A novel hook-related protein family and the characterization of hook-related protein 1

Traffic. 2005 Jun;6(6):442-58. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0854.2005.00289.x.

Abstract

The spatial organization of organelles within a cell is dependent on microtubules. Recently, members of the Hook family of proteins have been proposed to function in linking organelles to microtubules. We report the identification of a completely novel protein family, the Hook-related protein (HkRP) family, from which the Hook proteins have diverged. Bioinformatic analysis of the HkRP family revealed several conserved domains, including a unique C-terminal HkRP domain. The central region of each protein is comprised of an extensive coiled-coil domain, and the N-terminus contains a putative microtubule-binding domain. This domain has been shown to bind microtubules in the Hook protein and show that the HkRP1 protein is microtubule-associated. While endogenous HkRP1 has no distinct organelle association, expression of the C-terminal membrane-binding domain suggests a function of the HkRP1 in early endosome. Ultrastructural studies reveal that expression of the C-terminal HkRP1 domain causes an accumulation of internal membranes with an electron-dense coat. Co-localization studies show a concomitant redistribution of the early endosome marker sorting-nexin 1 but not the early endosome antigen-1 (EEA1). The steady-state distribution of the epidermal growth factor receptor is also specifically disrupted by expression of the C-terminal domain. We propose that HkRP1 is involved in the process of tubulation of sorting nexin-1 positive membranes from early endosome subdomains.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Caenorhabditis elegans
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Computational Biology
  • Cricetinae
  • Cytosol / metabolism
  • DNA, Complementary / metabolism
  • Databases, Genetic
  • Drosophila melanogaster
  • Dynamins / metabolism
  • Exons
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Gene Library
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / chemistry
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / genetics
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / physiology*
  • Microtubules / metabolism*
  • Microtubules / ultrastructure
  • Models, Genetic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family
  • Paclitaxel / chemistry
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Rats
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Tubulin / metabolism
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • DNA, Complementary
  • Hook1 protein, mouse
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Tubulin
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins
  • early endosome antigen 1
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Dynamins
  • Paclitaxel