Structural and mechanistic insights into ras association domains of phospholipase C epsilon

Mol Cell. 2006 Feb 17;21(4):495-507. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2006.01.008.

Abstract

Ras proteins signal to a number of distinct pathways by interacting with diverse effectors. Studies of ras/effector interactions have focused on three classes, Raf kinases, ral guanylnucleotide-exchange factors, and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases. Here we describe ras interactions with another effector, the recently identified phospholipase C epsilon (PLCepsilon). We solved structures of PLCepsilon RA domains (RA1 and RA2) by NMR and the structure of the RA2/ras complex by X-ray crystallography. Although the similarity between ubiquitin-like folds of RA1 and RA2 proves that they are homologs, only RA2 can bind ras. Some of the features of the RA2/ras interface are unique to PLCepsilon, while the ability to make contacts with both switch I and II regions of ras is shared only with phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase. Studies of PLCepsilon regulation suggest that, in a cellular context, the RA2 domain, in a mode specific to PLCepsilon, has a role in membrane targeting with further regulatory impact on PLC activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Phosphoinositide Phospholipase C
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Thermodynamics
  • Type C Phospholipases / chemistry*
  • Type C Phospholipases / genetics
  • Type C Phospholipases / metabolism*
  • ras Proteins / chemistry*
  • ras Proteins / genetics
  • ras Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Type C Phospholipases
  • Phosphoinositide Phospholipase C
  • phospholipase C epsilon
  • ras Proteins

Associated data

  • PDB/2BYE
  • PDB/2BYF
  • PDB/2C5L