High affinity neurexin binding to cell adhesion G-protein-coupled receptor CIRL1/latrophilin-1 produces an intercellular adhesion complex

J Biol Chem. 2012 Mar 16;287(12):9399-413. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M111.318659. Epub 2012 Jan 19.

Abstract

The G-protein-coupled receptor CIRL1/latrophilin-1 (CL1) and the type-1 membrane proteins neurexins represent distinct neuronal cell adhesion molecules that exhibit no similarities except for one common function: both proteins are receptors for α-latrotoxin, a component of black widow spider venom that induces massive neurotransmitter release at synapses. Unexpectedly, we have now identified a direct binding interaction between the extracellular domains of CL1 and neurexins that is regulated by alternative splicing of neurexins at splice site 4 (SS4). Using saturation binding assays, we showed that neurexins lacking an insert at SS4 bind to CL1 with nanomolar affinity, whereas neurexins containing an insert at SS4 are unable to bind. CL1 competed for neurexin binding with neuroligin-1, a well characterized neurexin ligand. The extracellular sequences of CL1 contain five domains (lectin, olfactomedin-like, serine/threonine-rich, hormone-binding, and G-protein-coupled receptor autoproteolysis-inducing (GAIN) domains). Of these domains, the olfactomedin-like domain mediates neurexin binding as shown by deletion mapping. Cell adhesion assays using cells expressing neurexins and CL1 revealed that their interaction produces a stable intercellular adhesion complex, indicating that their interaction can be trans-cellular. Thus, our data suggest that CL1 constitutes a novel ligand for neurexins that may be localized postsynaptically based on its well characterized interaction with intracellular SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeats adaptor proteins (SHANK) and could form a trans-synaptic complex with presynaptic neurexins.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / genetics
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • Humans
  • Kinetics
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Rats
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / chemistry
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism*
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / classification
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Peptide / classification
  • Receptors, Peptide / genetics
  • Receptors, Peptide / metabolism*

Substances

  • Adgrl1 protein, rat
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal
  • Nrxn1 protein, rat
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Receptors, Peptide
  • neuroligin 1