title: Crystal structure of the RIM1alpha C2B domain at 1.7 A resolution.
abstract: RIM proteins play critical roles in synaptic vesicle priming and diverse forms of presynaptic plasticity. The C-terminal C2B domain is the only module that is common to all RIMs but is only distantly related to well-studied C2 domains, and its three-dimensional structure and interactions have not been characterized in detail. Using NMR spectroscopy, we now show that N- and C-terminal extensions beyond the predicted C2B domain core sequence are necessary to form a folded, stable RIM1alpha C2B domain. We also find that the isolated RIM1alpha C2B domain is not sufficient for previously described protein-protein interactions involving the RIM1alpha C-terminus, suggesting that additional sequences adjacent to the C2B domain might be required for these interactions. However, analytical ultracentrifugation shows that the RIM1alpha C2B domain forms weak dimers in solution. The crystal structure of the RIM1alpha C2B domain dimer at 1.7 A resolution reveals that it forms a beta-sandwich characteristic of C2 domains and that the unique N- and C-terminal extensions form a small subdomain that packs against the beta-sandwich and mediates dimerization. Our results provide a structural basis to understand the function of RIM C2B domains and suggest that dimerization may be a crucial aspect of RIM function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Diana R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Tomchick
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dulubova
authors.forename: Mischa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Machius
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Südhof
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rizo
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D019281:Dimerization; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D055672:Static Electricity; D040681:Structural Homology, Protein; D050863:Synaptotagmin I / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010743:Phospholipids; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C491489:Rims1 protein, rat; D050863:Synaptotagmin I; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D002118:Calcium