title: The conserved WW-domain binding sites in Dystroglycan C-terminus are essential but partially redundant for Dystroglycan function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dystroglycan (Dg) is a transmembrane protein that is a part of the Dystrophin Glycoprotein Complex (DGC) which connects the extracellular matrix to the actin cytoskeleton. The C-terminal end of Dg contains a number of putative SH3, SH2 and WW domain binding sites. The most C-terminal PPXY motif has been established as a binding site for Dystrophin (Dys) WW-domain. However, our previous studies indicate that both Dystroglycan PPXY motives, WWbsI and WWbsII can bind Dystrophin protein in vitro.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We now find that both WW binding sites are important for maintaining full Dg function in the establishment of oocyte polarity in Drosophila. If either WW binding site is mutated, the Dg protein can still be active. However, simultaneous mutations in both WW binding sites abolish the Dg activities in both overexpression and loss-of-function oocyte polarity assays in vivo. Additionally, sequence comparisons of WW binding sites in 12 species of Drosophila, as well as in humans, reveal a high level of conservation. This preservation throughout evolution supports the idea that both WW binding sites are functionally required.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the obtained results we propose that the presence of the two WW binding sites in Dystroglycan secures the essential interaction between Dg and Dys and might further provide additional regulation for the cytoskeletal interactions of this complex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Program in Neurobiology and Behaviour, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. anubius81@gmail.com
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Yatsenko
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kucherenko
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pantoja
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Madeoy
authors.forename: W-M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akey
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Shcherbata
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ruohola-Baker
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001665:Binding Sites; D016764:Cell Polarity; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D049030:Dystroglycans / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016189:Dystrophin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D016189:Dystrophin; D049030:Dystroglycans