scholarly journals Aurora A Regulates the Activity of HURP by Controlling the Accessibility of Its Microtubule-binding Domain

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 2083-2091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Wong ◽  
Robert Lerrigo ◽  
Chang-Young Jang ◽  
Guowei Fang
Keyword(s):  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Aurora A ◽  
Microtubule Binding ◽  
Physiological Importance ◽  
Mitotic Kinase ◽  
Terminal Domain ◽  
Microtubule Binding Domain ◽  
And Function

HURP is a spindle-associated protein that mediates Ran-GTP-dependent assembly of the bipolar spindle and promotes chromosome congression and interkinetochore tension during mitosis. We report here a biochemical mechanism of HURP regulation by Aurora A, a key mitotic kinase that controls the assembly and function of the spindle. We found that HURP binds to microtubules through its N-terminal domain that hyperstabilizes spindle microtubules. Ectopic expression of this domain generates defects in spindle morphology and function that reduce the level of tension across sister kinetochores and activate the spindle checkpoint. Interestingly, the microtubule binding activity of this N-terminal domain is regulated by the C-terminal region of HURP: in its hypophosphorylated state, C-terminal HURP associates with the microtubule-binding domain, abrogating its affinity for microtubules. However, when the C-terminal domain is phosphorylated by Aurora A, it no longer binds to N-terminal HURP, thereby releasing the inhibition on its microtubule binding and stabilizing activity. In fact, ectopic expression of this C-terminal domain depletes endogenous HURP from the mitotic spindle in HeLa cells in trans, suggesting the physiological importance for this mode of regulation. We concluded that phosphorylation of HURP by Aurora A provides a regulatory mechanism for the control of spindle assembly and function.

Characterization of the microtubule binding domain of microtubule actin crosslinking factor (MACF): identification of a novel group of microtubule associated proteins

2001 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Sun ◽  
C.L. Leung ◽  
R.K. Liem
Keyword(s):  
Calcium Binding ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Microtubule Binding ◽  
Transfected Cells ◽  
Terminal Domain ◽  
Microtubule Binding Domain

MACF (microtubule actin cross-linking factor) is a large, 608-kDa protein that can associate with both actin microfilaments and microtubules (MTs). Structurally, MACF can be divided into 3 domains: an N-terminal domain that contains both a calponin type actin-binding domain and a plakin domain; a rod domain that is composed of 23 dystrophin-like spectrin repeats; and a C-terminal domain that includes two EF-hand calcium-binding motifs, as well as a region that is homologous to two related proteins, GAR22 and Gas2. We have previously demonstrated that the C-terminal domain of MACF binds to MTs, although no homology was observed between this domain and other known microtubule-binding proteins. In this report, we describe the characterization of this microtubule-binding domain of MACF by transient transfection studies and in vitro binding assays. We found that the C-terminus of MACF contains at least two microtubule-binding regions, a GAR domain and a domain containing glycine-serine-arginine (GSR) repeats. In transfected cells, the GAR domain bound to and partially stabilized MTs to depolymerization by nocodazole. The GSR-containing domain caused MTs to form bundles that are still sensitive to nocodazole-induced depolymerization. When present together, these two domains acted in concert to bundle MTs and render them stable to nocodazole treatment. Recently, a study has shown that the N-terminal half of the plakin domain (called the M1 domain) of MACF also binds MTs. We therefore examined the microtubule binding ability of the M1 domain in the context of the entire plakin domain with and without the remaining N-terminal regions of two different MACF isoforms. Interestingly, in the presence of the surrounding sequences, the M1 domain did not bind MTs. In addition to MACF, cDNA sequences encoding the GAR and GSR-containing domains are also found in the partial human EST clone KIAA0728, which has high sequence homology to the 3′ end of the MACF cDNA; hence, we refer to it as MACF2. The C-terminal domain of mouse MACF2 was cloned and characterized. The microtubule-binding properties of MACF2 C-terminal domain are similar to that of MACF. The GAR domain was originally found in Gas 2 protein and here we show that it can associate with MTs in transfected cells. Plectin and desmoplakin have GSR-containing domains at their C-termini and we further demonstrate that the GSR-containing domain of plectin, but not desmoplakin, can bind to MTs in vivo.

scholarly journals Aurora A contributes to p150glued phosphorylation and function during mitosis

2010 ◽  
Vol 189 (4) ◽  
pp. 651-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Romé ◽  
Emilie Montembault ◽  
Nathalie Franck ◽  
Aude Pascal ◽  
David M. Glover ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitotic Spindle ◽  
Spindle Assembly ◽  
Spindle Pole ◽  
Aurora A Kinase ◽  
Aurora A ◽  
Microtubule Binding ◽  
Microtubule Binding Domain ◽  
Spindle Microtubules ◽  
And Function

Aurora A is a spindle pole–associated protein kinase required for mitotic spindle assembly and chromosome segregation. In this study, we show that Drosophila melanogaster aurora A phosphorylates the dynactin subunit p150glued on sites required for its association with the mitotic spindle. Dynactin strongly accumulates on microtubules during prophase but disappears as soon as the nuclear envelope breaks down, suggesting that its spindle localization is tightly regulated. If aurora A's function is compromised, dynactin and dynein become enriched on mitotic spindle microtubules. Phosphorylation sites are localized within the conserved microtubule-binding domain (MBD) of the p150glued. Although wild-type p150glued binds weakly to spindle microtubules, a variant that can no longer be phosphorylated by aurora A remains associated with spindle microtubules and fails to rescue depletion of endogenous p150glued. Our results suggest that aurora A kinase participates in vivo to the phosphoregulation of the p150glued MBD to limit the microtubule binding of the dynein–dynactin complex and thus regulates spindle assembly.

scholarly journals Structure and Functional Role of Dynein's Microtubule-Binding Domain

Science ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 322 (5908) ◽  
pp. 1691-1695 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Carter ◽  
J. E. Garbarino ◽  
E. M. Wilson-Kubalek ◽  
W. E. Shipley ◽  
C. Cho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Role ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Microtubule Binding ◽  
Microtubule Binding Domain

scholarly journals The kinetoplastid kinetochore protein KKT4 is an unconventional microtubule tip–coupling protein

2018 ◽  
Vol 217 (11) ◽  
pp. 3886-3900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aida Llauró ◽  
Hanako Hayashi ◽  
Megan E. Bailey ◽  
Alex Wilson ◽  
Patryk Ludzia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chromosome Segregation ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Significant Similarity ◽  
Load Bearing ◽  
Kinetochore Protein ◽  
Microtubule Binding ◽  
Binding Domains ◽  
Microtubule Binding Domain ◽  
Coupling Protein

Kinetochores are multiprotein machines that drive chromosome segregation by maintaining persistent, load-bearing linkages between chromosomes and dynamic microtubule tips. Kinetochores in commonly studied eukaryotes bind microtubules through widely conserved components like the Ndc80 complex. However, in evolutionarily divergent kinetoplastid species such as Trypanosoma brucei, which causes sleeping sickness, the kinetochores assemble from a unique set of proteins lacking homology to any known microtubule-binding domains. Here, we show that the T. brucei kinetochore protein KKT4 binds directly to microtubules and maintains load-bearing attachments to both growing and shortening microtubule tips. The protein localizes both to kinetochores and to spindle microtubules in vivo, and its depletion causes defects in chromosome segregation. We define a microtubule-binding domain within KKT4 and identify several charged residues important for its microtubule-binding activity. Thus, despite its lack of significant similarity to other known microtubule-binding proteins, KKT4 has key functions required for driving chromosome segregation. We propose that it represents a primary element of the kinetochore–microtubule interface in kinetoplastids.

scholarly journals Autoregulatory control of microtubule binding in doublecortin-like kinase 1

eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina L Agulto ◽  
Melissa M Rogers ◽  
Tracy C Tan ◽  
Amrita Ramkumar ◽  
Ashlyn M Downing ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Binding Affinity ◽  
Therapeutic Target ◽  
Kinase Activity ◽  
Kinase Inhibitors ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Cancer Development ◽  
Microtubule Binding ◽  
Microtubule Binding Domain

The microtubule-associated protein, doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1), is highly expressed in a range of cancers and is a prominent therapeutic target for kinase inhibitors. The physiological roles of DCLK1 kinase activity and how it is regulated remain elusive. Here, we analyze the role of mammalian DCLK1 kinase activity in regulating microtubule binding. We find that DCLK1 autophosphorylates a residue within its C-terminal tail to restrict its kinase activity and prevent aberrant hyperphosphorylation within its microtubule-binding domain. Removal of the C-terminal tail or mutation of this residue causes an increase in phosphorylation within the doublecortin domains, which abolishes microtubule binding. Therefore, autophosphorylation at specific sites within DCLK1 have diametric effects on the molecule's association with microtubules. Our results suggest a mechanism by which DCLK1 modulates its kinase activity to tune its microtubule-binding affinity. These results provide molecular insights for future therapeutic efforts related to DCLK1's role in cancer development and progression.

The projection domain of MAP2b regulates microtubule protrusion and process formation in Sf9 cells

2002 ◽  
Vol 115 (7) ◽  
pp. 1523-1539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Bélanger ◽  
Carole Abi Farah ◽  
Minh Dang Nguyen ◽  
Michel Lauzon ◽  
Sylvie Cornibert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Intramolecular Interactions ◽  
Microtubule Assembly ◽  
Sf9 Cells ◽  
Microtubule Binding ◽  
Process Formation ◽  
Microtubule Binding Domain ◽  
Projection Domain

The expression of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2), developmentally regulated by alternative splicing, coincides with neurite outgrowth. MAP2 proteins contain a microtubule-binding domain (C-terminal) that promotes microtubule assembly and a poorly characterized domain, the projection domain(N-terminal), extending at the surface of microtubules. MAP2b differs from MAP2c by an additional sequence of 1372 amino acids in the projection domain. In this study, we examined the role of the projection domain in the protrusion of microtubules from the cell surface and the subsequent process formation in Sf9 cells. In this system, MAP2b has a lower capacity to induce process formation than MAP2c. To investigate the role of the projection domain in this event, we expressed truncated forms of MAP2b and MAP2c that have partial or complete deletion of their projection domain in Sf9 cells. Our results indicate that process formation is induced by the microtubule-binding domain of these MAP2 proteins and is regulated by their projection domain. Furthermore, the microtubule-binding activity of MAP2b and MAP2c truncated forms as well as the structural properties of the microtubule bundles induced by them do not seem to be the only determinants that control the protrusion of microtubules from the cell surface in Sf9 cells. Rather, our data suggest that microtubule protrusion and process formation are regulated by intramolecular interactions between the projection domain and its microtubule-binding domain in MAP2b.

Conformational transition state is responsible for assembly of microtubule-binding domain of tau protein

2004 ◽  
Vol 315 (3) ◽  
pp. 659-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuko Hiraoka ◽  
Tian-Ming Yao ◽  
Katsuhiko Minoura ◽  
Koji Tomoo ◽  
Miho Sumida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transition State ◽  
Tau Protein ◽  
Conformational Transition ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Microtubule Binding ◽  
Microtubule Binding Domain
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document