The C-terminal region of Ge-1 presents conserved structural features required for P-body localization

RNA. 2008 Oct;14(10):1991-8. doi: 10.1261/rna.1222908. Epub 2008 Aug 28.

Abstract

The removal of the 5' cap structure by the DCP1-DCP2 decapping complex irreversibly commits eukaryotic mRNAs to degradation. In human cells, the interaction between DCP1 and DCP2 is bridged by the Ge-1 protein. Ge-1 contains an N-terminal WD40-repeat domain connected by a low-complexity region to a conserved C-terminal domain. It was reported that the C-terminal domain interacts with DCP2 and mediates Ge-1 oligomerization and P-body localization. To understand the molecular basis for these functions, we determined the three-dimensional crystal structure of the most conserved region of the Drosophila melanogaster Ge-1 C-terminal domain. The region adopts an all alpha-helical fold related to ARM- and HEAT-repeat proteins. Using structure-based mutants we identified an invariant surface residue affecting P-body localization. The conservation of critical surface and structural residues suggests that the C-terminal region adopts a similar fold with conserved functions in all members of the Ge-1 protein family.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Conserved Sequence
  • Crystallization
  • Crystallography
  • Drosophila Proteins / chemistry*
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism
  • Drosophila melanogaster / cytology
  • Drosophila melanogaster / enzymology*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Protein Transport
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • EDC4 protein, human
  • Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins

Associated data

  • PDB/2VXG