title: The focal-adhesion vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) binds to the proline-rich domain in vinculin.
abstract: In mammalian cells vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) is localized to focal adhesions and areas of dynamic membrane activity where it is thought to have a role in actinfilament assembly. The proteins responsible for recruiting VASP to these sites within the cell are not known. The bacterial protein ActA binds VASP via a proline-rich motif that is very similar to a sequence in the proline-rich region of the focal-adhesion protein vinculin. We have examined the ability of VASP, synthesized using an in vitro transcription/translation system, to bind to a series of vinculin peptides expressed as glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins, and have shown that it binds specifically to the proline-rich region in vinculin. Using immobilized peptides corresponding to the two proline-rich motifs within this domain, the VASP-binding site was localized to proline-rich motif-l (residues 839-850). Binding to this motif was not affected by the phosphorylation state of VASP. The C-terminal region of VASP, which is known to be important in targeting VASP to focal adhesions, was shown to be required for binding. These results identify vinculin as a VASP-binding protein likely to be important in recruiting VASP to focal adhesions and the cell membrane.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Leicester, U.K.
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Brindle
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Critchley
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002645:Chickens; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011392:Proline / Q000737:chemistry; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016596:Vinculin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000098662:Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D017931:DNA Primers; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000098662:Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein; D016596:Vinculin; C072980:actA protein, Listeria monocytogenes; D011392:Proline