The Bcr kinase downregulates Ras signaling by phosphorylating AF-6 and binding to its PDZ domain

Mol Cell Biol. 2003 Jul;23(13):4663-72. doi: 10.1128/MCB.23.13.4663-4672.2003.

Abstract

The protein kinase Bcr is a negative regulator of cell proliferation and oncogenic transformation. We identified Bcr as a ligand for the PDZ domain of the cell junction and Ras-interacting protein AF-6. The Bcr kinase phosphorylates AF-6, which subsequently allows efficient binding of Bcr to AF-6, showing that the Bcr kinase is a regulator of the PDZ domain-ligand interaction. Bcr and AF-6 colocalize in epithelial cells at the plasma membrane. In addition, Bcr, AF-6, and Ras form a trimeric complex. Bcr increases the affinity of AF-6 to Ras, and a mutant of AF-6 that lacks a specific phosphorylation site for Bcr shows a reduced binding to Ras. Wild-type Bcr, but not Bcr mutants defective in binding to AF-6, interferes with the Ras-dependent stimulation of the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway. Since AF-6 binds to Bcr via its PDZ domain and to Ras via its Ras-binding domain, we propose that AF-6 functions as a scaffold-like protein that links Bcr and Ras to cellular junctions. We suggest that this trimeric complex is involved in downregulation of Ras-mediated signaling at sites of cell-cell contact to maintain cells in a nonproliferating state.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Binding Sites
  • Cell Division
  • Cell Line
  • Down-Regulation*
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Glutathione Transferase / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Kinesins / metabolism*
  • Ligands
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Genetic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Myosins / metabolism*
  • Oncogene Proteins / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Precipitin Tests
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Transfection
  • ras Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • AFDN protein, human
  • Ligands
  • Oncogene Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Glutathione Transferase
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • BCR protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Myosins
  • Kinesins
  • ras Proteins