title: The Membrane-associated form of the DNA repair protein Ku is involved in cell adhesion to fibronectin.
abstract: The Ku heterodimer (Ku70/Ku80) plays a central role in DNA double-strand breaks recognition and repair. However, Ku is expressed also on the surface of different types of cells along with its intracellular pool within the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Participation of membrane-associated Ku in cell-cell interaction has been reported recently. Here, we describe a novel function of cell-surface Ku as an adhesion receptor for fibronectin (Fn). The role of Ku in cell adhesion was investigated by comparing the Ku80 deficient Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line, xrs-6, with clones transfected stably with either the hamster or human Ku80 cDNA. Ku expression in transfectant cells resulted in a significant increased adhesion on Fn and type IV collagen as compared to control cells. The observed increase in cell adhesion relied on Ku cell-surface expression, since antibodies directed against Ku70 or Ku80 subunit inhibited adhesion on Fn of Ku80, but not control vector, transfected xrs-6 cells. In addition, both Ku70 and Ku80 present a structural relationship with integrin I (or A) domains and the A1 and A3 domains of von Willebrand factor, domains known to be involved in Fn binding. Both Ku70 and Ku80 exhibit a complete set of residues compatible in their position and chemical nature with the formation of a metal ion-dependent adhesion (MIDAS) site implicated in ligand binding and integrin activation. Taken together, these functional and structural approaches support a new role for Ku as an adhesion receptor for Fn.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, CNRS UMR 5089, 205 route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monferran
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: Lionel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mourey
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Frit
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salles
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016466:CHO Cells; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D006224:Cricetinae; D004265:DNA Helicases; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000737:chemistry; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D008647:Mesocricetus; D008958:Models, Molecular; D017469:Receptors, Fibronectin; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D040681:Structural Homology, Protein; D014162:Transfection; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005353:Fibronectins; D016023:Integrins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D017469:Receptors, Fibronectin; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D004265:DNA Helicases; C106893:XRCC5 protein, human; C000606509:Xrcc6 protein, human; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen