scholarly journals The Function of Plakophilin 1 in Desmosome Assembly and Actin Filament Organization

2000 ◽  
Vol 149 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mechthild Hatzfeld ◽  
Christof Haffner ◽  
Katrin Schulze ◽  
Ute Vinzens

Plakophilin 1, a member of the armadillo multigene family, is a protein with dual localization in the nucleus and in desmosomes. To elucidate its role in desmosome assembly and regulation, we have analyzed its localization and binding partners in vivo. When overexpressed in HaCaT keratinocytes, plakophilin 1 localized to the nucleus and to desmosomes, and dramatically enhanced the recruitment of desmosomal proteins to the plasma membrane. This effect was mediated by plakophilin 1's head domain, which interacted with desmoglein 1, desmoplakin, and keratins in the yeast two-hybrid system. Overexpression of the armadillo repeat domain induced a striking dominant negative phenotype with the formation of filopodia and long cellular protrusions, where plakophilin 1 colocalized with actin filaments. This phenotype was strictly dependent on a conserved motif in the center of the armadillo repeat domain. Our results demonstrate that plakophilin 1 contains two functionally distinct domains: the head domain, which could play a role in organizing the desmosomal plaque in suprabasal cells, and the armadillo repeat domain, which might be involved in regulating the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton.

2001 ◽  
Vol 183 (10) ◽  
pp. 3041-3049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda J. Ozin ◽  
Craig S. Samford ◽  
Adriano O. Henriques ◽  
Charles P. Moran

ABSTRACT Bacteria assemble complex structures by targeting proteins to specific subcellular locations. The protein coat that encasesBacillus subtilis spores is an example of a structure that requires coordinated targeting and assembly of more than 24 polypeptides. The earliest stages of coat assembly require the action of three morphogenetic proteins: SpoIVA, CotE, and SpoVID. In the first steps, a basement layer of SpoIVA forms around the surface of the forespore, guiding the subsequent positioning of a ring of CotE protein about 75 nm from the forespore surface. SpoVID localizes near the forespore membrane where it functions to maintain the integrity of the CotE ring and to anchor the nascent coat to the underlying spore structures. However, it is not known which spore coat proteins interact directly with SpoVID. In this study we examined the interaction between SpoVID and another spore coat protein, SafA, in vivo using the yeast two-hybrid system and in vitro. We found evidence that SpoVID and SafA directly interact and that SafA interacts with itself. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that SafA localized around the forespore early during coat assembly and that this localization of SafA was dependent on SpoVID. Moreover, targeting of SafA to the forespore was also dependent on SpoIVA, as was targeting of SpoVID to the forespore. We suggest that the localization of SafA to the spore coat requires direct interaction with SpoVID.


2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 1571-1582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shrikesh Sachdev ◽  
Sriparna Bagchi ◽  
Donna D. Zhang ◽  
Angela C. Mings ◽  
Mark Hannink

ABSTRACT The inhibitor of kappa B alpha (IκBα) protein is able to shuttle between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. We have utilized a combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches to provide mechanistic insight into nucleocytoplasmic shuttling by IκBα. IκBα contains multiple functional domains that contribute to shuttling of IκBα between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Nuclear import of IκBα is mediated by the central ankyrin repeat domain. Similar to previously described nuclear import pathways, nuclear import of IκBα is temperature and ATP dependent and is blocked by a dominant-negative mutant of importin β. However, in contrast to classical nuclear import pathways, nuclear import of IκBα is independent of soluble cytosolic factors and is not blocked by the dominant-negative RanQ69L protein. Nuclear export of IκBα is mediated by an N-terminal nuclear export sequence. Nuclear export of IκBα requires the CRM1 nuclear export receptor and is blocked by the dominant-negative RanQ69L protein. Our results are consistent with a model in which nuclear import of IκBα is mediated through direct interactions with components of the nuclear pore complex, while nuclear export of IκBα is mediated via a CRM1-dependent pathway.


2001 ◽  
Vol 276 (15) ◽  
pp. 11980-11987 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven A. Haney ◽  
Elizabeth Glasfeld ◽  
Cynthia Hale ◽  
David Keeney ◽  
Zhizhen He ◽  
...  

The recruitment of ZipA to the septum by FtsZ is an early, essential step in cell division inEscherichia coli. We have used polymerase chain reaction-mediated random mutagenesis in the yeast two-hybrid system to analyze this interaction and have identified residues within a highly conserved sequence at the C terminus of FtsZ as the ZipA binding site. A search for suppressors of a mutation that causes a loss of interaction (ftsZD373G) identified eight different changes at two residues within this sequence.In vitro, wild type FtsZ interacted with ZipA with a high affinity in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, whereas FtsZD373Gfailed to interact. Two mutant proteins examined restored this interaction significantly.In vivo, the alleles tested are significantly more toxic than the wild typeftsZand cannot complement a deletion. We have shown that a fusion, which encodes the last 70 residues of FtsZ in the two-hybrid system, is sufficient for the interaction with FtsA and ZipA. However, when the wild type sequence is compared with one that encodes FtsZD373G, no interaction was seen with either protein. Mutations surrounding Asp-373 differentially affected the interactions of FtsZ with ZipA and FtsA, indicating that these proteins bind the C terminus of FtsZ differently.


2001 ◽  
Vol 353 (2) ◽  
pp. 377-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyunglim LEE ◽  
Jaehoon JUNG ◽  
Miyoung KIM ◽  
Guido GUIDOTTI

The α1 subunit of rat Na,K-ATPase, composed of 1018 amino acids, is arranged in the membrane so that the middle third of the polypeptide forms a large cytoplasmic loop bordered on both sides by multiple transmembrane segments. To identify proteins that might interact with the large cytoplasmic loop of Na,K-ATPase and potentially affect the function and/or the disposition of the pump in the cell, the yeast two-hybrid system was used to screen a rat skeletal muscle cDNA library. Several cDNA clones were isolated, some of which coded for cofilin, an actin-binding protein. Cofilin was co-immunoprecipitated with the α subunit of Na,K-ATPase from extracts of COS-7 cells transiently transfected with haemagglutinin-epitope-tagged cofilin cDNA as well as from yeast extracts. By means of deletion analysis we showed that the segment of cofilin between residues 45 and 99 is essential for functional association with the large cytoplasmic loop of Na,K-ATPase. Recombinant cofilin was shown to bind to the membrane-bound Na,K-ATPase; the association between the two proteins was demonstrated by confocal microscopy. The increased level of cofilin in transfected COS-7 cells caused an increase in the rate of ouabain-sensitive 86Rb+ uptake, indicating that cofilin elicits, either directly or indirectly, enhanced Na,K-ATPase activity and that the interaction occurs in vivo.


2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (17) ◽  
pp. 6244-6258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malika Jaquenoud ◽  
Matthias Peter

ABSTRACT Gic2p is a Cdc42p effector which functions during cytoskeletal organization at bud emergence and in response to pheromones, but it is not understood how Gic2p interacts with the actin cytoskeleton. Here we show that Gic2p displayed multiple genetic interactions with Bni1p, Bud6p (Aip3p), and Spa2p, suggesting that Gic2p may regulate their function in vivo. In support of this idea, Gic2p cofractionated with Bud6p and Spa2p and interacted with Bud6p by coimmunoprecipitation and two-hybrid analysis. Importantly, localization of Bni1p and Bud6p to the incipient bud site was dependent on active Cdc42p and the Gic proteins but did not require an intact actin cytoskeleton. We identified a conserved domain in Gic2p which was necessary for its polarization function but dispensable for binding to Cdc42p-GTP and its localization to the site of polarization. Expression of a mutant Gic2p harboring a single-amino-acid substitution in this domain (Gic2pW23A) interfered with polarized growth in a dominant-negative manner and prevented recruitment of Bni1p and Bud6p to the incipient bud site. We propose that at bud emergence, Gic2p functions as an adaptor which may link activated Cdc42p to components involved in actin organization and polarized growth, including Bni1p, Spa2p, and Bud6p.


1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 3066-3073 ◽  
Author(s):  
O Hobert ◽  
B Jallal ◽  
A Ullrich

The proto-oncogene product Vav plays a critical role in hematopoietic signal transduction. By using the yeast two-hybrid system, we identified a novel human protein, ENX-1, which interacts specifically with Vav both in vitro and in vivo. ENX-1 represents the human homolog of the Drosophila Enhancer of zeste gene, a member of the Polycomb group of genes, which are transcriptional regulators of homeobox gene expression. Interaction with ENX-1 suggests that Vav functions as an upstream element in the transcriptional regulation of homeobox genes, known to be important effectors in the hematopoietic system.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document