Abstract
Actin participates in more protein-protein interactions than any other known protein, including the interaction of actin with itself to form the helical polymer F-actin. The vast majority of actin-binding proteins (ABPs) can be grouped into conserved families. Only a handful of structures of complexes of actin with ABPs have been determined so far. These structures are starting to reveal how certain ABPs, including gelsolin, vitamin D-binding protein and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP)-homology domain-2-related proteins, share a common actin-binding motif. It is proposed here that other ABPs, including actin itself, might share this motif, providing a mechanism whereby ABPs and actin compete for a common binding site. Of particular interest is a hydrophobic pocket that mediates important interactions in five of the existing structures of actin complexes. As the pocket remains accessible in F-actin, it is proposed that this pocket represents a primary target for F-actin-binding proteins, such as calponin-homology-related proteins and myosin.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Actin Depolymerizing Factors
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Actins / chemistry*
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Actins / metabolism
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Amino Acid Motifs / genetics
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Binding Sites / genetics
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Destrin
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Drosophila Proteins / chemistry
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Drosophila Proteins / genetics
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Drosophila Proteins / metabolism
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Gelsolin / chemistry
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Gelsolin / genetics
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Gelsolin / metabolism
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Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
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Microfilament Proteins / chemistry*
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Microfilament Proteins / genetics
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Microfilament Proteins / metabolism
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Models, Molecular*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / chemistry
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
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Oxazoles / chemistry
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Oxazoles / metabolism
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Protein Binding
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Protein Conformation
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Proteins / chemistry
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Proteins / genetics
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Proteins / metabolism
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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Vitamin D-Binding Protein / chemistry
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Vitamin D-Binding Protein / genetics
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Vitamin D-Binding Protein / metabolism
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Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein
Substances
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Actin Depolymerizing Factors
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Actins
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Destrin
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Drosophila Proteins
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Gelsolin
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Microfilament Proteins
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Oxazoles
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Proteins
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Vitamin D-Binding Protein
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Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein
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cib protein, Drosophila
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kabiramide C