Membrane binding of the N-terminal ubiquitin-like domain of kindlin-2 is crucial for its regulation of integrin activation.

ABSTRACT: Kindlin-2 belongs to an emerging class of regulators for heterodimeric (α/β) integrin adhesion receptors. By binding to integrin β cytoplasmic tail via its C-terminal FERM-like domain, kindlin-2 promotes integrin activation. Intriguingly, this activation process depends on the N terminus of kindlin-2 (K2-N) that precedes the FERM domain. The molecular function of K2-N is unclear. We present the solution structure of K2-N, which displays a ubiquitin fold similar to that observed in kindlin-1. Using chemical shift mapping and mutagenesis, we found that K2-N contains a conserved positively charged surface that binds to membrane enriched with negatively charged phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate. We show that while wild-type kindlin-2 is capable of promoting integrin activation, such abil

SUBMITTER: Perera HD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3217186 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature