletion analysis revealed that both the PH and putative guanine nucleotide exchange factor domains are required, but the zinc butterfly is dispensable, for transformation. Although the removal of the PH domain of the Lfc protein completely eliminated its ability to transform NIH 3T3 cells, replacement of this domain with an isoprenylation site restored all of its transforming activity. This suggests that a PH domain-dependent recruitment of the Lfc protein to the cellular membrane is a necessary step for cellular transformation. The lfc gene is expressed in a broad range of tissues as well as in a variety of hemopoietic and non-hemopoietic cell lines. Lfc appears to be a new member of a growing family of proteins that are likely to act as activators of Ras-like proteins in a developmental or cell-lineage specific manner.

Mutational analysis of the pleckstrin homology domain of the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase. Differential effects on G beta gamma and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate binding

The beta gamma subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins (G beta gamma) play a variety of roles in cellular signaling, one of which is membrane targeting of the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (beta ARK). This is accomplished via a physical interaction of G beta gamma and a domain within the carboxyl terminus of beta ARK which overlaps with a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. The PH domain of beta ARK not only binds G beta gamma but also interacts with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). Based on previous mapping of the G beta gamma binding region of beta ARK, and conserved residues within the PH domain, we have constructed a series of mutants in the carboxyl terminus of beta ARK in order to determine important residues involved in G beta gamma and PIP2 binding. To examine the effects of mutations on G beta gamma binding, we employed three different methodologies: direct G beta gamma binding to GST fusion proteins; the ability of GST fusion proteins to inhibit G beta gamma-mediated beta ARK translocation to rhodopsin-enriched rod outer segments; and the ability of mutant peptides expressed in cells to inhibit G beta gamma-mediated inositol phosphate accumulation. Direct PIP2 binding was also assessed on mutant GST fusion proteins. Ala residue insertion following Trp643 completely abolished the ability of beta ARK to bind G beta gamma, suggesting that a proper alpha-helical conformation is necessary for the G beta gamma.beta ARK interaction. In contrast, this insertional mutation had no effect on PIP2 binding. Both G beta gamma binding and PIP2 binding were abolished following Ala replacement of Trp643, suggesting that this conserved residue within the last subdomain of the PH domain is crucial for both interactions. Other mutations also produced differential effects on the physical interactions of the beta ARK carboxyl terminus with G beta gamma and PIP2. These results suggest that the last PH subdomain and its neighboring sequences within the carboxyl terminus of beta ARK, including Trp643, Leu647, and residues Lys663-Arg669, are critical for G beta gamma binding while Trp643 and residues Asp635-Glu639 are important for the PH domain to form the correct structure for binding to PIP2.

Effect of cellular expression of pleckstrin homology domains on Gi-coupled receptor signaling

Pleckstrin homology (PH) domains are 90-110 amino acid regions of protein sequence homology that are found in a variety of proteins involved in signal transduction and growth control. We have previously reported that the PH domains of several proteins, including beta ARK1, PLC gamma, IRS-1, Ras-GRF, and Ras-GAP, expressed as glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins, can reversibly bind purified bovine brain G beta gamma subunits in vitro with varying affinity. To determine whether PH domain peptides would behave as antagonists of G beta gamma subunit-mediated signal transduction in intact cells, plasmid minigene constructs encoding these PH domains were prepared, which permit transient cellular expression of the peptides. Pertussis toxin-sensitive, G beta gamma subunit-mediated inositol phosphate (IP) production was significantly inhibited in COS-7 cells transiently coexpressing the alpha 2-C10 adrenergic receptor (AR) and each of the PH domain peptides. Pertussis toxin-insensitive, Gq alpha subunit-mediated IP production via coexpressed M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M1 AChR) was attenuated only by the PLC gamma PH domain peptide, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of most of the PH domain peptides was G beta gamma subunit-specific. Stimulation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway by Gi-coupled receptors in COS-7 cells has been reported to require activation of p21ras and to be independent of protein kinase C. Since several proteins involved in activation contain PH domains, the effect of PH domain peptide expression on alpha 2-C10 AR-mediated p21ras-GTP exchange and MAP kinase activation as well as direct G beta gamma subunit-mediated activation of MAP kinase was determined. In each assay, coexpression of the PH domain peptides resulted in significant inhibition. Increasing G beta gamma subunit expression surmounted PH domain peptide-mediated inhibition of MAP kinase activation. These data suggest that the PH domain peptides behave as specific antagonists of G beta gamma-mediated signaling in intact cells and that interactions between PH domains and G beta gamma subunits or structurally related proteins may play a role in the activation of mitogenic signaling pathways by G protein-coupled receptors.

Pleckstrin homology domains: a fact file

Structures of three different pleckstrin homology domains have been determined within the past year. They have a common core consisting of a seven-stranded and strongly bent beta-sheet and a C-terminal alpha-helix that packs against the beta-sheet. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and related compounds specifically bind to pleckstrin homology domains, suggesting that the domain may be involved in reversible anchorage to membranes or in recognition of a second messenger, such as inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. Pleckstrin homology domains have also been suggested to bind to the G beta gamma complex, but direct evidence for this is missing.

Pleckstrin homology domain-mediated membrane association and activation of the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase requires coordinate interaction with G beta gamma subunits and lipid

The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain is an approximately 100-amino-acid region of sequence homology present in numerous proteins of diverse functions, which forms a discrete structural module. Several ligands capable of binding to PH domain-containing proteins have been identified including phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and the G beta gamma subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins (G beta gamma), which bind to the amino and carboxyl termini of the PH domain, respectively. Here we report that the binding of G beta gamma and lipid to the PH domain of the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (beta ARK) synergistically enhances agonist-dependent receptor phosphorylation and that both PH domain-binding ligands are required for membrane association of the kinase. PIP2 and to a lesser extent phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidic acid were the only lipids tested capable, in the presence of G beta gamma, of enhancing beta ARK activity. In contrast, the Km and Vmax for phosphorylation of a soluble beta ARK substrate (casein) was not altered in either the presence or absence of G beta gamma and/or PIP2. A fusion protein of the beta ARK containing an intact PH domain inhibits G beta gamma/PIP2-dependent beta ARK activity. In contrast, a mutant fusion protein in which a tryptophan residue, invariant in all PH domain sequences, is mutated to alanine shows no inhibitory activity. The requirement for the simultaneous presence of two PH domain binding ligands represents a previously unappreciated mechanism for effecting membrane localization of a protein and may have relevance to other PH domain-containing proteins.

Brain spectrin: of mice and men

This article reviews our current knowledge of the structure of alpha spectrins and beta spectrins in the brain, as well as their location and expression within neural tissue. We discuss the known protein interactions of brain spectrin isoforms, and then describe results that suggest an important role for spectrin (alpha SpII sigma 1/beta SpII sigma 1) in the Ca(2+)-regulated release of neurotransmitters. Evidence that supports a role for spectrin in the docking of synaptic vesicles to the presynaptic plasma membrane and as a Ca2+ sensor protein that unclamps the fusion machinery is described, along with the Casting the Line model, which summarizes the information. We finish with a discussion of the value of spectrin and ankyrin-deficient mouse models in deciphering spectrin function in neural tissue.

Pleckstrin homology (PH) domains in signal transduction

A diverse array of molecules involved in signal transduction have recently been recognised as containing a new homology domain, the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. These include kinases (both serine/threonine and tyrosine specific), all currently known mammalian phospholipase Cs, GTPases, GTPase-activating proteins, GTPase-exchange factors, "adapter" proteins, cytoskeletal proteins, and kinase substrates. This has sparked a new surge of research into elucidating its structure and function. The NMR solution structure of the PH domains of beta-spectrin and pleckstrin (the N-terminal domain) both display a core consisting of seven anti-parallel beta-sheet strands. The carboxy terminus is folded into a long alpha-helix. The molecule is electrostatically polarised and contains a pocket which may be involved in the binding of a ligand. The PH domains overall topological relatedness to the retinoid binding protein family of molecules would suggest a lipid ligand could bind to this pocket. The prime function of the PH domain still remains to be elucidated. However, it has been shown to be important in signal transduction, most probably by mediating protein-protein interactions. An extended PH domain of the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (beta ARK), as well as that of several other molecules, can bind to beta gamma subunits of the heterotrimeric G-proteins. The possibility that the PH domain, which is found in so many signalling molecules, being generally involved in beta gamma binding is provocative of implicating these proteins in G-protein signal transduction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Crystal structure of the pleckstrin homology domain from dynamin

The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain is a conserved module present in many signal transducing and cytoskeletal proteins. Here we report the 2.8 A crystal structure of the PH domain from dynamin. This domain consists of seven beta-strands forming two roughly orthogonal antiparallel beta-sheets terminating with an amphipathic alpha-helix. The structure also reveals a non-covalent dimeric association of the PH domain and a hydrophobic pocket surrounded by a charged rim. The dynamin PH domain structure is discussed in relation to its potential role in mediating interactions between proteins.

Pleckstrin homology domains bind to phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate

The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain is a new protein module of around 100 amino acids found in several proteins involved in signal transduction. Although its specific function has yet to be elucidated, the carboxy-terminal regions of many PH domains bind to the beta gamma subunits of G proteins. On the basis of structural similarities between PH domains and lipid-binding proteins, we have proposed that PH domains may be binding to lipophilic molecules. Indeed, many of the proteins that contain this domain associate with phospholipid membranes, and disruption of this domain can interfere with membrane association. Here we report that PH domains bind to phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate and show that the lipid-binding site is located at the lip of the beta-barrel. This suggests that PH domains may be important for membrane localization of proteins through interactions with phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate.