A novel prenyl-polybasic domain code determines lipid-binding specificity of the K-Ras membrane anchor. 2020

Yong Zhou, and John F Hancock
Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, U.S.A.

Ras proteins must localize to the plasma membrane (PM) for biological function. The membrane anchor of the K-Ras4B isoform comprises a farnesylated and methylated C-terminal cysteine together with an adjacent hexa-lysine polybasic domain (PBD). Traditionally, polybasic sequences have been thought to interact electrostatically with negatively charged membranes showing no specificity for anionic lipid head groups. By contrast we recently showed that the K-Ras membrane anchor actually exhibits a very high degree of specificity for phosphatidylserine (PtdSer). The selectivity for PtdSer is determined by a combinatorial code comprising the PBD sequence plus the prenyl anchor. Lipid binding specificity is therefore altered by PBD point mutations that in turn modulate signaling output. For example, mutating Lys177 or Lys178 to glutamine switches K-Ras4B lipid affinity from PtdSer to phosphoinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). Changing the lipid anchor from farnesyl to geranylgeranyl or the PBD lysines to arginines also changes lipid binding specificity. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations reveal the structural basis for these K-Ras anchor lipid-binding preferences. Here we examine the PM interactions of a series of geranylgeranylated PBD mutants and provide further evidence that the precise PBD sequence and prenyl lipid determines lipid sorting specificity of the K-Ras anchor and hence biological function.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008055 Lipids A generic term for fats and lipoids, the alcohol-ether-soluble constituents of protoplasm, which are insoluble in water. They comprise the fats, fatty oils, essential oils, waxes, phospholipids, glycolipids, sulfolipids, aminolipids, chromolipids (lipochromes), and fatty acids. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed) Lipid
D009387 Neoprene An oil-resistant synthetic rubber made by the polymerization of chloroprene. Chloroprene Polymer,Polychloroprene,1,3-Butadiene, 2-chloro-, Homopolymer,Duprene,Chloroprene Polymers,Polychloroprenes
D011107 Polylysine A peptide which is a homopolymer of lysine. Epsilon-Polylysine,Poly-(Alpha-L-Lysine),Epsilon Polylysine
D002462 Cell Membrane The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001665 Binding Sites The parts of a macromolecule that directly participate in its specific combination with another molecule. Combining Site,Binding Site,Combining Sites,Site, Binding,Site, Combining,Sites, Binding,Sites, Combining
D016283 Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) Cellular proteins encoded by the H-ras, K-ras and N-ras genes. The proteins have GTPase activity and are involved in signal transduction as monomeric GTP-binding proteins. Elevated levels of p21 c-ras have been associated with neoplasia. This enzyme was formerly listed as EC 3.6.1.47. Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ras,c-Ha-ras p21,c-Ki-ras p21,p21(N-ras),p21(c-Ha-ras),p21(c-Ki-ras),p21(c-ras),p21(ras),ras Proto-Oncogene Protein p21,Proto-Oncogene Protein p21(c-Ha-ras),Proto-Oncogene Protein p21(c-Ki-ras),Proto-Oncogene Protein p21(c-N-ras),Proto-Oncogene Protein p21(ras),Proto-Oncogene Protein ras,c-ras Proteins,p21 c-H-ras,p21 c-Ha-ras,p21 c-K-ras,p21 c-Ki-ras,p21 c-ras,ras Proto-Oncogene Product p21,Proteins c-ras, Proto-Oncogene,Proto Oncogene Protein ras,Proto Oncogene Proteins c ras,c Ha ras p21,c Ki ras p21,c ras Proteins,c-H-ras, p21,c-Ha-ras, p21,c-K-ras, p21,c-Ki-ras, p21,c-ras, Proto-Oncogene Proteins,c-ras, p21,p21 c H ras,p21 c Ha ras,p21 c K ras,p21 c Ki ras,p21 c ras,p21, c-Ha-ras,p21, c-Ki-ras,ras Proto Oncogene Product p21,ras Proto Oncogene Protein p21,ras, Proto-Oncogene Protein

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