Beta II-spectrin (fodrin) and beta I epsilon 2-spectrin (muscle) contain NH2- and COOH-terminal membrane association domains (MAD1 and MAD2)

Isoforms of Spectrin and Ankyrin Reflect the Functional Topography of the Mouse Kidney

The kidney displays specialized regions devoted to filtration, selective reabsorption, and electrolyte and metabolite trafficking. The polarized membrane pumps, channels, and transporters responsible for these functions have been exhaustively studied. Less examined are the contributions of spectrin and its adapter ankyrin to this exquisite functional topography, despite their established contributions in other tissues to cellular organization. We have examined in the rodent kidney the expression and distribution of all spectrins and ankyrins by qPCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescent and immuno electron microscopy. Four of the seven spectrins (αΙΙ, βΙ, βΙΙ, and βΙΙΙ) are expressed in the kidney, as are two of the three ankyrins (G and B). The levels and distribution of these proteins vary widely over the nephron. αΙΙ/βΙΙ is the most abundant spectrin, found in glomerular endothelial cells; on the basolateral membrane and cytoplasmic vesicles in proximal tubule cells and in the thick ascending loop of Henle; and less so in the distal nephron. βΙΙΙ spectrin largely replaces βΙΙ spectrin in podocytes, Bowman’s capsule, and throughout the distal tubule and collecting ducts. βΙ spectrin is only marginally expressed; its low abundance hinders a reliable determination of its distribution. Ankyrin G is the most abundant ankyrin, found in capillary endothelial cells and all tubular segments. Ankyrin B populates Bowman’s capsule, podocytes, the ascending thick loop of Henle, and the distal convoluted tubule. Comparison to the distribution of renal protein 4.1 isoforms and various membrane proteins indicates a complex relationship between the spectrin scaffold, its adapters, and various membrane proteins. While some proteins (e.g. ankyrin B, βΙΙΙ spectrin, and aquaporin 2) tend to share a similar distribution, there is no simple mapping of different spectrins or ankyrins to most membrane proteins. The implications of this data are discussed.

Structural organization of the nine spectrin repeats of Kalirin

Sequence analysis suggests that KALRN, a Rho GDP/GTP exchange factor genetically linked to schizophrenia, could contain as many as nine tandem spectrin repeats (SRs). We expressed and purified fragments of Kalirin containing from one to five putative SRs to determine whether they formed nested structures that could endow Kalirin with the flexible rodlike properties characteristic of spectrin and dystrophin. Far-UV circular dichroism studies indicated that Kalirin contains nine SRs. On the basis of thermal denaturation, sensitivity to chemical denaturants, and the solubility of pairs of repeats, the nine SRs of Kalirin form nested structures. Modeling studies confirmed this conclusion and identified an exposed loop in SR5; consistent with the modeling, this loop was extremely labile to proteolytic cleavage. Analysis of a direpeat fragment (SR4:5) encompassing the region of Kalirin known to interact with NOS2, DISC-1, PAM, and Arf6 identified this as the least stable region. Analytical ultracentrifugation indicated that SR1:3, SR4:6, and SR7:9 were monomers and adopted an extended conformation. Gel filtration suggested that ΔKal7, a natural isoform that includes SR5:9, was monomeric and was not more extended than SR5:9. Similarly, the nine SRs of Kal7, which was also monomeric, were not more extended than SR5:9. The rigidity and flexibility of the nine SRs of Kal7, which separate its essential N-terminal Sec14p domain from its catalytic domain, play an essential role in its contribution to the formation and function of dendritic spines.

Detailed examination of cytoskeletal networks within enteropathogenic Escherichia coli pedestals

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) manipulate the cytoskeleton of host intestinal epithelial cells, producing membrane protrusions termed pedestals that the bacteria reside on throughout the course of their infections. By definition pedestals are actin-based structures, however recent work has identified the spectrin cytoskeleton as a necessary component of EPEC pedestals. Here, we investigated the detailed arrangement of the spectrin and actin cytoskeletons within these structures. Immunofluorescent imaging revealed that the spectrin network forms a peripheral cage around actin at the membranous regions of pedestals. Myosin S1 fragment decorated actin filaments examined by electron microscopy demonstrated that actin filaments orientate with their fast-growing barbed ends toward the lateral membranes of EPEC pedestals. These findings provide a detailed descriptive analysis, which further illustrate the spectrin cytoskeletal organization within these structures.

The cell adhesion molecule Roughest depends on beta(Heavy)-spectrin during eye morphogenesis in Drosophila

Cell junctions have both structural and morphogenetic roles, and contain complex mixtures of proteins whose interdependencies are still largely unknown. Junctions are also major signaling centers that signify correct integration into a tissue, and modulate cell survival. During Drosophila eye development, the activity of the immunoglobulin cell adhesion molecule Roughest (also known as Irregular chiasm C-roughest protein) mediates interommatidial cell (IOC) reorganization, leading to an apoptotic event that refines the retinal lattice. Roughest and the cadherin-based zonula adherens (ZA) are interdependent and both are modulated by the apical polarity determinant, Crumbs. Here we describe a novel relationship between the Crumbs partner beta(Heavy)-spectrin (beta(H)), the ZA and Roughest. Ectopic expression of the C-terminal segment 33 of beta(H) (betaH33) induces defects in retinal morphogenesis, resulting the preferential loss of IOC. This effect is associated with ZA disruption and Roughest displacement. In addition, loss-of-function karst and roughest mutations interact to cause a synergistic and catastrophic effect on retinal development. Finally, we show that beta(H) coimmunoprecipitates with Roughest and that the distribution of Roughest protein is disrupted in karst mutant tissue. These results suggest that the apical spectrin membrane skeleton helps to coordinate the Cadherin-based ZA with Roughest-based morphogenesis.

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.

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.

Identification and characterization of GSRP-56, a novel Golgi-localized spectrin repeat-containing protein

Spectrin repeat (SR)-containing proteins are important for regulation of integrity of biomembranes, not only the plasma membrane but also those of intracellular organelles, such as the Golgi, nucleus, endo/lysosomes, and synaptic vesicles. We identified a novel SR-containing protein, named GSRP-56 (Golgi-localized SR-containing protein-56), by a yeast two-hybrid method, using a member of the transient receptor potential channel family, TRPV2, as bait. GSRP-56 is an isoform derived from a giant SR-containing protein, Syne-1 (synaptic nuclear envelope protein-1, also referred to as Nesprin-1 or Enaptin), predicted to be produced by alternative splicing. Immunological analysis demonstrated that this isoform is a 56-kDa protein, which is localized predominantly in the Golgi apparatus in cardiomyocytes and C2C12 myoblasts/myotubes, and we found that two SR domains were required both for Golgi targeting and for interaction with TRPV2. Interestingly, overexpression of GSRP-56 resulted in a morphological change in the Golgi structure, characterized by its enlargement of cis-Golgi marker antibody-staining area, which would result partly from fragmentation of Golgi membranes. Our findings indicate that GSRP-56 is a novel, particularly small Golgi-localized member of the spectrin family, which possibly play a role in maintenance of the Golgi structure.

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.

Ankyrin-B targets beta2-spectrin to an intracellular compartment in neonatal cardiomyocytes

Ankyrin-B is a spectrin-binding protein that is required for localization of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor and ryanodine receptor in neonatal cardiomyocytes. This work addresses the interaction between ankyrin-B and beta(2)-spectrin in these cells. Ankyrin-B and beta(2)-spectrin are colocalized in an intracellular striated compartment overlying the M-line and distinct from T-tubules, sarcoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, and endosomes. Beta(2)-Spectrin is absent in ankyrin-B-null cardiomyocytes and is restored to a normal striated pattern by rescue with green fluorescent protein-220-kDa ankyrin-B. We identified two mutants (A1000P and DAR976AAA) located in the ZU5 domain which eliminate spectrin binding activity of ankyrin-B. Ankyrin-B mutants lacking spectrin binding activity are normally targeted but do not reestablish beta(2)-spectrin in ankyrin-B(+/-) cardiomyocytes. However, both mutant forms of ankyrin-B are still capable of restoring inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor localization and normal contraction frequency of cardiomyocytes. Therefore, direct binding of beta(2)-spectrin to ankyrin-B is required for the normal targeting of beta(2)-spectrin in neonatal cardiomyocytes. In contrast, ankyrin-B localization and function are independent of beta(2)-spectrin. In summary, this work demonstrates that interaction between members of the ankyrin and beta-spectrin families previously established in erythrocytes and axon initial segments also occurs in neonatal cardiomyocytes with ankyrin-B and beta(2)-spectrin. This work also establishes a functional hierarchy in which ankyrin-B determines the localization of beta(2)-spectrin and operates independently of beta(2)-spectrin in its role in organizing membrane-spanning proteins.

Identification of quantitative trait loci that modify the severity of hereditary spherocytosis in wan, a new mouse model of band-3 deficiency

Defects in red blood cell (RBC) membrane skeleton components cause hereditary spherocytosis (HS). Clinically, HS varies significantly even among individuals with identical gene defects, illustrating the profound effects of genetic background on disease severity. We exploited a new spontaneous mouse model, wan, which arose on the inbred C3H/HeJ strain, to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) that modify the HS phenotype. Homozygous wan mice have severe HS due to a complete deficiency of erythroid band 3. A QTL analysis of RBC count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin content (MCHC) was performed in wan/wan mice from an F2 intercross between C3H/HeJ+/wan and CAST/Ei+/+ F1 hybrids. Hematologic and survival data from C3H, CAST/Ei F2 wan homozygotes support the hypothesis that genetic modifiers significantly influence the band-3 null HS phenotype. Significant QTL were identified for the MCV trait only, suggesting that RBC membrane characteristics are a target for modifier gene action. The most significant quantitative trait locus, Hsm1 (hereditary spherocytosis modifier 1), localizes to mouse Chromosome 12 and is dominant. The peak LOD score was obtained with a marker for Spnb1 encoding erythroid β-spectrin, an obvious candidate gene. (Blood. 2004;103: 3233-3240)

Plasma membrane-cytoskeleton-endoplasmic reticulum complexes in neurons and astrocytes

The possibility that certain integral plasma membrane (PM) proteins involved in Ca(2+) homeostasis form junctional units with adjacent endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in neurons and glia was explored using immunoprecipitation and immunocytochemistry. Rat brain membranes were solubilized with the mild, non-ionic detergent, IGEPAL CA-630. Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger type 1 (NCX1), a key PM Ca(2+) transporter, was immunoprecipitated from the detergent-soluble fraction. Several abundant PM proteins co-immunoprecipitated with NCX1, including the alpha2 and alpha3 isoforms of the Na(+) pump catalytic (alpha) subunit, and the alpha2 subunit of the dihydropyridine receptor. The adaptor protein, ankyrin 2 (Ank 2), and the cytoskeletal proteins, alpha-fodrin and beta-spectrin, also selectively co-immunoprecipitated with NCX1, as did the ER proteins, Ca(2+) pump type 2 (SERCA 2), and inositol-trisphosphate receptor type 1 (IP(3)R-1). In contrast, a number of other abundant PMs, adaptors, and cytoskeletal proteins did not co-immunoprecipitate with NCX1, including the Na(+) pump alpha1 isoform, PM Ca(2+) pump type 1 (PMCA1), beta-fodrin, and Ank 3. In reciprocal experiments, immunoprecipitation with antibodies to the Na(+) pump alpha2 and alpha3 isoforms, but not alpha1, co-immunoprecipitated NCX1; the antibodies to alpha1 did, however, co-immunoprecipitate PMCA1. Antibodies to Ank 2, alpha-fodrin, beta-spectrin and IP(3)R-1 all co-immunoprecipitated NCX1. Immunocytochemistry revealed partial co-localization of beta-spectrin with NCX1, Na(+) pump alpha3, and IP(3)R-1 in neurons and of alpha-fodrin with NCX1 and SERCA2 in astrocytes. The data support the idea that in neurons and glia PM microdomains containing NCX1 and Na(+) pumps with alpha2 or alpha3 subunits form Ca(2+) signaling complexes with underlying ER containing SERCA2 and IP(3)R-1. These PM and ER components appear to be linked through the cytoskeletal spectrin network, to which they are probably tethered by Ank 2.

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.

Crumbs interacts with moesin and beta(Heavy)-spectrin in the apical membrane skeleton of Drosophila

The apical transmembrane protein Crumbs is necessary for both cell polarization and the assembly of the zonula adherens (ZA) in Drosophila epithelia. The apical spectrin-based membrane skeleton (SBMS) is a protein network that is essential for epithelial morphogenesis and ZA integrity, and exhibits close colocalization with Crumbs and the ZA in fly epithelia. These observations suggest that Crumbs may stabilize the ZA by recruiting the SBMS to the junctional region. Consistent with this hypothesis, we report that Crumbs is necessary for the organization of the apical SBMS in embryos and Schneider 2 cells, whereas the localization of Crumbs is not affected in karst mutants that eliminate the apical SBMS. Our data indicate that it is specifically the 4.1 protein/ezrin/radixin/moesin (FERM) domain binding consensus, and in particular, an arginine at position 7 in the cytoplasmic tail of Crumbs that is essential to efficiently recruit both the apical SBMS and the FERM domain protein, DMoesin. Crumbs, Discs lost, betaHeavy-spectrin, and DMoesin are all coimmunoprecipitated from embryos, confirming the existence of a multimolecular complex. We propose that Crumbs stabilizes the apical SBMS via DMoesin and actin, leading to reinforcement of the ZA and effectively coupling epithelial morphogenesis and cell polarity.

Spectrins in developing rat hippocampal cells

We studied the spectrins in developing hippocampal tissue in vivo and in vitro to learn how they contribute to the organization of synaptic and extrasynaptic regions of the neuronal plasma membrane. beta-Spectrin, but not beta-fodrin or alpha-fodrin, increased substantially during postnatal development in the hippocampus, where it was localized in neurons but not in astrocytes. Immunoprecipitations from neonatal and adult hippocampal extracts suggest that while both beta-spectrin and beta-fodrin form heteromers with alpha-fodrin, oligomers containing all three subunits are also present. At the subcellular level, beta-fodrin and alpha-fodrin were present in the cell bodies, dendrites, and axons of pyramidal-like neurons in culture, as well as in astrocytes. beta-Spectrin, by contrast, was absent from axons but present in cell bodies and dendrites, where it was organized in a loose, membrane-associated meshwork that lacked alpha-fodrin. A similar meshwork was also apparent in pyramidal neurons in vivo. At some dendritic spines, alpha-fodrin was present in the necks but not in the heads, whereas beta-spectrin was present at significant levels in the spine heads. The presence of significant amounts of beta-spectrin without an accompanying alpha-fodrin subunit was confirmed by immunoprecipitations from extracts of adult hippocampus. Our results suggest that the spectrins in hippocampal neurons can assemble to form different membrane-associated structures in distinct membrane domains, including those at synapses.

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.

Caspase remodeling of the spectrin membrane skeleton during lens development and aging

Terminal differentiation of lens fiber cells resembles the apoptotic process in that organelles are lost, DNA is fragmented, and changes in membrane morphology occur. However, unlike classically apoptotic cells, which are disintegrated by membrane blebbing and vesiculation, aging lens fiber cells are compressed into the center of the lens, where they undergo cell-cell fusion and the formation of specialized membrane interdigitations. In classically apoptotic cells, caspase cleavage of the cytoskeletal protein alpha-spectrin to approximately 150-kDa fragments is believed to be important for membrane blebbing. We report that caspase(s) cleave alpha-spectrin to approximately 150-kDa fragments and beta-spectrin to approximately 120- and approximately 80-kDa fragments during late embryonic chick lens development. These fragments continue to accumulate with age so that in the oldest fiber cells of the adult lens, most, if not all, of the spectrin is cleaved to discrete fragments. Thus, unlike classical apoptosis, where caspase-cleaved spectrin is short lived, lens fiber cells contain spectrin fragments that appear to be stable for the lifetime of the organism. Moreover, fragmentation of spectrin results in reduced membrane association and thus may lead to permanent remodeling of the membrane skeleton. Partial and specific proteolysis of membrane skeleton components by caspases may be important for age-related membrane changes in the lens.

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.

Dynactin-dependent, dynein-driven vesicle transport in the absence of membrane proteins: a role for spectrin and acidic phospholipids

We reconstituted dynein-driven, dynactin-dependent vesicle transport using protein-free liposomes and soluble components from squid axoplasm. Dynein and dynactin, while necessary, are not the only essential cytosolic factors; axonal spectrin is also required. Spectrin is resident on axonal vesicles, and rebinds from cytosol to liposomes or proteolysed vesicles, concomitant with their dynein-dynactin-dependent motility. Binding of purified axonal spectrin to liposomes requires acidic phospholipids, as does motility. Using dominant negative spectrin polypeptides and a drug that releases PH domains from membranes, we show that spectrin is required for linking dynactin, and thereby dynein, to acidic phospholipids in the membrane. We verify this model in the context of liposomes, isolated axonal vesicles, and whole axoplasm. We conclude that spectrin has an essential role in retrograde axonal transport.

Hereditary spherocytosis in zebrafish riesling illustrates evolution of erythroid beta-spectrin structure, and function in red cell morphogenesis and membrane stability

Spectrins are key cytoskeleton proteins with roles in membrane integrity, cell morphology, organelle transport and cell polarity of varied cell types during development. Defects in erythroid spectrins in humans result in congenital hemolytic anemias with altered red cell morphology. Although well characterized in mammals and invertebrates, analysis of the structure and function of non-mammalian vertebrate spectrins has been lacking. The zebrafish riesling (ris) suffers from profound anemia, where the developing red cells fail to assume terminally differentiated erythroid morphology. Using comparative genomics, erythroid beta-spectrin (sptb) was identified as the gene mutated in ris. Zebrafish Sptb shares 62.3% overall identity with the human ortholog and phylogenetic comparisons suggest intragenic duplication and divergence during evolution. Unlike the human and murine orthologs, the pleckstrin homology domain of zebrafish Sptb is not removed in red cells by alternative splicing. In addition, apoptosis and abnormal microtubule marginal band aggregation contribute to hemolysis of mutant erythrocytes, which are features not present in mammalian red cells with sptb defects. This study presents the first genetic characterization of a non-mammalian vertebrate sptb and demonstrates novel features of red cell hemolysis in non-mammalian red cells. Further, we propose that the distinct mammalian erythroid morphology may have evolved from specific modifications of Sptb structure and function.

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.

Identification and characterization of beta V spectrin, a mammalian ortholog of Drosophila beta H spectrin

Four mammalian beta-spectrin genes are currently recognized, all encode proteins of approximately 240-280,000 M(r) and display 17 triple helical homologous approximately 106-residue repeat units. In Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans, a variant beta spectrin with unusual properties has been recognized. Termed beta heavy (beta(H)), this spectrin contains 30 spectrin repeats, has a molecular weight in excess of 400,000, and associates with the apical domain of polarized epithelia. We have cloned and characterized from a human retina cDNA library a mammalian ortholog of Drosophila beta(H) spectrin, and in accord with standard spectrin naming conventions we term this new mammalian spectrin beta 5 (betaV). The gene for human betaV spectrin (HUBSPECV) is on chromosome 15q21. The 11, 722-nucleotide cDNA of betaV spectrin is generated from 68 exons and is predicted to encode a protein with a molecular weight of 416,960. Like its fly counterpart, the derived amino acid sequence of this unusual mammalian spectrin displays 30 spectrin repeats, a modestly conserved actin-binding domain, a conserved membrane association domain 1, a conserved self-association domain, and a pleckstrin homology domain near its COOH terminus. Its putative ankyrin-binding domain is poorly conserved and may be inactive. These structural features suggest that betaV spectrin is likely to form heterodimers and oligomers with alpha spectrin and to interact directly with cellular membranes. Unlike its Drosophila ortholog, betaV spectrin does not contain an SH3 domain but displays in repeat 5 a 45-residue insertion that displays 42% identity to amino acids 85-115 of the E4 protein of type 75 human papilloma virus. Human betaV spectrin is expressed at low levels in many tissues. By indirect immunofluorescence, it is detected prominently in the outer segments of photoreceptor rods and cones and in the basolateral membrane and cytosol of gastric epithelial cells. Unlike its Drosophila ortholog, a distinct apical distribution of betaV spectrin is inapparent in the epithelial cell populations examined, although it is confined to the outer segments of photoreceptor cells. The complete cDNA sequence of human betaV spectrin is available from GenBank(TM) as accession number.

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.

The muscle regulatory and structural protein MLP is a cytoskeletal binding partner of betaI-spectrin

Muscle LIM protein (MLP) is a striated muscle-specific factor that enhances myogenic differentiation and is critical to maintaining the structural integrity of the contractile apparatus. The ability of MLP to regulate myogenesis is particularly interesting since it exhibits multiple subcellular localizations, being found in both nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments. Despite extensive biochemical analyses on MLP, the mechanism(s) by which it influences the myogenic program remains largely undefined. To further examine the role of MLP as a positive myogenic regulator, a yeast two-hybrid screen was employed to identify cytoplasmic-associated MLP binding partners. From this screen, the cytoskeletal protein betaI-spectrin was isolated. Protein interaction assays demonstrate that MLP and betaI-spectrin associate with one another in vivo as well as when tested under several in vitro binding conditions. betaI-spectrin binds specifically to MLP but not to the MLP related proteins CRP1 and CRP2 or to other LIM domain containing proteins. The MLP:beta-spectrin interaction is mediated by the second LIM motif of MLP and by repeat 7 of beta-spectrin. Confocal microscopy studies also reveal that MLP co-localizes with beta-spectrin at the sarcolemma overlying the Z- and M-lines of myofibrils in both cardiac and skeletal muscle tissue. Given that beta-spectrin is a known costamere protein, we propose that sarcolemma-associated MLP also serves as a key costamere protein, stabilizing the association of the contractile apparatus with the sarcolemma by linking the beta-spectrin network to the alpha-actinin crosslinked actin filaments of the myofibril.

Characterization of NF-L and betaIISigma1-spectrin interaction in live cells

Neurofilaments (NFs) are neuron-specific intermediate filaments (IFs) composed of three different subunits, NF-L, NF-M, and NF-H. NFs move down the axon with the slow component of axonal transport, together with microtubules, microfilaments, and alphaII/betaII-spectrin (nonerythroid spectrin or fodrin). It has been shown that alphaII/betaII-spectrin is closely associated with NFs in vivo and that betaII-spectrin subunit binds to NF-L filaments in vitro. In the present study we seek to elucidate the relationship between NF-L and betaII-spectrin in vivo. We transiently transfected full-length NF-L and carboxyl-terminal deleted NF-L mutants in SW13 Cl.2 Vim- cells, which lack an endogenous IF network and express alphaII/betaIISigma1-spectrin. Double-immunofluorescence and electron microscopy studies showed that a large portion of betaIISigma1-spectrin colocalizes with the structures formed by NF-L proteins. We found a similar association between NF-L proteins and actin. However, coimmunoprecipitation experiments in transfected cells and the yeast two-hybrid system results failed to demonstrate a direct interaction of NF-L with betaIISigma1-spectrin in vivo. The presence of another protein that acts as a bridge between the membrane skeleton and neurofilaments or modulating their association may therefore be required.

Effect of Fever-Like Whole-Body Hyperthermia on Lymphocyte Spectrin Distribution, Protein Kinase C Activity, and Uropod Formation

Regional inflammation and systemic fever are hallmarks of host immune responses to pathogenic stimuli. Although the thermal element of fever is thought to enhance the activity of immune effector cells, it is unclear what the precise role of increased body temperatures is on the activation state and effector functions of lymphocytes. We report here that mild, fever-like whole body hyperthermia (WBH) treatment of mice results in a distinct increase in the numbers of tissue lymphocytes with polarized spectrin cytoskeletons and uropods, as visualized in situ. WBH also induces a coincident reorganization of protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes and increased PKC activity within T cells. These hyperthermia-induced cellular alterations are nearly identical with the previously described effects of Ag- and mitogen-induced activation on lymphocyte spectrin and PKC. Immunoprecipitation studies combined with dual staining and protein overlay assays confirmed the association of PKCβ and PKCθ with spectrin following its reorganization. The receptor for activated C kinase-1 was also found to associate with the spectrin-based cytoskeleton. Furthermore, all these molecules (spectrin, PKCβ, PKCθ, and receptor for activated C kinase-1) cotranslocate to the uropod. Enhanced intracellular spectrin phosphorylation upon WBH treatment of lymphocytes was also found and could be blocked by the PKC inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide I (GF109203X). These data suggest that the thermal element of fever, as mimicked by these studies, can modulate critical steps in the signal transduction pathways necessary for effective lymphocyte activation and function. Further work is needed to determine the cellular target(s) that transduces the signaling pathway(s) induced by hyperthermia.

Elf3 encodes a novel 200-kD beta-spectrin: role in liver development

beta-spectrins are crucial for the maintenance of cell shape, the establishment of cell polarity, and the formation of distinct membrane domains. Our strategy for identifying genes important for hepatocyte polarity has been to utilize subtractive hybridization of early embryonic mouse cDNA liver libraries. As a result, we have cloned three isoforms of a novel beta-spectrin elf (embryonic liver beta-fodrin), and here we report the analysis of elf3, the longest isoform (8172 nt). ELF3 comprises 2154 residues with an overall similarity of 89.0% and 95.3% to mouse beta-spectrin (betaSpIIsigma1) at the nucleotide and amino acid level, respectively. ELF3 is characterized by an actin-binding domain, a long repeat domain, and a short regulatory domain remarkable for the absence of a PH domain. Linkage analysis reveals that elf3 maps to mouse chromosome 11 between D11Bir6 and D11Xrf477, a different chromosomal locus from that of the other four spectrin genes. Northern blot analysis utilizing an elf3 3'-UTR probe demonstrates an abundant 9.0-kb transcript in brain, liver, and heart tissues. Western blot with a polyclonal antibody against ELF identifies a 200 kD protein in mouse liver, brain, kidney, and heart tissues. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrate ELF labeling of the basolateral or sinusoidal membranes surface as well as a granular cytoplasmic pattern in hepatocytes. Antisense studies utilizing cultured liver explants show a vital role of elf3 in hepatocyte differentiation and intrahepatic bile duct formation. The differential expression, tissue localization, and functional studies demonstrate the importance of elf3 in modulating interactions between various components of the cytoskeleton proteins controlling liver and bile duct development.

A widely expressed betaIII spectrin associated with Golgi and cytoplasmic vesicles

Spectrin is an important structural component of the plasma membrane skeleton. Heretofore-unidentified isoforms of spectrin also associate with Golgi and other organelles. We have discovered another member of the beta-spectrin gene family by homology searches of the GenBank databases and by 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends of human brain cDNAs. Collectively, 7,938 nucleotides of contiguous clones are predicted to encode a 271,294-Da protein, called betaIII spectrin, with conserved actin-, protein 4.1-, and ankyrin-binding domains, membrane association domains 1 and 2, a spectrin dimer self-association site, and a pleckstrin-homology domain. betaIII spectrin transcripts are concentrated in the brain and present in the kidneys, liver, and testes and the prostate, pituitary, adrenal, and salivary glands. All of the tested tissues contain major 9.0-kb and minor 11.3-kb transcripts. The human betaIII spectrin gene (SPTBN2) maps to chromosome 11q13 and the mouse gene (Spnb3) maps to a syntenic region close to the centromere on chromosome 19. Indirect immunofluorescence studies of cultured cells using antisera specific to human betaIII spectrin reveal a Golgi-associated and punctate cytoplasmic vesicle-like distribution, suggesting that betaIII spectrin associates with intracellular organelles. This distribution overlaps that of several Golgi and vesicle markers, including mannosidase II, p58, trans-Golgi network (TGN)38, and beta-COP and is distinct from the endoplasmic reticulum markers calnexin and Bip. Liver Golgi membranes and other vesicular compartment markers cosediment in vitro with betaIII spectrin. betaIII spectrin thus constitutes a major component of the Golgi and vesicular membrane skeletons.

Biogenesis of polarized epithelial cells during kidney development in situ: roles of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion and membrane cytoskeleton organization

Organization of proteins into structurally and functionally distinct plasma membrane domains is an essential characteristic of polarized epithelial cells. Based on studies with cultured kidney cells, we have hypothesized that a mechanism for restricting Na/K-ATPase to the basal-lateral membrane involves E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion and integration of Na/K-ATPase into the Triton X-100-insoluble ankyrin- and spectrin-based membrane cytoskeleton. In this study, we examined the relevance of these in vitro observations to the generation of epithelial cell polarity in vivo during mouse kidney development. Using differential detergent extraction, immunoblotting, and immunofluorescence histochemistry, we demonstrate the following. First, expression of the 220-kDa splice variant of ankyrin-3 correlates with the development of resistance to Triton X-100 extraction for Na/K-ATPase, E-cadherin, and catenins and precedes maximal accumulation of Na/K-ATPase. Second, expression of the 190-kDa slice variant of ankyrin-3 correlates with maximal accumulation of Na/K-ATPase. Third, Na/K-ATPase, ankyrin-3, and fodrin specifically colocalize at the basal-lateral plasma membrane of all epithelial cells in which they are expressed and during all stages of nephrogenesis. Fourth, the relative immunofluorescence staining intensities of Na/K-ATPase, ankyrin-3, and fodrin become more similar during development until they are essentially identical in adult kidney. Thus, renal epithelial cells in vivo regulate the accumulation of E-cadherin-mediated adherens junctions, the membrane cytoskeleton, and Na/K-ATPase through sequential protein expression and assembly on the basal-lateral membrane. These results are consistent with a mechanism in which generation and maintenance of polarized distributions of these proteins in vivo and in vitro involve cell-cell adhesion, assembly of the membrane cytoskeleton complex, and concomitant integration and retention of Na/K-ATPase in this complex.

Simultaneous degradation of alphaII- and betaII-spectrin by caspase 3 (CPP32) in apoptotic cells

The degradation of alphaII- and betaII-spectrin during apoptosis in cultured human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells was investigated. Immunofluorescent staining showed that the collapse of the cortical spectrin cytoskeleton is an early event following staurosporine challenge. This collapse correlated with the generation of a series of prominent spectrin breakdown products (BDPs) derived from both alphaII- and betaII-subunits. Major C-terminal alphaII-spectrin BDPs were detected at approximately 150, 145, and 120 kDa (alphaII-BDP150, alphaII-BDP145, and alphaII-BDP120, respectively); major C-terminal betaII-spectrin BDPs were at approximately 110 and 85 kDa (betaII-BDP110 and betaII-BDP85, respectively). N-terminal sequencing of the major fragments produced in vitro by caspase 3 revealed that alphaII-BDP150 and alphaII-BDP120 were generated by cleavages at DETD1185*S1186 and DSLD1478*S1479, respectively. For betaII-spectrin, a major caspase site was detected at DEVD1457*S1458, and both betaII-BDP110 and betaII-BDP85 shared a common N-terminal sequence starting with Ser1458. An additional cleavage site near the C terminus, at ETVD2146*S2147, was found to account for betaII-BDP85. Studies using specific caspase or calpain inhibitors indicate that the pattern of spectrin breakdown during apoptosis differs from that during non-apoptotic cell death. We postulate that in concert with calpain, caspase rapidly targets critical sites in both alphaII- and betaII-spectrin and thereby initiates a rapid dissolution of the spectrin-actin cortical cytoskeleton with apoptosis.

A novel brain-specific isoform of beta spectrin: isolation and its interaction with Munc13

Munc13 is a component of the neurotransmitter release machinery which is specifically expressed in brain. Munc13 interacts with Doc2 and syntaxin which are also implicated in the neurotransmitter release process. Here we isolated another Munc13-interacting molecule from a rat brain cDNA library by use of the yeast two-hybrid system, identified it to be a novel type of beta spectrin, and named it beta SpIII sigma 1. beta SpIII sigma 1 was specifically expressed in brain, where it was enriched in the synaptic vesicle and plasma membrane fractions. Because spectrin has been shown to interact with the actin cytoskeleton which is involved in the exocytotic process, the present results suggest that the Munc13-beta SpIII sigma 1 interactions play a role in neurotransmitter release.

ADP ribosylation factor regulates spectrin binding to the Golgi complex

Homologues of two major components of the well-characterized erythrocyte plasma-membrane-skeleton, spectrin (a not-yet-cloned isoform, betaI Sigma* spectrin) and ankyrin (AnkG119 and an approximately 195-kDa ankyrin), associate with the Golgi complex. ADP ribosylation factor (ARF) is a small G protein that controls the architecture and dynamics of the Golgi by mechanisms that remain incompletely understood. We find that activated ARF stimulates the in vitro association of betaI Sigma* spectrin with a Golgi fraction, that the Golgi-associated betaI Sigma* spectrin contains epitopes characteristic of the betaI Sigma2 spectrin pleckstrin homology (PH) domain known to bind phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdInsP2), and that ARF recruits betaI Sigma* spectrin by inducing increased PtdInsP2 levels in the Golgi. The stimulation of spectrin binding by ARF is independent of its ability to stimulate phospholipase D or to recruit coat proteins (COP)-I and can be blocked by agents that sequester PtdInsP2. We postulate that a PH domain within betaI Sigma* Golgi spectrin binds PtdInsP2 and acts as a regulated docking site for spectrin on the Golgi. Agents that block the binding of spectrin to the Golgi, either by blocking the PH domain interaction or a constitutive Golgi binding site within spectrin's membrane association domain I, inhibit the transport of vesicular stomatitis virus G protein from endoplasmic reticulum to the medial compartment of the Golgi complex. Collectively, these results suggest that the Golgi-spectrin skeleton plays a central role in regulating the structure and function of this organelle.

The Exon 46-Encoded Sequence Is Essential for Stability of Human Erythroid α-Spectrin and Heterodimer Formation

Human erythroid α-spectrin alleles responsible for hereditary elliptocytosis (αHE alleles) undergo increased incorporation into red blood cell membranes when the polymorphism αLELY (LELY: Low Expression LYon) occurs in trans. The αLELY polymorphism is characterized by a mutation in exon 40 at codon 1857 (CTA → GTA, Leu → Val) and the partial (50%) skipping of exon 46, which encodes residues 2177-2182 (Wilmotte et al, J Clin Invest 91:2091, 1993). Both of these peptide sequence alterations are located within the region of the α-chain involved in initiating heterodimer assembly, and either or both mutations could potentially contribute to decreased incorporation of α-chains from the αLELY allele in heterozygotes into red blood cell membranes. These possibilities were evaluated by testing the protease resistance and in vitro binding properties of normal and mutant recombinant 4-motif α subunit peptides containing the dimer initiation region. The two forms of α spectrin produced by alternative mRNA splicing of the αLELY allele were represented by α18-211857, a peptide with the codon 1857 mutation and retaining the exon 46 encoded sequence, and α18-211857-Δ46, a peptide carrying both the 1857 codon mutation and the exon 46 deletion. The properties of these two recombinant peptides were compared with α18-21, a peptide with the normal sequence at codon 1857 and retaining the exon 46 encoded sequence. The codon 1857 mutation does not adversely affect dimer formation, but it is responsible for the increased trypsin cleavage between the αIV and αV domains that was the characteristic feature initially used to identify the αLELY (SpαV/41) polymorphism (Alloisio et al, J Clin Invest 87:2169, 1991). Deletion of the six amino acids encoded by exon 46 perturbs folding of the α21 motif, because this region of the α18-211857-Δ46 peptide is rapidly degraded and this recombinant peptide is unusually prone to self-aggregation. Exon 46 deletion reduces, but does not eliminate, dimerization. Comparison of mild trypsin proteolytic products from an αLELY homozygote and the two αLELY recombinant peptides strongly suggests that little, if any, of the 50% of the α chains from the αLELY allele that contain the exon 46 deletion are incorporated into the mature erythroid membrane. Based on the in vitro analysis of recombinant αLELY peptides, the inability of detectable amounts of exon 46− α chains to assemble into the mature membrane skeleton in vivo is probably due to a combination of decreased dimer binding affinity and increased proteolytic degradation of these mutant chains.

Segregation of two spectrin isoforms: polarized membrane-binding sites direct polarized membrane skeleton assembly

Spectrin isoforms are often segregated within specialized plasma membrane subdomains where they are thought to contribute to the development of cell surface polarity. It was previously shown that ankyrin and beta spectrin are recruited to sites of cell-cell contact in Drosophila S2 cells expressing the homophilic adhesion molecule neuroglian. Here, we show that neuroglian has no apparent effect on a second spectrin isoform (alpha beta H), which is constitutively associated with the plasma membrane in S2 cells. Another membrane marker, the Na,K-ATPase, codistributes with ankyrin and alpha beta spectrin at sites of neuroglian-mediated contact. The distributions of these markers in epithelial cells in vivo are consistent with the order of events observed in S2 cells. Neuroglian, ankyrin, alpha beta spectrin, and the Na,K-ATPase colocalize at the lateral domain of salivary gland cells. In contrast, alpha beta H spectrin is sorted to the apical domain of salivary gland and somatic follicle cells. Thus, the two spectrin isoforms respond independently to positional cues at the cell surface: in one case an apically sorted receptor and in the other case a locally activated cell-cell adhesion molecule. The results support a model in which the membrane skeleton behaves as a transducer of positional information within cells.

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.

Kalirin, a cytosolic protein with spectrin-like and GDP/GTP exchange factor-like domains that interacts with peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase, an integral membrane peptide-processing enzyme

Although the integral membrane proteins that catalyze steps in the biosynthesis of neuroendocrine peptides are known to contain routing information in their cytosolic domains, the proteins recognizing this routing information are not known. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we previously identified P-CIP10 as a protein interacting with the cytosolic routing determinants of peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase (PAM). P-CIP10 is a 217-kDa cytosolic protein with nine spectrin-like repeats and adjacent Dbl homology and pleckstrin homology domains typical of GDP/GTP exchange factors. In the adult rat, expression of P-CIP10 is most prevalent in the brain. Corticotrope tumor cells stably expressing P-CIP10 and PAM produce longer and more highly branched neuritic processes than nontransfected cells or cells expressing only PAM. The turnover of newly synthesized PAM is accelerated in cells co-expressing P-CIP10. P-CIP10 binds to selected members of the Rho subfamily of small GTP binding proteins (Rac1, but not RhoA or Cdc42). P-CIP10 (kalirin), a member of the Dbl family of proteins, may serve as part of a signal transduction system linking the catalytic domains of PAM in the lumen of the secretory pathway to cytosolic factors regulating the cytoskeleton and signal transduction pathways.

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.

Anion exchanger 1 (band 3) is required to prevent erythrocyte membrane surface loss but not to form the membrane skeleton

The red blood cell (RBC) membrane protein AE1 provides high affinity binding sites for the membrane skeleton, a structure critical to RBC integrity. AE1 biosynthesis is postulated to be required for terminal erythropoiesis and membrane skeleton assembly. We used targeted mutagenesis to assess AE1 function in vivo. RBCs lacking AE1 spontaneously shed membrane vesicles and tubules, leading to severe spherocytosis and hemolysis, but the levels of the major skeleton components, the synthesis of spectrin in mutant erythroblasts, and skeletal architecture are normal or nearly normal. The results indicate that AE1 does not regulate RBC membrane skeleton assembly in vivo but is essential for membrane stability. We postulate that stabilization is achieved through AE1-lipid interactions and that loss of these interactions is a key pathogenic event in hereditary spherocytosis.

The spectrin-based membrane skeleton as a membrane protein-sorting machine

Normal cell function is dependent on the existence of membrane compartments that have unique populations of membrane proteins. Sorting of membrane proteins forms the basis for the biogenesis of distinct membrane compartments. There are many examples of membrane protein-sorting events in cells, but the molecular machinery involved is poorly understood. We discuss characteristics of a putative membrane protein-sorting machine and show that the spectrin-based membrane skeleton conforms to these characteristics. The spectrin-based membrane skeleton is a submembranous, spatially limited, two-dimensional lattice that binds a subset of membrane proteins. These properties allow the membrane skeleton to facilitate the formation of distinct membrane domains and thus reveal its potential as a membrane protein-sorting machine.

Mapping the human erythrocyte beta-spectrin dimer initiation site using recombinant peptides and correlation of its phasing with the alpha-actinin dimer site

Human erythroid spectrin dimer assembly is initiated by the association of a specific region near the N-terminal of beta-spectrin with a complementary region near the C-terminal of alpha-spectrin (Speicher, D. W., Weglarz, L., and DeSilva, T. M. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 14775-14782). Both spectrin subunits consist primarily of tandem, 106-residue long, homologous, triple-helical motifs. In this study, the minimal region of beta-spectrin required for association with alpha-spectrin was determined using recombinant peptides. The start site (phasing) for construction of dimerization competent beta-spectrin peptides was particularly critical. The beginning of the first homologous motif for both beta-spectrin and the related dimerization site of alpha-actinin is approximately 8 residues earlier than most spectrin motifs. A four-motif beta-spectrin peptide (beta1-4+) with this earlier starting point bound to full-length alpha-spectrin with a Kd of about 10 nM, while deletion of these first 8 residues reduced binding nearly 10-fold. N- and C-terminal truncations of one or more motifs from beta1-4+ showed that the first motif was essential for dimerization since its deletion abolished binding, but beta1+ alone could not associate with alpha-monomers. The first two motifs (beta1 2+) represented the minimum lateral dimer assembly site with a Kd of about 230 nM for interaction with full-length alpha-spectrin or an alpha-spectrin nucleation site recombinant peptide, alpha18-21. Each additional motif increased the dimerization affinity by approximately 5-fold. In addition to this strong inter-subunit dimer association, interactions between the helices of a single triple-helical motif are frequently strong enough to maintain a noncovalent complex after internal protease cleavage similar to the interactions thought to be involved in tetramer formation. Analysis of hydrodynamic radii of recombinant peptides containing differing numbers of motifs showed that a single motif had a Stokes radius of 2.35 nM, while each additional motif added only 0.85 nM to the Stokes radius. This is the first direct demonstration that spectrin's flexibility arises from regions between each triple helical motif rather than from within the segment itself and suggests that current models of inter-motif connections may need to be revised.

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.

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.