title: The PDZ domain of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor PDZGEF directs binding to phosphatidic acid during brush border formation.
abstract: PDZGEF is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the small G protein Rap. It was recently found that PDZGEF contributes to establishment of intestinal epithelial polarity downstream of the kinase Lkb1. By binding to phosphatidic acid enriched at the apical membrane, PDZGEF locally activates Rap2a resulting in induction of brush border formation via a pathway that includes the polarity players TNIK, Mst4 and Ezrin. Here we show that the PDZ domain of PDZGEF is essential and sufficient for targeting PDZGEF to the apical membrane of polarized intestinal epithelial cells. Inhibition of PLD and consequently production of phosphatidic acid inhibitis targeting of PDZGEF to the plasma membrane. Furthermore, localization requires specific positively charged residues within the PDZ domain. We conclude that local accumulation of PDZGEF at the apical membrane during establishment of epithelial polarity is mediated by electrostatic interactions between positively charged side chains in the PDZ domain and negatively charged phosphatidic acid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cancer Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sarah V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Consonni
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cancer Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cancer Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eleonora S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: van Slobbe
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cancer Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johannes L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bos
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000502:physiology*; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008871:Microvilli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010712:Phosphatidic Acids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020668:rap GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010712:Phosphatidic Acids; C403525:RAPGEF2 protein, human; C485746:RAPGEF6 protein, human; C116756:RAP2A protein, human; D020668:rap GTP-Binding Proteins