title: Structure of the ERM protein moesin reveals the FERM domain fold masked by an extended actin binding tail domain.
abstract: The ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) protein family link actin filaments of cell surface structures to the plasma membrane, using a C-terminal F-actin binding segment and an N-terminal FERM domain, a common membrane binding module. ERM proteins are regulated by an intramolecular association of the FERM and C-terminal tail domains that masks their binding sites. The crystal structure of a dormant moesin FERM/tail complex reveals that the FERM domain has three compact lobes including an integrated PTB/PH/ EVH1 fold, with the C-terminal segment bound as an extended peptide masking a large surface of the FERM domain. This extended binding mode suggests a novel mechanism for how different signals could produce varying levels of activation. Sequence conservation suggests a similar regulation of the tumor suppressor merlin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reczek
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bretscher
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Karplus
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D025581:Neurofibromin 2; D009479:Neuropeptides; D017510:Protein Folding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D025581:Neurofibromin 2; D009479:Neuropeptides; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C028841:erythrocyte membrane band 4.1 protein; C120557:erythrocyte membrane protein band 4.1-like 1; C071058:moesin