Molecular Basis for Integrin Adhesion Receptor Binding to p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4)

Authors

Byung Hak Ha, Yale University
Sezin Yigit, Yale University
Nailini Natarajan, Yale University
Elizabeth M. Luoma, Sacred Heart UniversityFollow
David A. Calderwood, Yale University
Titus J. Boggon, Yale University

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

11-17-2022

Abstract

Integrin adhesion receptors provide links between extracellular ligands and cytoplasmic signaling. Multiple kinases have been found to directly engage with integrin β tails, but the molecular basis for these interactions remain unknown. Here, we assess the interaction between the kinase domain of p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) and the cytoplasmic tail of integrin β5. We determine three crystal structures of PAK4-β5 integrin complexes and identify the PAK-binding site. This is a region in the membrane-proximal half of the β5 tail and confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. The β5 tail engages the kinase substrate-binding groove and positions the non-phosphorylatable integrin residue Glu767 at the phosphoacceptor site. Consistent with this, integrin β5 is poorly phosphorylated by PAK4, and in keeping with its ability to occlude the substrate-binding site, weakly inhibits kinase activity. These findings demonstrate the molecular basis for β5 integrin-PAK4 interactions but suggest modifications in understanding the potential cellular role of this interaction.

Comments

Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-04157-3.

At the time this article was researched and written Elizabeth Morse Luoma was affiliated with The Department of Cell Biology, Yale University.

DOI

10.1038/s42003-022-04157-3

Recommended Citation

Ha, B. H., Yigit, S., Natarajan, N., Morse, E. M., Calderwood, D. A., & Boggon, T. J. (2022). Molecular basis for integrin adhesion receptor binding to p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4). Communications Biology, 5(1257). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-04157-3

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.