Merlin differs from moesin in binding to F-actin and in its intra- and intermolecular interactions.
The neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) tumor suppressor gene encodes merlin, a protein with homology to the cell membrane/F-actin linking proteins, moesin, ezrin and radixin. Unlike these closely related proteins, merlin lacks a C-terminal F-actin binding site detectable by actin blot overlays, and the GFP-tagged merlin C-terminal domain co-distributes with neither stress fibers nor cortical actin in NIH3T3 cells. Merlin also differs from the other three proteins in its inter- and intramolecular domain interactions, as shown by in vitro binding and yeast two-hybrid assays. As is true for ezrin, moesin and radixin, the N- and C-terminal domains of merlin type 1 bind to each other. However, full-length merlin and its N- and C-terminal domains, as well as the C-terminal domain of ezrin, interact with other full-length merlin type 1 molecules, and its C-terminal domain interacts with itself. Merlin 1 function in cells may thus depend on intra- and intermolecular interactions and their modulation, which include interactions with other members of this protein family.
Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305-5324, USA.
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Huang
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Ichimaru
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Cui
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Nakamura
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Luna
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Furthmayr
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004926:Escherichia coli; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D025581:Neurofibromin 2; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014162:Transfection
D000199:Actins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D025581:Neurofibromin 2; D011506:Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C071058:moesin; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins