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Robert V Stahelin

Publications and source records attributed to Robert V Stahelin.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Membrane binding mechanisms of the PX domains of NADPH oxidase p40phox and p47phox.

Phox (PX) domains are phosphoinositide (PI)-binding domains with broad PI specificity. Two cytosolic components of NADPH oxidase, p40(phox) and p47(phox), contain PX domains. The PX domain of p40(phox) specifically binds phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate, whereas the PX domain of p47(phox) has two lipid binding sites, one specific for phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate and the other with affinity for phosphatidic acid or phosphatidylserine. To delineate the mechanisms by which these PX domains interact with PI-containing membranes, we measured the membrane binding of these domains and respective mutants by surface plasmon resonance and monolayer techniques and also calculated the electrostatic potentials of the domains as a function of PI binding. Results indicate that membrane binding of both PX domains is initiated by nonspecific electrostatic interactions, which is followed by the membrane penetration of hydrophobic residues. The membrane penetration of the p40(phox) PX domain is induced by phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate, whereas that of the p47(phox) PX domain is triggered by both phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate and phosphatidic acid (or phosphatidylserine). Studies of enhanced green fluorescent protein-fused PX domains in HEK293 cells indicate that this specific membrane penetration is also important for subcellular localization of the two PX domains. Further studies on the full-length p40(phox) and p47(phox) proteins showed that an intramolecular interaction between the C-terminal Src homology 3 domain and the PX domain prevents the nonspecific monolayer penetration of p47(phox), whereas such an interaction is absent in p40(phox).

Binding Sites↗

The molecular basis of differential subcellular localization of C2 domains of protein kinase C-alpha and group IVa cytosolic phospholipase A2.

The C2 domain is a Ca(2+)-dependent membrane-targeting module found in many cellular proteins involved in signal transduction or membrane trafficking. C2 domains are unique among membrane targeting domains in that they show a wide range of lipid selectivity for the major components of cell membranes, including phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine. To understand how C2 domains show diverse lipid selectivity and how this functional diversity affects their subcellular targeting behaviors, we measured the binding of the C2 domains of group IVa cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) and protein kinase C-alpha (PKC-alpha) to vesicles that model cell membranes they are targeted to, and we monitored their subcellular targeting in living cells. The surface plasmon resonance analysis indicates that the PKC-alpha C2 domain strongly prefers the cytoplasmic plasma membrane mimic to the nuclear membrane mimic due to high phosphatidylserine content in the former and that Asn(189) plays a key role in this specificity. In contrast, the cPLA(2) C2 domain has specificity for the nuclear membrane mimic over the cytoplasmic plasma membrane mimic due to high phosphatidylcholine content in the former and aromatic and hydrophobic residues in the calcium binding loops of the cPLA(2) C2 domain are important for its lipid specificity. The subcellular localization of enhanced green fluorescent protein-tagged C2 domains and mutants transfected into HEK293 cells showed that the subcellular localization of the C2 domains is consistent with their lipid specificity and could be tailored by altering their in vitro lipid specificity. The relative cell membrane translocation rate of selected C2 domains was also consistent with their relative affinity for model membranes. Together, these results suggest that biophysical principles that govern the in vitro membrane binding of C2 domains can account for most of their subcellular targeting properties.

Calcium↗

Binding of the PX domain of p47(phox) to phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate and phosphatidic acid is masked by an intramolecular interaction.

p47(phox) is a key cytosolic subunit required for activation of phagocyte NADPH oxidase. The X-ray structure of the p47(phox) PX domain revealed two distinct basic pockets on the membrane-binding surface, each occupied by a sulfate. These two pockets have different specificities: one preferentially binds phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4)P(2)] and is analogous to the phophatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PtdIns3P)-binding pocket of p40(phox), while the other binds anionic phospholipids such as phosphatidic acid (PtdOH) or phosphatidylserine. The preference of this second site for PtdOH may be related to previously observed activation of NADPH oxidase by PtdOH. Simultaneous occupancy of the two phospholipid-binding pockets radically increases membrane affinity. Strikingly, measurements for full-length p47(phox) show that membrane interaction by the PX domain is masked by an intramolecular association with the C-terminal SH3 domain (C-SH3). Either a site-specific mutation in C-SH3 (W263R) or a mimic of the phosphorylated form of p47(phox) [Ser(303, 304, 328, 359, 370)Glu] cause a transition from a closed to an open conformation that binds membranes with a greater affinity than the isolated PX domain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate induces the membrane penetration of the FYVE domains of Vps27p and Hrs.

The FYVE domain mediates the recruitment of proteins involved in membrane trafficking and cell signaling to phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PtdIns(3)P)-containing membranes. To elucidate the mechanism by which the FYVE domain interacts with PtdIns(3)P-containing membranes, we measured the membrane binding of the FYVE domains of yeast Vps27p and Drosophila hepatocyte growth factor-regulated tyrosine kinase substrate and their mutants by surface plasmon resonance and monolayer penetration analyses. These measurements as well as electrostatic potential calculation show that PtdIns(3)P specifically induces the membrane penetration of the FYVE domains and increases their membrane residence time by decreasing the positive charge surrounding the hydrophobic tip of the domain and causing local conformational changes. Mutations of hydrophobic residues located close to the PtdIns(3)P-binding pocket or an Arg residue directly involved in PtdIns(3)P binding abrogated the penetration of the FYVE domains into the monolayer, the packing density of which is comparable with that of biological membranes and large unilamellar vesicles. Based on these results, we propose a mechanism of the membrane binding of the FYVE domain in which the domain first binds to the PtdIns(3)P-containing membrane by specific PtdIns(3)P binding and nonspecific electrostatic interactions, which is then followed by the PtdIns(3)P-induced partial membrane penetration of the domain.

Animals↗