Solution structure of the yeast URN1 splicing factor FF domain: comparative analysis of charge distributions in FF domain structures-FFs and SURPs, two domains with a similar fold.

FF domains are present in three protein families: the splicing factors formin binding protein 11 (FBP11), Prp40, and URN1, the transcription factor CA150, and the p190RhoGTPase-related proteins. This simplicity in distribution, however, is contrasted by the difficulty in defining their biological role. At best, the group of ligand FF domains can bind to form a motley crew with binding reports pointing also to negative/aromatic sequences, the tetratricopeptide repeat, the transcription factor TFII-I and even to RNA.

Structural characterization of a new binding motif and a novel binding mode in group 2 WW domains.

Formin homology 1 (FH1), is a long proline-rich region of formins, shown to bind to five WW containing proteins named formin binding proteins (FBPs). FH1 has several potential binding regions but only the PPLPx motif and its interaction with FBP11WW1 has been characterized structurally. To detect whether additional motifs exist in FH1, we synthesized five peptides and investigated their interaction with FBP28WW2, FBP11WW1 and FBP11WW2 domains.

NMR structural studies of the ItchWW3 domain reveal that phosphorylation at T30 inhibits the interaction with PPxY-containing ligands.

In this work, we study the role of phosphorylation as a regulatory mechanism for the interaction between the E3 ubiquitin ligase ItchWW3 domain and two PPxY motifs of one of its targets, the Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 2A. Whereas ligand phosphorylation only diminishes binding, domain phosphorylation at residue T30 abrogates it. We show that two ItchWW domains can be phosphorylated at this position, using CK2 and PKA kinases and/or with stimulated T lymphocyte lysates.

Structure of the dimeric exonuclease TREX1 in complex with DNA displays a proline-rich binding site for WW Domains.

TREX1 is the most abundant mammalian 3' --> 5' DNA exonuclease. It has been described to form part of the SET complex and is responsible for the Aicardi-Goutières syndrome in humans. Here we show that the exonuclease activity is correlated to the binding preferences toward certain DNA sequences.

Myotonia-related mutations in the distal C-terminus of ClC-1 and ClC-0 chloride channels affect the structure of a poly-proline helix.

Myotonia is a state of hyperexcitability of skeletal-muscle fibres. Mutations in the ClC-1 Cl- channel cause recessive and dominant forms of this disease. Mutations have been described throughout the protein-coding region, including three sequence variations (A885P, R894X and P932L) in a distal C-terminal stretch of residues [CTD (C-terminal domain) region] that are not conserved between CLC proteins.

The structure of Prp40 FF1 domain and its interaction with the crn-TPR1 motif of Clf1 gives a new insight into the binding mode of FF domains.

The yeast splicing factor Prp40 (pre-mRNA processing protein 40) consists of a pair of WW domains followed by several FF domains. The region comprising the FF domains has been shown to associate with the 5' end of U1 small nuclear RNA and to interact directly with two proteins, the Clf1 (Crooked neck-like factor 1) and the phosphorylated repeats of the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II (CTD-RNAPII). In this work we reported the solution structure of the first FF domain of Prp40 and the identification of a novel ligand-binding site in FF domains.