Anti-innexin 2 aptamers specifically inhibit the heterologous interaction of the innexin 2 and innexin 3 carboxyl-termini in vitro.
We recently demonstrated that heteromerization of innexins 2 and 3 from Drosophila melanogaster (Dm) is crucial for epithelial organization and polarity of the embryonic epidermis. Both innexins are thought to interact via their C-terminal cytoplasmic domains during the assembly of heteromeric gap junction channels. However, the mechanisms that control heteromeric versus homomeric channel formation are still largely unknown. Here we report the isolation of both non-modified and 2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-modified RNA anti-innexin 2 aptamers by in vitro selection. The aptamers bind to a proximal epitope on the carboxyl-tail of Dm innexin 2 protein and specifically inhibit the heterologous interaction of innexin 2 and innexin 3 carboxyl-termini in vitro. These domain-specific inhibitors represent the first step towards functional studies focusing on the activity of these domains in vivo.
Knieps
Martin
M
LIMES Institute, Program Unit Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, c/o Kekulé Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Strasse 1, D-53121 Bonn, Germany.
Herrmann
Sonja
S
Lehmann
Corinna
C
Löer
Birgit
B
Hoch
Michael
M
Famulok
Michael
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D017630:Connexins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D017630:Connexins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C438564:INX3 protein, Drosophila; C120024:inx2 protein, Drosophila