L H Davis

Ankyrin-G Is a Molecular Partner of E-cadherin in Epithelial Cells and Early Embryos

E-cadherin is a ubiquitous component of lateral membranes in epithelial tissues and is required to form the first lateral membrane domains in development. Here, we identify ankyrin-G as a molecular partner of E-cadherin and demonstrate that ankyrin-G and β-2-spectrin are required for accumulation of E-cadherin at the lateral membrane in both epithelial cells and early embryos. Ankyrin-G binds to the cytoplasmic domain of E-cadherin at a conserved site distinct from that of β-catenin. Ankyrin-G also recruits β-2-spectrin to E-cadherin-β-catenin complexes, thus providing a direct connection between E-cadherin and the spectrin/actin skeleton. In addition to restricting the membrane mobility of E-cadherin, ankyrin-G and β-2-spectrin also are required for exit of E-cadherin from the trans-Golgi network in a microtubule-dependent pathway. Ankyrin-G and β-2-spectrin co-localize with E-cadherin in preimplantation mouse embryos. Moreover, knockdown of either ankyrin-G or β-2-spectrin in one cell of a two-cell embryo blocks accumulation of E-cadherin at sites of cell-cell contact. E-cadherin thus requires both ankyrin-G and β-2-spectrin for its cellular localization in early embryos as well as cultured epithelial cells. We have recently reported that ankyrin-G and β-2-spectrin collaborate in biogenesis of the lateral membrane ( Kizhatil, K., Yoon, W., Mohler, P. J., Davis, L. H., Hoffman, J. A., and Bennett, V. (2007) J. Biol. Chem. 282, 2029-2037 ). Together with the current findings, these data suggest a ankyrin/spectrin-based mechanism for coordinating membrane assembly with extracellular interactions of E-cadherin at sites of cell-cell contact.

Ankyrin-G and β2-Spectrin Collaborate in Biogenesis of Lateral Membrane of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Ankyrins are a family of adapter proteins required for localization of membrane proteins to diverse specialized membrane domains including axon initial segments, specialized sites at the transverse tubule/sarcoplasmic reticulum in cardiomyocytes, and lateral membrane domains of epithelial cells. Little is currently known regarding the molecular basis for specific roles of different ankyrin isoforms. In this study, we systematically generated alanine mutants of clusters of charged residues in the spectrin-binding domains of both ankyrin-B and -G. The corresponding mutants were evaluated for activity in either restoration of abnormal localization of the inositol trisphosphate receptor in the sarcoplasmic reticulum in mutant mouse cardiomyocytes deficient in ankyrin-B or in prevention of loss of lateral membrane in human bronchial epithelial cells depleted of ankyrin-G by small interfering RNA. Interestingly, ankyrin-B and -G share two homologous sites that result in loss of function in both systems, suggesting that common molecular interactions underlie diverse roles of these isoforms. Ankyrins G and B also exhibit differences; mutations affecting spectrin binding had no effect on ankyrin-B function but did abolish activity of ankyrin-G in restoring lateral membrane biogenesis. Depletion of β2-spectrin by small interfering RNA phenocopied depletion of ankyrin-G and resulted in a failure to form new lateral membrane in interphase and mitotic cells. These results demonstrate that ankyrin-G and β2-spectrin are functional partners in biogenesis of the lateral membrane of epithelial cells.

Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptor Localization and Stability in Neonatal Cardiomyocytes Requires Interaction with Ankyrin-B

The molecular mechanisms required for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) targeting to specialized endoplasmic reticulum membrane domains are unknown. We report here a direct, high affinity interaction between InsP3R and ankyrin-B and demonstrate that this association is critical for InsP3R post-translational stability and localization in cultures of neonatal cardiomyocytes. Recombinant ankyrin-B membrane-binding domain directly interacts with purified cerebellar InsP3R (Kd = 2 nm). 220-kDa ankyrin-B co-immunoprecipitates with InsP3R in tissue extracts from brain, heart, and lung. Alanine-scanning mutagenesis of the ankyrin-B ANK (ankyrin repeat) repeat β-hairpin loop tips revealed that consecutive ANK repeat β-hairpin loop tips (repeats 22-24) are required for InsP3R interaction, thus providing the first detailed evidence of how ankyrin polypeptides associate with membrane proteins. Pulse-chase biosynthesis experiments demonstrate that reduction or loss of ankyrin-B in ankyrin-B (+/-) or ankyrin-B (-/-) neonatal cardiomyocytes leads to ∼3-fold reduction in half-life of newly synthesized InsP3R. Furthermore, interactions with ankyrin-B are required for InsP3R stability as abnormal InsP3R phenotypes, including mis-localization, and reduced half-life in ankyrin-B (+/-) cardiomyocytes can be rescued by green fluorescent protein (GFP)-220-kDa ankyrin-B but not by GFP-220-kDa ankyrin-B mutants, which do not associate with InsP3R. These new results provide the first physiological evidence of a molecular partner required for early post-translational stability of InsP3R.

Localization and Structure of the Ankyrin-binding Site on β2-Spectrin

Spectrins are tetrameric actin-cross-linking proteins that form an elastic network, termed the membrane skeleton, on the cytoplasmic surface of cellular membranes. At the plasma membrane, the membrane skeleton provides essential support, preventing loss of membrane material to environmental shear stresses. The skeleton also controls the location, abundance, and activity of membrane proteins that are critical to cell and tissue function. The ability of the skeleton to modulate membrane stability and function requires adaptor proteins that bind the skeleton to membranes. The principal adaptors are the ankyrin proteins, which bind to the β-subunit of spectrin and to the cytoplasmic domains of numerous integral membrane proteins. Here, we present the crystal structure of the ankyrin-binding domain of human β2-spectrin at 1.95Å resolution together with mutagenesis data identifying the binding surface for ankyrins on β2-spectrin.