A Hydrophobic Pocket in the Active Site of Glycolytic Aldolase Mediates Interactions with Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein
Aldolase plays essential catalytic roles in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. However, aldolase is a highly abundant protein that is remarkably promiscuous in its interactions with other cellular proteins. In particular, aldolase binds to highly acidic amino acid sequences, including the C-terminus of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein, an actin nucleation promoting factor. Here we report the crystal structure of tetrameric rabbit muscle aldolase in complex with a C-terminal peptide of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein. Aldolase recognizes a short, 4-residue DEWD motif (residues 498-501), which adopts a loose hairpin turn that folds about the central aromatic residue, enabling its tryptophan side chain to fit into a hydrophobic pocket in the active site of aldolase. The flanking acidic residues in this binding motif provide further interactions with conserved aldolase active site residues, Arg-42 and Arg-303, aligning their side chains and forming the sides of the hydrophobic pocket. The binding of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein to aldolase precludes intramolecular interactions of its C-terminus with its active site, and is competitive with substrate as well as with binding by actin and cortactin. Finally, based on this structure a novel naphthol phosphate-based inhibitor of aldolase was identified and its structure in complex with aldolase demonstrated mimicry of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein-aldolase interaction. The data support a model whereby aldolase exists in distinct forms that regulate glycolysis or actin dynamics.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). National Synchrotron Light Source
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Doe - Office Of Science
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-98CH10886
- OSTI ID:
- 930430
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-81173-2008-JA; JBCHA3; TRN: US200904%%706
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol. 282, Issue 19; ISSN 0021-9258
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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