Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-gamma1 undergoes pH-induced activation and conformational change

Phospholipase C-gamma1 displayed sigmoidal kinetics with a S(0.5) value of 0.17 mole fraction PIP(2) when assayed at pH 6.8 using detergent:lipid mixed micelles. The pH optimum for hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate by phospholipase C-gamma1 was dependent on the mole fraction of substrate in the micelle. The pH optimum was 5.5 when the enzyme was assayed below the S(0.5). The pH optima shifted to a pH range of 6.0-6.3 when the enzyme was assayed above the S(0.5). The kinetic parameters for phospholipase C-gamma1 assayed at various pH values from pH 7.0 to 5.0 yielded similar n values (n=4), but the constant, K', decreased from 1x10(-2) (mole fraction)(2) at pH 7.0 to 1x10(-5) (mole fraction)(2) at pH 5.0. Maximum enzyme specificity occurred at pH values below pH 6.0 as determined by the plot of logk(cat)/S(0.5) versus pH. Intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy revealed that at a pH value above 7.0 or below 6.3, tryptophan quenching occurred. Fluorescence quenching experiments performed with acrylamide determined phospholipase C-gamma1 incubated at pH 5.0 had a larger collisional quenching constant than enzyme incubated at pH 7.0. Lowering the pH to 5.0 apparently resulted in interior tryptophans becoming more solvent accessible. These data suggest that pH may activate phospholipase C-gamma1 by disrupting ionizable groups leading to a conformational change.     

Inhibitory effect of src homology (SH) 2/SH3 fragments of phospholipase C-gamma on the catalytic activity of phospholipase C isoforms. Identification of a novel phospholipase C inhibitor region.

In order to study the regulatory mechanisms of phospholipase C-gamma (PLC-gamma) via the intrinsic SH2/SH3 region (Z region), two recombinant Z proteins, rP45Z and rP38Z, derived from rat PLC-gamma 1 and PLC-gamma 2, respectively, were purified from the inclusion bodies of Escherichia coli. We examined their direct effects on phosphoinositide hydrolysis induced by four different PLC isoforms purified from bovine brain and thymus, and found that both of these Z proteins suppress the enzyme activity of all four PLC isoforms in a dose-dependent manner. This suppressive effect is very potent and stoichiometric. The kinetics studies indicate that the suppression is non-competitive. This suppression is eliminated by treatment with proteases but is not affected by heat treatment at 95 degrees C for 15 min, indicating that the primary structure might be important for the action of Z proteins. Comparative studies suggested that two Z proteins but not Src and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase possess, adjacent to their SH2 and SH3 motifs, a phospholipase C inhibitor (PCI) region that strongly suppresses their phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2)-hydrolyzing activity. A series of synthetic peptides identical with the sequence of the proposed PCI region, including an octamer, YRKMRLRY, inhibited PIP2 hydrolysis induced by four different phospholipase C isoforms. These results demonstrate that both types of phospholipase C-gamma contain the PCI sequence which is responsible for the inhibition of PIP2 hydrolysis, indicating that phospholipase C-gamma is a self-regulating enzyme.     

Differential roles of the Src homology 2 domains of phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1) in platelet-derived growth factor-induced activation of PLC-gamma1 in intact cells

Upon stimulation of cells with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1) binds to the tyrosine-phosphorylated PDGF receptor through one or both of its Src homology 2 (SH2) domains, is phosphorylated by the receptor kinase, and is thereby activated to hydrolyze phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-bisphosphate. Association of PLC-gamma1 with the insoluble subcellular fraction is also enhanced in PDGF-stimulated cells. The individual roles of the two SH2 domains of PLC-gamma1 in mediating the interaction between the enzyme and the PDGF receptor have now been investigated by functionally disabling each domain. A critical Arg residue in each SH2 domain was mutated to Ala. Both wild-type and mutant PLC-gamma1 proteins were transiently expressed in a PLC-gamma1-deficient fibroblast cell line, and these transfected cells were stimulated with PDGF. The mutant protein in which the COOH-terminal SH2 domain was disabled bound to the PDGF receptor. Accordingly, it was phosphorylated by the receptor, catalyzed the production of inositol phosphates, and mobilized intracellular calcium to extents similar to (but slightly less than) those observed with the wild-type enzyme. In contrast, the mutant in which the NH(2)-terminal SH2 domain was impaired did not bind to the PDGF receptor and consequently was neither phosphorylated nor activated. These results suggest that the NH(2)-terminal SH2 domain, but not the COOH-terminal SH2 domain, of PLC-gamma1 is required for PDGF-induced activation of PLC-gamma1. Functional impairment of the SH2 domains did not affect the PDGF-induced redistribution of PLC-gamma1, suggesting that recruitment of PLC-gamma1 to the particulate fraction does not involve the SH2 domains.     

Lipase inactive mutant of PLC-gamma1 regulates NGF-induced neurite outgrowth via enzymatic activity and regulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins

Src homology (SH) domains of phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1) impair NGF-mediated PC12 cells differentiation. However, whether the enzymatic activity is also implicated in this process remains elusive. Here, we report that the enzymatic activity of phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1) is at least partially involved to the blockage of neuronal differentiation via an abrogation of MAPK activation, as well as sustained Akt activation. By contrast, Overexpression of WT-PLC-gamma1 exhibited sustained NGF-induced MAPK activation, and triggered transient Akt activation resulting in profound inhibition of neurite outgrowth. However, lipase-inactive mutant (LIM) PLC-gamma1 cells fail to suppress neurite outgrowth, although it contains intact SH domains, specifically enhancing the expression of cyclin D1 and p21 proteins, which regulate the function of retinoblastoma Rb protein. These observations show that the lipase inactive mutant of PLC-gamma1 does not alter NGF-induced neuronal differentiation via enzymatic inability and the odulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins independent on SH3 domain.     

Functional Independence and Interdependence of the Src Homology Domains of Phospholipase C-γ1 in B-Cell Receptor Signal Transduction

B-cell receptor (BCR)-induced activation of phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLCgamma1) and PLCgamma2 is crucial for B-cell function. While several signaling molecules have been implicated in PLCgamma activation, the mechanism coupling PLCgamma to the BCR remains undefined. The role of PLCgamma1 SH2 and SH3 domains at different steps of BCR-induced PLCgamma1 activation was examined by reconstitution in a PLCgamma-negative B-cell line. PLCgamma1 membrane translocation required a functional SH2 N-terminal [SH2(N)] domain, was decreased by mutation of the SH3 domain, but was unaffected by mutation of the SH2(C) domain. Tyrosine phosphorylation did not require the SH2(C) or SH3 domains but depended exclusively on a functional SH2(N) domain, which mediated the association of PLCgamma1 with the adapter protein, BLNK. Forcing PLCgamma1 to the membrane via a myristoylation signal did not bypass the SH2(N) domain requirement for phosphorylation, indicating that the phosphorylation mediated by this domain is not due to membrane anchoring alone. Mutation of the SH2(N) or the SH2(C) domain abrogated BCR-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis and signaling events, while mutation of the SH3 domain partially decreased signaling. PLCgamma1 SH domains, therefore, have interrelated but distinct roles in BCR-induced PLCgamma1 activation.     

Role of proteolysis in caspase-8 activation and stabilization

Caspase-8 is an apoptotic protease that is activated at the cytosolic face of the cell membrane. Activation relies on adaptor-induced dimerization of monomeric caspase-8 and is followed by specific limited autoproteolysis of the linker which separates the two subunits of the catalytic domain. However, the role of this autoproteolysis, which directly activates executioner caspases-3 and -7, is unknown for the apical caspase-8. We have generated linker mutants of caspase-8 that can be proteolyzed in a controlled manner by thrombin or tobacco etch mosaic virus protease, and we use these to define the role of proteolysis in the activation and stability of the enzyme. We show that proteolysis is insufficient for generating enzymatic activity in recombinant caspase-8. Kinetic activation studies using Hoffmeister salts demonstrate that activation is the result of caspase dimerization. However, linker proteolysis significantly enhances the equilibrium for caspase-8 dimerization, thereby increasing the stability of the dimer. Kinetic and fluorescence measurements demonstrate that caspase-8 activation by Hoffmeister salts is at least a two-step event, with the required step being dimerization, followed by an intramolecular event that further stabilizes the catalytic conformation. Autoproteolysis of caspase-8 may be a mechanism for increasing the lifetime of the dimeric enzyme following dissociation from its activating complex at the cell membrane.     

Purification of recombinant SH2/SH3 proteins of phospholipase C-gamma 1 and -gamma 2 and their inhibitory effect on PIP2-hydrolysis induced by both types of phospholipase C-gamma.

In order to examine physiological function of the SH2/SH3 region of phospholipase C-gamma (Z region), we independently expressed cDNA fragments corresponding to the SH2/SH3 region of PLC-gamma 1 and PLC-gamma 2 in Escherichia coli. Although these recombinant proteins were recovered in particulate fractions by centrifugation of cell extracts, they were successfully solubilized by guanidium hydrochloride and then purified to homogeneity by heparin column chromatography. The molecular mass of the proteins was 45 kDa (derived from PLC-gamma 1 and designated as rP45Z) and 38 kDa (derived from PLC-gamma 2 and designated as rP38Z), which was consistent with that as expected from inserted cDNA. We determined the effect of purified rP45Z or rP38Z on PIP2-hydrolyzing activity of either PLC-gamma 1 or PLC-gamma 2 and found that these proteins strongly suppressed the rate of PLC-dependent PIP2-hydrolysis. Furthermore, both rP45Z and rP38Z were phosphorylated at tyrosine residue by epidermal growth factor receptors and their inhibitory effect on PIP2-hydrolysis was significantly decreased by this phosphorylation. These results indicate that the Z region might be involved in autoregulation of PLC-gamma as intrinsic negative regulator.     

The common src homology region 2 domain of cytoplasmic signaling proteins is a positive effector of v-fps tyrosine kinase function.

A conserved noncatalytic domain SH2 (for src homology region 2) is located immediately N terminal to the kinase domains of all cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinases. We found that the wild-type v-fps SH2 domain stimulated the enzymatic activity of the adjacent kinase domain 10-fold and functioned as a powerful positive effector of catalytic and transforming activities within the v-fps oncoprotein (P130gag-fps). Partial proteolysis of P130gag-fps and supporting genetic data indicated that the v-fps SH2 domain exerts its effect on catalytic activity through an intramolecular interaction with the kinase domain. Amino acid alterations in the SH2 domain that impaired kinase function interfered with association of the SH2 domain with the kinase domain. Deletion of a conserved octapeptide motif converted the v-fps SH2 domain from an activator to an inhibitor of tyrosine kinase activity. This latent inhibitory activity of v-fps SH2 has functional implications for phospholipase C-gamma and p21ras GTPase-activating protein, both of which have two distinct SH2 domains suggestive of complex regulation. In addition to regulating the specific activity of the kinase domain, the SH2 domain of P130gag-fps was also found to be required for the tyrosine phosphorylation of specific cellular proteins, notably polypeptides of 124 and 62 kilodaltons. The SH2 domain therefore appears to play a dual role in regulation of kinase activity and recognition of cellular substrates.     

Site-site interaction in the phospholipid activation of D-beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase

D-beta-Hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase is a lipid-requiring enzyme with absolute specificity for phosphatidylcholine (PC). The enzyme devoid of lipid, the apodehydrogenase, inserts spontaneously into phospholipid vesicles where it exists as a tetramer. We now find the lipid activation to be limited by the mole fraction of PC in the total phospholipid. These studies suggest that the concentration of the enzyme-PC complex, which is essential for enzymic activity, becomes diffusion limited at lower PC concentration. The lipid activation and the tryptophan fluorescence of purified D-beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase were studied in the presence of a constant "bilayer background" of approximately 100 nonactivating phospholipid molecules/enzyme monomer. Activation by PC was half-maximal at 20 PC molecules/enzyme monomer. This value was doubled when the amount of "background" phospholipid was doubled. Activation proceeded with positive cooperativity having a Hill coefficient of approximately 2.4. These data indicate interactions between at least three PC-binding sites. The quenching of tryptophan fluorescence by the phospholipid activator, 1-palmitoyl-2-(1-pyrenyl)-decanoyl-PC (2-pyrenyl-PC), gives a saturation curve with half-maximal quenching of 6 quencher molecules/enzyme monomer. This value is equivalent to an apparent phospholipid-protein dissociation constant in the two-dimensional membrane and corresponds to approximately 6 mol % of total phospholipid. In distinct contrast to the phospholipid activation curve, the fluorescence quenching saturation curve was hyperbolic and there was no specificity for PC. The fluorescence quenching by 2-pyrenyl-PC could be diminished by using a several-fold excess of PC or other phospholipids so as to reduce the mole fraction of quencher in the bilayer. It would appear that formation of enzyme-PC complex is a dynamic process consisting of at least two discernible steps: 1) a primary interaction, as measured by tryptophan quenching, which is hyperbolic and not specific for lecithin. This interaction is independent from and precedes 2) phospholipid activation of D-beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, which is cooperative in nature and specific for lecithin.     

Isolation and characterization of rat 3Y1 fibroblast clones overexpressing the src homology region of phospholipase C-gamma 2.

To examine the regulatory function of the src-related SH2 and SH3 (SH2/SH3) region of phospholipase C-gamma 2 (PLC-gamma 2), we expressed this region of rat PLC-gamma 2 cDNA in rat 3Y1 fibroblasts and isolated and characterized a number of clones (approximately 20 clones). An increase of endogenous tyrosine kinase activity was observed in all cell clones that highly expressed a translational product of the SH2/SH3 domain. Moreover, endogenous phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolyzing activity was also enhanced in these clones, and PLC-gamma 1 seemed to be preferentially activated among endogenous PLC isozymes. Genistein, an inhibitor of tyrosine kinase, inhibited this activation of PLC-gamma 1, and tyrosine phosphorylation was observed on PLC-gamma 1 molecules, indicating the involvement of tyrosine kinases in the PLC-gamma 1 activation. These results suggest that the SH2/SH3 region of PLC-gamma would function as a multidirectional regulator which controls at least two major signaling pathways: tyrosine kinase and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis.     

Stability and peptide binding specificity of Btk SH2 domain: molecular basis for X-linked agammaglobulinemia

X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) is caused by mutations in the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk). The absence of functional Btk leads to failure of B-cell development that incapacitates antibody production in XLA patients leading to recurrent bacterial infections. Btk SH2 domain is essential for phospholipase C-gamma phosphorylation, and mutations in this domain were shown to cause XLA. Recently, the B-cell linker protein (BLNK) was found to interact with the SH2 domain of Btk, and this association is required for the activation of phospholipase C-gamma. However, the molecular basis for the interaction between the Btk SH2 domain and BLNK and the cause of XLA remain unclear. To understand the role of Btk in B-cell development, we have determined the stability and peptide binding affinity of the Btk SH2 domain. Our results indicate that both the structure and stability of Btk SH2 domain closely resemble with other SH2 domains, and it binds with phosphopeptides in the order pYEEI > pYDEP > pYMEM > pYLDL > pYIIP. We expressed the R288Q, R288W, L295P, R307G, R307T, Y334S, Y361C, L369F, and 1370M mutants of the Btk SH2 domain identified from XLA patients and measured their binding affinity with the phosphopeptides. Our studies revealed that mutation of R288 and R307 located in the phosphotyrosine binding site resulted in a more than 200-fold decrease in the peptide binding compared to L295, Y334, Y361, L369, and 1370 mutations in the pY + 3 hydrophobic binding pocket (approximately 3- to 17-folds). Furthermore, mutation of the Tyr residue at the betaD5 position reverses the binding order of Btk SH2 domain to pYIIP > pYLDL > pYDEP > pYMEM > pYEEI. This altered binding behavior of mutant Btk SH2 domain likely leads to XLA.     

Biological and biochemical activity of v-Crk chimeras containing the SH2/SH3 regions of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-gamma and Src.

The chicken CT10 virus oncogene product, P47gag-crk, contains SH2/SH3 domains that have been identified as conserved domains among proteins involved in signal transduction. We studied the functional similarity of the SH2/SH3 domains by replacing those of v-Crk with those of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-gamma, v-Src, or c-Src. The transforming activity of v-Crk was partially retained in a mutant with a v-Src SH3 domain but not in the other mutants with heterologous SH2/SH3 domains. Mutant viruses with Crk-SH2/SH2' domains induced tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins, but mutants with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-gamma or Src SH2/SH2' domains did not. However, the mutant proteins with heterologous SH2/SH2' regions were able to weakly associate with some phosphotyrosine-containing proteins in vitro. These results indicate that in the context of the P47gag-crk structure, the requirement of Crk-SH2/SH3 is more stringent for its activity to induce cell transformation than to cause phosphorylation of cellular proteins. The substitution with heterologous sequences least perturbs the capacity to bind phosphotyrosine-containing proteins. In each case, the SH3 domain is more flexible to substitution than is the SH2 domain.     

Spatial localization of m-calpain to the plasma membrane by phosphoinositide biphosphate binding during epidermal growth factor receptor-mediated activation

Calpain activity is required for de-adhesion of the cell body and rear to enable productive locomotion of adherent cells during wound repair and tumor invasion. Growth factors activate m-calpain (calpain 2, CAPN2) via ERK/mitogen-activated protein kinases, but only when these kinases are localized to the plasma membrane. We thus hypothesized that m-calpain is activated by epidermal growth factor (EGF) only when it is juxtaposed to the plasma membrane secondary to specific docking. Osmotic disruption of NR6 fibroblasts expressing the EGF receptor demonstrated m-calpain being complexed with the substratum-adherent membrane with this increasing in an EGF-dependent manner. m-Calpain colocalized with phosphoinositide biphosphate (PIP(2)) with exogenous phospholipase C removal of phosphoinositides, specifically, PI(4,5)P(2) but not PI(4)P(1) or PIP(3), releasing the bound m-calpain. Downregulation of phosphoinositide production by 1-butanol resulted in diminished PIP(2) in the plasma membrane and eliminated EGF-induced calpain activation. This PIP(2)-binding capacity resided in domain III of calpain, which presents a putative C2-like domain. This active conformation of this domain appears to be partially masked in the holoenzyme as both activation of m-calpain by phosphorylation at serine 50 and expression of constitutively active phosphorylation mimic glutamic acid-increased m-calpain binding to the membrane, consistent with blockade of this cascade diminishing membrane association. Importantly, we found that m-calpain was enriched toward the rear of locomoting cells, which was more pronounced in the plasma membrane footprints; EGF further enhanced this enrichment, in line with earlier reports of loss of PIP(2) in lamellipodia of motile cells. These data support a model of m-calpain binding to PIP(2) concurrent with and likely to enable ERK activation and provides a mechanism by which cell de-adhesion is directed to the cell body and tail as phospholipase C-gamma hydrolyzes PIP(2) in the protruding lamellipodia.     

The Shb adaptor protein binds to tyrosine 766 in the FGFR-1 and regulates the Ras/MEK/MAPK pathway via FRS2 phosphorylation in endothelial cells

Stimulation of fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR-1) is known to result in phosphorylation of tyrosine 766 and the recruitment and subsequent activation of phospholipase C-gamma (PLC-gamma). To assess the role of tyrosine 766 in endothelial cell function, we generated endothelial cells expressing a chimeric receptor, composed of the extracellular domain of the PDGF receptor-alpha and the intracellular domain of FGFR-1. Mutation of tyrosine 766 to phenylalanine prevented PLC-gamma activation and resulted in a reduced phosphorylation of FRS2 and reduced activation of the Ras/MEK/MAPK pathway relative to the wild-type chimeric receptor. However, FGFR-1-mediated MAPK activation was not dependent on PKC activation or intracellular calcium, both downstream mediators of PLC-gamma activation. We report that the adaptor protein Shb is also able to bind tyrosine 766 in the FGFR-1, via its SH2 domain, resulting in its subsequent phosphorylation. Overexpression of an SH2 domain mutant Shb caused a dramatic reduction in FGFR-1-mediated FRS2 phosphorylation with concomitant perturbment of the Ras/MEK/MAPK pathway. Expression of the chimeric receptor mutant and the Shb SH2 domain mutant resulted in a similar reduction in FGFR-1-mediated mitogenicity. We conclude, that Shb binds to tyrosine 766 in the FGFR-1 and regulates FGF-mediated mitogenicity via FRS2 phosphorylation and the subsequent activation of the Ras/MEK/MAPK pathway.     

A proteolyzed derivative of Escherichia coli phosphofructokinase is no longer sensitive to allosteric effectors and still shows cooperativity in substrate binding

Limited proteolysis of Escherichia coli phosphofructokinase by subtilisin yields a homogeneous derivative. This proteolyzed protein is composed of four polypeptide chains, with a molecular weight of 32 000 as compared to 37 000 for the original enzyme. Removal on each chain of about 5 kdaltons maintains the enzymatic activity and does not change the apparent affinity for the substrates ATP and fructose 6-phosphate. Limited proteolysis, however, affects the cooperativity of fructose 6-phosphate binding: the Hill coefficient is reduced from almost 4 in the native enzyme to only 2 in its proteolyzed derivative. Also, the proteolyzed protein is no longer sensitive to allosteric effectors, activator, or inhibitor. These changes in regulatory properties upon proteolysis are apparently due to the destruction of the effector binding site. The allosteric effector GDP protects phospho-fructokinase against proteolysis and irreversible thermal inactivation; GDP is, however, inefficient in protecting the proteolyzed protein against thermal denaturation. These results suggest that phosphofructokinase may function as a dimer of dimers, in which homotropic and heterotropic allosteric effects are not mediated by the same sets of quaternary interactions.     

Conversion of bovine cardiac adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate dependent protein kinase to a heterodimer by removal of 45 residues at the N-terminus of the regulatory subunit

The type II adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate (cAMP) dependent protein kinase from bovine heart, consisting of a dimeric regulatory subunit and two catalytic subunits, was converted to a heterodimer by limited tryptic digestion. Loss of the tetrameric structure was accompanied by proteolysis of the regulatory subunit to a form with an apparent molecular weight of 45 000 vs. 52 000 for the native subunit. The proteolyzed subunit behaved as a monomer, in contrast to the dimeric native subunit. Amino acid sequence analysis established that proteolysis removed 45 residues at the N-terminus, indicating that these 45 residues constitute the dimerizing domain of this protein. The kinetic properties of this heterodimer were indistinguishable from those of the native tetramer: half-maximal kinase activation occurred at 48 nM cAMP with a Hill coefficient of 1.45, the regulatory subunit bound 1.5 equiv of cAMP with half-maximal binding occurring at 33 nM, and kinetics for dissociation of bound cAMP were biphasic, indicating the presence of two different binding sites. These observations suggest that residues 1-45 function only in the formation of dimers and that dimerization has little influence on other functional properties of the regulatory subunit. More extensive proteolysis cleaved the monomeric fragment at Lys-311. The fragments resulting from this second cleavage did not dissociate, and the complex inhibited the catalytic subunit in a cAMP-dependent manner.     

Physiological Requirement for Both SH2 Domains for Phospholipase C-γ1 Function and Interaction with Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptors

Two approaches have been utilized to investigate the role of individual SH2 domains in growth factor activation of phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1). Surface plasmon resonance analysis indicates that the individual N-SH2 and C-SH2 domains are able to specifically recognize a phosphotyrosine-containing peptide corresponding to Tyr 1021 of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) beta receptor. To assess SH2 function in the context of the full-length PLC-gamma1 molecule as well as within the intact cell, PLC-gamma1 SH2 domain mutants, disabled by site-directed mutagenesis of the N-SH2 and/or C-SH2 domain(s), were expressed in Plcg1(-/-) fibroblasts. Under equilibrium incubation conditions (4 degrees C, 40 min), the N-SH2 domain, but not the C-SH2 domain, was sufficient to mediate significant PLC-gamma1 association with the activated PDGF receptor and PLC-gamma1 tyrosine phosphorylation. When both SH2 domains in PLC-gamma1 were disabled, the double mutant did not associate with activated PDGF receptors and was not tyrosine phosphorylated. However, no single SH2 mutant was able to mediate growth factor activation of Ca2+ mobilization or inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) formation. Subsequent kinetic experiments demonstrated that each single SH2 domain mutant was significantly impaired in its capacity to mediate rapid association with activated PDGF receptors and become tyrosine phosphorylated. Hence, when assayed under physiological conditions necessary to achieve a rapid biological response (Ca2+ mobilization and IP3 formation), both SH2 domains of PLC-gamma1 are essential to growth factor responsiveness.     

Identification of a phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1) SH3 domain-binding site in SLP-76 required for T-cell receptor-mediated activation of PLC-gamma1 and NFAT

SLP-76 is an adapter protein required for T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling. In particular, TCR-induced tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1), and the resultant TCR-inducible gene expression, depend on SLP-76. Nonetheless, the mechanisms by which SLP-76 mediates PLC-gamma1 activation are not well understood. We now demonstrate that SLP-76 directly interacts with the Src homology 3 (SH3) domain of PLC-gamma1. Structure-function analysis of SLP-76 revealed that each of the previously defined protein-protein interaction domains can be individually deleted without completely disrupting SLP-76 function. Additional deletion mutations revealed a new, 67-amino-acid functional domain within the proline-rich region of SLP-76, which we have termed the P-1 domain. The P-1 domain mediates a constitutive interaction of SLP-76 with the SH3 domain of PLC-gamma1 and is required for TCR-mediated activation of Erk, PLC-gamma1, and NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells). The adjacent Gads-binding domain of SLP-76, also within the proline-rich region, mediates inducible recruitment of SLP-76 to a PLC-gamma1-containing complex via the recruitment of both PLC-gamma1 and Gads to another cell-type-specific adapter, LAT. Thus, TCR-induced activation of PLC-gamma1 entails the binding of PLC-gamma1 to both LAT and SLP-76, a finding that may underlie the requirement for both LAT and SLP-76 to mediate the optimal activation of PLC-gamma1.     

Regulation of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C

The receptors involved in the regulation of phospholipase C by hormones, neurotransmitters and other ligands have seven transmembrane-spanning hydrophobic regions (seven-helix motif) and no known enzymatic activity. Furthermore these receptors can be isolated as complexes with guanine nucleotide binding (G) proteins. Guanine nucleotides affect the binding of hormones that stimulate phospholipase C and it has been possible to see activation of GTPase activity in membranes upon addition of these ligands. Further indirect evidence for a Gp (p stands for phospholipase C activation) protein is the finding that in membranes agonist activation of phospholipase C requires the presence of GTP gamma S a non-hydrolyzable analog of GTP. Furthermore, fluoride is able to activate phospholipase C but its inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-4' kinase (PI-4' kinase) can interfere with efforts to demonstrate this in intact cells. There are four major isozymes of phospholipase C that have been cloned and sequenced. Recently it was found that phospholipase C-gamma as well as PI-3'-kinase are substrates for phosphorylation on tyrosine residues by the EGF and PDGF receptors. The PI-3' kinase is able to convert phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) to phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3) but the function of this lipid is unknown since it is not a substrate for any known phospholipase C. While much has been learned about the structure and regulation of the phosphoinositide specific kinases and phosphodiesterase enzymes this is a relatively new field in which we can expect many advances during the next few years.