WW domain-containing proteins: retrospectives and the future

Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 2012 Jan 1;17(1):331-48. doi: 10.2741/3930.

Abstract

WW domains are protein modules that mediate protein-protein interactions through recognition of proline-rich peptide motifs (PRM) and phosphorylated serine/threonine-proline sites. WW domains are found in many different structural and signaling proteins that are involved in a variety of cellular processes, including RNA transcription and processing, protein trafficking and stability, receptor signaling, and control of the cytoskeleton. WW domain-containing proteins and complexes have been implicated in major human diseases including cancer as well as in major signaling cascades such as the Hippo tumor suppressor pathway, making them targets for new diagnostics and therapeutics. In this review, we discuss how WW domains provide versatile platforms that link individual proteins into physiologically important networks and the indispensible role of WW domain-containing proteins in biology and pathology, especially tumorogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / chemistry
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs*
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / chemistry
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins