Ezrin-anchored protein kinase A coordinates phosphorylation-dependent disassembly of a NHERF1 ternary complex to regulate hormone-sensitive phosphate transport

Congenital defects in the Na/H exchanger regulatory factor-1 (NHERF1) are linked to disordered phosphate homeostasis and skeletal abnormalities in humans. In the kidney, these mutations interrupt parathyroid hormone (PTH)-responsive sequestration of the renal phosphate transporter, Npt2a, with ensuing urinary phosphate wasting. We now report that NHERF1, a modular PDZ domain scaffolding protein, coordinates the assembly of an obligate ternary complex with Npt2a and the PKA-anchoring protein ezrin to facilitate PTH-responsive cAMP signaling events. Activation of ezrin-anchored PKA initiates NHERF1 phosphorylation to disassemble the ternary complex, release Npt2a, and thereby inhibit phosphate transport. Loss-of-function mutations stabilize an inactive NHERF1 conformation that we show is refractory to PKA phosphorylation and impairs assembly of the ternary complex. Compensatory mutations introduced in mutant NHERF1 re-establish the integrity of the ternary complex to permit phosphorylation of NHERF1 and rescue PTH action. These findings offer new insights into a novel macromolecular mechanism for the physiological action of a critical ternary complex, where anchored PKA coordinates the assembly and turnover of the Npt2a-NHERF1-ezrin complex.