title: Flexible lid to the p53-binding domain of human Mdm2: implications for p53 regulation.
abstract: The stabilization of p53 against Mdm2-mediated degradation is an important event in DNA damage response. Initial models of p53 stabilization focused on posttranslational modification of p53 that would disrupt the p53-Mdm2 interaction. The N-terminal regions of both p53 and Mdm2 are modified in vivo in response to cellular stress, suggesting that modifications to Mdm2 also may affect the p53-Mdm2 interaction. Our NMR studies of apo-Mdm2 have found that, in addition to Mdm2 residues 25-109 that form the well ordered p53-binding domain that was observed in the p52-Mdm2 complex, Mdm2 residues 16-24 form a lid that closes over the p53-binding site. The Mdm2 lid, which is strictly conserved in mammals, may help to stabilize apo-Mdm2. It also competes weakly with peptidic and nonpeptidic antagonists. Modifications to the Mdm2 lid may disrupt p53-Mdm2 binding leading to p53 stabilization. Mdm2 and Mdm4 possess nearly identical p53-binding domains but different lids suggesting that lid modifications may select for p53 binding.
authors.affiliation: Schering-Plough Research Institute, 2015 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA. mark.mccoy@spcorp.com
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gesell
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Senior
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Wyss
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C497206:MDM2 protein, human; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2