Identification of functional residues on Caenorhabditis elegans actin-interacting protein 1 (UNC-78) for disassembly of actin depolymerizing factor/cofilin-bound actin filaments

J Biol Chem. 2004 Jul 23;279(30):31697-707. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M403351200. Epub 2004 May 18.

Abstract

Actin-interacting protein 1 (AIP1) is a WD40 repeat protein that enhances actin filament disassembly in the presence of actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin. AIP1 also caps the barbed end of ADF/cofilin-bound actin filament. However, the mechanism by which AIP1 interacts with ADF/cofilin and actin is not clearly understood. We determined the crystal structure of Caenorhabditis elegans AIP1 (UNC-78), which revealed 14 WD40 modules arranged in two seven-bladed beta-propeller domains. The structure allowed for the mapping of conserved surface residues, and mutagenesis studies identified five residues that affected the ADF/cofilin-dependent actin filament disassembly activity. Mutations of these residues, which reside in blades 3 and 4 in the N-terminal propeller domain, had significant effects on the disassembly activity but did not alter the barbed end capping activity. These data support a model in which this conserved surface of AIP1 plays a direct role in enhancing fragmentation/depolymerization of ADF/cofilin-bound actin filaments but not in barbed end capping.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Actin Depolymerizing Factors
  • Actins / metabolism*
  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Binding Sites / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / chemistry*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism*
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Destrin
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Microfilament Proteins / chemistry*
  • Microfilament Proteins / genetics
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Protein Conformation
  • Rabbits
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Static Electricity
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Actin Depolymerizing Factors
  • Actins
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • DNA Primers
  • Destrin
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • unc-78 protein, C elegans

Associated data

  • PDB/1NR0
  • PDB/1PEV