Originally published In Press as doi:10.1074/jbc.M300995200 on May 15, 2003
J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 278, Issue 31, 28823-28830, August 1, 2003
A Role for Epsin N-terminal Homology/AP180 N-terminal Homology (ENTH/ANTH) Domains in Tubulin Binding*
Natasha K. Hussain
,
Montarop Yamabhai ¶,
Asha L. Bhakar
||,
Martina Metzler **,
Stephen S. G. Ferguson 
,
Michael R. Hayden **,
Peter S. McPherson

and
Brian K. Kay ¶¶
From the
Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery,
Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4,
Canada, ¶School of Biotechnology, Institute of
Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima
30000, Thailand, **The Centre for Molecular Medicine
and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British
Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada,

Cell Biology Research Group, Robarts
Research Institute, London, Ontario N6A 5K8, Canada, and
¶¶Biosciences Division, Argonne National
Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439
Received for publication, January 29, 2003
, and in revised form, May 6, 2003.
 |
ABSTRACT
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The epsin N-terminal homology (ENTH)
domain is a protein module of
150 amino acids found at the N terminus of
a variety of proteins identified in yeast, plants, nematode, frog, and
mammals. ENTH domains comprise multiple
-helices folded upon each other
to form a compact globular structure that has been implicated in interactions
with lipids and proteins. In characterizing this evolutionarily conserved
domain, we isolated and identified tubulin as an ENTH domain-binding partner.
The interaction, which is direct and has a dissociation constant of
1
µM, was observed with ENTH domains of proteins present in
various species. Tubulin is co-immunoprecipitated from rat brain extracts with
the ENTH domain-containing proteins, epsins 1 and 2, and punctate epsin
staining is observed along the microtubule cytoskeleton of dissociated
cortical neurons. Consistent with a role in microtubule processes, the
over-expression of epsin ENTH domain in PC12 cells stimulates neurite
outgrowth. These data demonstrate an evolutionarily conserved property of ENTH
domains to interact with tubulin and microtubules.
 |
INTRODUCTION
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The epsin N-terminal homology
(ENTH)1 domain is an
evolutionarily conserved globular module of
150 amino acids that occurs
at the amino terminus of a variety of proteins
(1,
2). Originally noted in the
plant protein, Af10 (3), the
ENTH domain has subsequently been characterized in epsins
(2) and enthoprotin
(4) (also termed epsinR
(5,
6) or Clint
(7)), and in yeast proteins
including Ent1p/Ent2p (8,
9) and Ent3p
(10). Adaptor
protein 180 (AP180), clathrin
assembly lymphoid myeloid leukemia protein
(CALM), Huntingtin-interacting protein-1
(HIP1) and HIP12, and the yeast proteins yAP180 and Sla2p contain a module
that is so similar in structure to the epsin ENTH domain that they were
initially denoted ENTH-bearing proteins
(1113).
However, recent structural studies have refined our understanding such that
ENTH-like domains from these proteins have been re-designated ANTH
domain-containing proteins in accordance with their higher structural
similarity to AP180 rather than epsin
(14). In an effort to simplify
the nomenclature applied in this study, we refer to these homologous
structures as E/ANTH domains when collectively discussing proteins bearing
either domain, but maintain the ENTH or ANTH nomenclature when discussing
individual proteins.
A common feature among many E/ANTH domain-bearing proteins is that their C
termini contain peptide motifs, indicative of a functional role in
clathrin-mediated membrane budding including clathrin and clathrin adaptor
protein-binding elements (1,
15). In addition to their
interactions with multiple endocytic components, many of the currently
characterized E/ANTH proteins, including epsin, AP180, and HIP1/12, are
localized to clathrin-coated pits where they function in clathrin-mediated
endocytosis (2,
1625).
Interestingly, enthoprotin is unique in this group because it is predominantly
localized to the trans-Golgi network rather than the plasma membrane,
and it appears to regulate clathrin-mediated budding events occurring
specifically along the trans-Golgi network and endosomal pathway
(47,
10).
Recent studies have demonstrated that the E/ANTH domains of epsin and AP180
can mediate lipid binding, particularly to phosphatidylinositol
4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2), and that this interaction is
required for efficient clathrin-mediated endocytosis in COS-7 cells
(12,
13). Furthermore, upon
PtdIns(4,5)P2 binding, the epsin ENTH domain was shown to drive the
curvature of clathrin-coated pits on the plasma membrane, whereas the AP180
ANTH domain appears to be more involved in regulating the diameter of emergent
vesicles (14). This functional
difference in ENTH and ANTH domains is likely imparted by the structural
variances between them. In the AP180 ANTH domain, the specific residues
involved in lipid binding reside within
-helices
1 and
2
and in the loop between them
(12,
13). However, the epsin ENTH
domain lipid-ligand pocket is coordinated by residues in
1, the
12 loop,
3, and
4 and is dependent on the
formation and binding of
0, a helix that is not present or generated in
the ANTH domain
(1214).
The importance of helix
0 for epsin ENTH domain function is
demonstrated by the fact that deletion or mutation of residues within this
helix is sufficient to abrogate lipid interactions
(12) and abolish the ability
of mammalian epsin ENTH to induce curvature of clathrin-coated membrane
lattices (14).
E/ANTH domains function in clathrin-mediated budding not only in higher
order organisms but also in budding yeast. Genetic experiments demonstrate
that the ENTH domains of the yeast epsin homologues Ent1p and Ent2p are
essential for normal endocytic function and actin cytoskeletal structure, and
expression of at least one ENTH domain is required to maintain viability in
Ent1 and Ent2 double mutant strains (Ent1
Ent2
)
(8,
9). However, the essential
function of yeast epsin ENTH domains in Ent1p
Ent2
mutants
appears to be independent of their ability to bind lipids
(26). Specifically, Aguilar
et al. (26) have
identified an ENTH domain mutant that fails to rescue Ent1
Ent2
cells despite the fact that this mutant continues to bind
PtdIns(4,5)P2. Based on these findings, the authors suggest that at
least in yeast, another critical protein-binding partner(s) must exist to
assist ENTH domain functions
(26). In fact, previous
studies into the function of this module have revealed that ENTH domains can
mediate interactions with proteins; the ENTH domain of mammalian epsin 1 binds
weakly to the vesicular coat protein coatomer and more robustly to human
promyelocytic leukemia Zn2+ finger protein (PLZF), a
transcriptional repressor
(11). Together these studies
suggest multiple roles for the ENTH domain as both a lipid- and
protein-binding module.
As part of our functional analyses of the ENTH domain, we sought to
identify new protein targets for this module. Through affinity selection
assays, we identified tubulin as a binding partner for E/ANTH domains isolated
from several different species. We propose that interaction with tubulin is an
evolutionarily conserved property of E/ANTH domains.
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EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES
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AntibodiesPolyclonal antibodies for epsins 1 and 2 were
prepared by injecting two rabbits (denoted as 2345 and 2346) with 50 µg of
GST fusion protein encoding the C-terminal 511 amino acids of mouse epsin 2
(formerly referred to as intersectin-binding protein 2)
(27) as described
(28). Sera were monitored for
antibody production by Western blotting, and epsin-specific antibodies were
affinity-purified as described
(28). Polyclonal synaptojanin
antibody was prepared as described
(29); a monoclonal antibody
(AC1M11) against
-adaptin
(30) was the generous gift of
Dr. Margaret Robinson (Cambridge University). Monoclonal
- and
III-tubulin antibodies were purchased from Sigma.
Generation of Recombinant ConstructsGST fusion protein
constructs encoding the C-terminal pentapeptide sequence TNPFL of epsin 2
(GST-NPFL) and intersectin SH3A
(27), the ENTH domain of
enthoprotin (4), amphiphysin II
SH3 (31), intersectin C2,
DH-PH, and DH (32) domains
were generated as described. GST-ENTH MP90 (amino acids 1137)
(33) and GST-ENTH Af10 (amino
acids 1153) (3) were
amplified by PCR using full-length cDNA templates and cloned between the
EcoRI and BamHI sites of pGEX-2TK (Amersham Biosciences).
GST-HIP1-ANTH (amino acids 1125) and GST-HIP12-ANTH (amino acids
1150) expression constructs were generated by PCR amplification from
their respective full-length cDNAs
(20,
34), followed by cloning into
the pGEX-6P vector (Amersham Biosciences). The 3'-end of each HIP
construct was tagged with codons for three glycines followed by six histidine
residues and a stop codon. cDNAs encoding wild-type rat epsin 1, the K76A
mutant (12), and human AP180
(KIAA0656, identified by the Kazusa DNA Research Institute)
(35) were used as templates
for PCR amplification of all epsin and AP180 constructs. PCR products were
digested with EcoRI and XhoI and subcloned into either the
corresponding sites of pGEX-4T1 to generate GST-Epsin ENTH (amino acids
1146), and GST-AP180 ANTH (amino acids 2288) or the
EcoRI and SalI sites of pEGFP-C2 for generation of GFP-Epsin
(amino acids 1553) GFP-Epsin
ENTH (amino acids 147553)
and GFP-AP180 ANTH (amino acids 2288) constructs. A GFP-Epsin ENTH
(amino acids 1208) construct was generated by PCR amplification and
cloning into the EcoRI and BamHI sites of pEGFP-C2. Rat
epsin 1
-helices
12 (amino acids 1947),
23 (amino acids 3765),
34 (amino acids
5086), and
7 (amino acids 112129) were generated by PCR
amplification and cloning into BamHI and EcoRI sites of
pGEX-4T1 or into BglII and EcoRI sites of pEGFP-C1 to
generate GST- and GFP-tagged constructs, respectively. AP180
7 (amino
acids 115141) was generated by PCR amplification and cloning into
BamHI and XhoI sites of pGEX-4T1 or into BglII and
SalI sites of pEGFP-C2. All expression constructs were verified by
DNA sequencing. GST fusion proteins were over-expressed in bacteria and
purified according to the manufacturer's instructions (Amersham
Biosciences).
Affinity Selection AssaysRat brains were homogenized in
buffer A (10 mM HEPES-OH, pH 7.4, 0.83 mM benzamidine,
0.23 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, 0.5 µg/ml aprotinin, 0.5
µg/ml leupeptin) and centrifuged at 750 x g for 5 min. The
supernatant was centrifuged a second time at 205,000 x g for 30
min to recover the soluble fraction. After adding Triton X-100 (1% final
concentration) to the supernatant, aliquots (2 mg protein) were incubated
overnight at 4 °C with glutathione-Sepharose bound to
25 µg of the
GST fusion protein constructs. Beads were extensively washed in buffer A with
1% Triton X-100, and bound proteins were resolved by SDS-PAGE and detected by
Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining or by Western blotting with monoclonal
antibodies to
- or
III-tubulin. In other experiments, purified
tubulin, made free of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) by
phosphocellulose chromatography (ICN Biomedicals), was diluted to 200
nM in 4 °C buffer B (0.1 M MES, pH 6.4, 1
mM EGTA, 0.5 mM MgCl2, 1 mM GTP,
10% glycerol, 1% Triton X-100, 0.83 mM benzamidine, 0.23
mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, 0.5 µg/ml aprotinin, 0.5
µg/ml leupeptin) and centrifuged for 1 h at 4 °C at 100,000 x
g to remove insoluble aggregates. Aliquots (1 ml) of the supernatant
were incubated for 4 h at 4 °C with
25 µg of GST fusion proteins
(pre-coupled to glutathione-Sepharose), the samples were washed in buffer B,
and material bound to the beads was resolved by SDS-PAGE and processed for
Western blot analysis.
Tubulin Binding Affinity MeasurementsPurified tubulin was
diluted to 10 µM in binding buffer (80 mM PIPES, pH
6.9, 0.5 mM EGTA, 2 mM MgCl2, 1% Triton
X-100, 1 mM GTP, 10% glycerol) and incubated for 30 min on ice. The
sample was centrifuged for 10 min at 10,000 x g to remove
insoluble aggregates. Aliquots of the supernatant, diluted in binding buffer
to final concentrations ranging from 0.015 to 4 µM, were added
to 10 µg of GST fusion protein constructs pre-coupled to
glutathione-Sepharose in a final reaction volume of 250 µlfor4hat4 °C.
The samples were washed in binding buffer, and material bound to the beads was
resolved by SDS-PAGE and processed for Western blot analysis along with a
standard curve of purified tubulin. Following Western blot with
-tubulin or
III-tubulin antibodies, the amount of either tubulin
retained by the beads was determined by scanning the blots and comparing the
optical density to that of the standard curve using NIH Image computer
software.
ENTH Domain Binding to Taxol-stabilized MicrotubulesThe
binding of ENTH domain to microtubules was assessed using a
microtubule-associated protein spin-down assay kit (Cytoskeleton Inc.)
according to the manufacturer's instructions. In brief, highly purified
tubulin (50 µM) in PEM buffer (80 mM PIPES, pH 6.9,
0.5 mM EGTA, 2 mM MgCl2) was incubated for 20
min at 35 °C in the presence of 1 mM GTP and 2% sucrose to
allow for microtubule formation. The sample was then diluted 1:10 in PEM
buffer with 1 mM GTP and 40 µM taxol. Aliquots of the
taxol-stabilized microtubules (20 µl) were added to purified MAP-2, bovine
serum albumin (both supplied by the manufacturer), or purified GST fusion
protein constructs (pre-spun for 40 min at 100,000 x g to
remove insoluble aggregates), each diluted to 30 µl in PEM buffer with 1
mM GTP and 40 µM taxol. Triton X-100 was added to
each 50 µl sample to 1% final, and the samples were then incubated for 20
min at room temperature before being loaded onto 50 µl of cushion buffer
(PEM, 20% sucrose, 20 µM taxol). The samples were spun at 25
°C for 40 min 100,000 x g, the upper 50 µl sample was
retained, the cushion was carefully removed, and the pellet was resuspended in
SDS-PAGE sample buffer.
Immunofluorescence AnalysisCortical neurons dissected from
embryonic day (E) 1516 mice were titurated, plated on
poly-L-lysine-coated coverslips, and maintained in Neurobasal
medium supplemented with 1x B27 (Invitrogen), 2 mM
L-glutamine, and 100 µg/ml penicillin/streptomycin as described
(36). PC12 cells plated on rat
tail collagen-coated coverslips were transfected with LipofectAMINE 2000
(Invitrogen) according to the manufacturer's instructions and maintained In
Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 10% bovine calf serum, 10% horse
serum, 2 mM L-glutamine, and 100 µg/ml
penicillin/streptomycin. Prior to fixation with 3% paraformaldehyde, cells
were rinsed twice with room temperature phosphate-buffered saline (137
mM NaCl, 2.7 mM KCl, 4.3 mM
Na2HPO4·7H2O, 1.4 mM
KH2PO4, pH 7.4). In the case of cortical neurons, cells
were fixed after 3 days of in vitro culture, whereas PC12 cells were
fixed 5 days following transfection; in both cases cells were maintained in
their particular medium throughout their respective culturing periods. Fixed
cells were processed for indirect immunofluorescence with various antibodies
and for direct immunofluorescence with TRITC-conjugated phalloidin as
described (37). Images of
cortical neurons and PC12 cells were captured using a Zeiss 510 laser scanning
confocal microscope. Transfected PC12 cells bearing neurites were quantified
in four experiments as the ratio of transfected cells with processes greater
than one cell body relative to the total population of transfected cells
Immunoprecipitation AnalysisA soluble rat brain extract,
prepared as described above, was pre-cleared by incubation with protein
A-Sepharose (Sigma) for 1 h at 4 °C and then was incubated with rabbit
anti-epsin 2 antisera (2345 and 2346) coupled to protein A-Sepharose overnight
at 4 °C. Beads were washed with buffer A containing 1% Triton X-100, and
proteins were resolved by SDS-PAGE and processed for Western blot
analysis.
 |
RESULTS
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Identification of Tubulin as an ENTH Domain-interacting
ProteinIn an effort to identify proteins that interact with the
ENTH domain (1) we performed
affinity chromatography on rat brain extracts using GST fusion constructs
encoding the ENTH domains of Af10 and MP90. Af10, isolated from Avena
fatua, is a protein of unknown function
(3), and MP90, originally
identified as a mitotic phosphoprotein present in Xenopus laevis
embryos (33), is a member of
the epsin family of proteins. Pull-down experiments with these two fusion
proteins, followed by detection of bound proteins with Coomassie Blue
staining, revealed the selective purification of a 55-kDa protein species
(Fig. 1). Based on the size and
abundance of the affinity-selected protein, we predicted that it might be
tubulin. To explore this hypothesis, we performed pull-down experiments with
GST fusions to the ENTH domain of rat epsin 1, a variety of modular domains
including Src homology 3 (SH3), Dbl homology (DH), pleckstrin homology (PH),
and C2 domains, and a protein fragment encoding the pentapeptide TNPFL.
Affinity-selected proteins were resolved by SDS-PAGE and Western blotted with
a monoclonal antibody that recognizes the
-isoform of

-tubulin heterodimers. Only the ENTH domain-containing GST fusion
protein bound
-tubulin (Fig.
2). These data confirm that
-tubulin binds the ENTH domain
of epsin and demonstrate the specificity of the interaction compared with
other modular domains and peptides. The GST-Af10-ENTH domain also selectively
recovered
-tubulin from soluble extracts prepared from rat testis,
liver, and heart and from COS-7 and A431 cell lines (data not shown),
demonstrating that ENTH domains can interact with
-tubulin present in a
broad range of tissues.

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FIG. 1. Identification of a 55-kDa protein from rat brain extracts that binds
ENTH domains of Af10 and MP90. Approximately 30 µg of GST alone or GST
fused to the ENTH domains of Af10 or MP90 was pre-coupled to
glutathione-Sepharose and then incubated with 2 mg of a soluble rat brain
(S3) extract (+) or with buffer alone (). The samples were
washed extensively, and the proteins bound to the beads were resolved by
SDS-PAGE along with an aliquot of the soluble starting material (SM)
and detected by Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining. The arrow
indicates the position of a 55-kDa affinity-selected protein (p55)
that does not bind to GST alone and is not detected in GST fusion protein
preparations (in the absence of brain extract).
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FIG. 2. ENTH domains bind tubulin from rat brain extracts. Approximately 30
µg of GST alone, GST fused to the pentapeptide motif TNPFL
(GST-NPFL), GST-epsin ENTH, GST-intersectin SH3A, GST-amphiphysin II
SH3, GST-intersectin-l C2, GST-intersectin-l DH-PH, and GST-intersectin-l DH
were pre-coupled to glutathione-Sepharose and used in binding assays with
soluble rat brain (S3) extracts. Bound proteins were resolved by
SDS-PAGE and processed for Western blot analysis with a monoclonal antibody
against -tubulin.
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Tubulin Binding Is Direct and Conserved among E/ANTH
DomainsAs the soluble brain extracts used in Figs.
1 and
2 include
microtubule-associated proteins, there was the possibility that the observed
ENTH/tubulin interactions are indirect. To address this issue, GST fusion
proteins encoding ANTH domains isolated from AP180, HIP1, and HIP12 and ENTH
domains from Af10, MP90, enthoprotin, and epsin were immobilized on
glutathione-Sepharose and incubated with MAP-free, purified

-tubulin heterodimers. Purified tubulin bound to each of the
E/ANTH domain constructs but not to the control GST fusion protein, as
determined by Western blot analyses with antibodies specific for either
-tubulin (Fig. 3) or
III-tubulin (data not shown). Therefore, we conclude that E/ANTH domains
are capable of direct interactions with soluble tubulin. Importantly, tubulin
bound equally well to wild-type epsin ENTH and a mutated form of the epsin
ENTH domain (K76A) that abrogates lipid binding
(12)
(Fig. 3), indicating that lipid
interactions are not required to mediate the observed E/ANTH binding to
tubulin.

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FIG. 3. E/ANTH domains display conserved binding to purified tubulin.
GST-ENTH domains from Af10, MP90, wild-type rat epsin 1 (GST-EpsinWT
ENTH), rat epsin 1 encoding the point mutation K76A (GST-EpsinK76A
ENTH), and enthoprotin, and GST-ANTH domains from AP180, HIP1, and HIP12,
as well as GST alone, were pre-coupled to glutathione-Sepharose and incubated
with 200 nM purified tubulin. The samples were washed extensively,
and the proteins bound to the beads were resolved by SDS-PAGE, along with an
aliquot of the soluble starting material (SM). The proteins were
transferred to nitrocellulose and blotted with an antibody against
-tubulin.
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Localization of Tubulin Binding to Specific E/ANTH Domain
HelicesIn AP180, the lipid binding pocket of the ANTH domain
comprises multiple residues within
1,
2, and the loop between
them, whereas the epsin ENTH lipid pocket is contributed to by residues in
0,
1,
12 loop,
3, and
4
(1214).
To determine whether the elements within the E/ANTH domain responsible for
tubulin binding are distinguishable from lipid-binding residues, we generated
GST fusion proteins encoding various helical segments from epsin ENTH and
AP180 ANTH (not all of the GST fusion proteins encoding isolated helices could
be tested for tubulin binding due to insolubility). Soluble GST fusion
proteins encoding helical segments
12,
23,
34, and
7 of epsin ENTH domain and
7 of AP180 ANTH
domain were used in affinity chromatography assays with purified tubulin
(Fig. 4). Western blot analysis
with
-tubulin antibody revealed that the isolated helical regions of
12 and
7 of epsin ENTH and
7 of AP180 ANTH were
sufficient to mediate this direct interaction in vitro
(Fig. 4). Therefore, at least
for epsin, multiple regions of the ENTH domain could be cooperatively involved
in mediating tubulin interactions within the intact module. Although helix
7 in epsin ENTH or AP180 ANTH has not been implicated in lipid binding
(1214),
this helix is predicted to mediate protein interactions based on a high degree
of conservation of solvent accessible residues therein
(11).
Characterization of the Affinity of the ENTH Domain for
TubulinTo measure the affinity of the tubulin/ENTH domain
interaction, we performed saturation binding studies. As seen in
Fig. 5, the addition of
increasing concentrations of purified, soluble tubulin to a constant amount of
GST-MP90 ENTH domain led to increasing binding that saturated at
2.5
µM for
-tubulin. Western blot analyses with antibodies to
the neuron-specific
III-tubulin isoform revealed a similar saturation
profile (Fig. 5). A comparison
of the blot signals for the affinity-selected
-tubulin with known
amounts of tubulin, resolved on adjacent lanes (data not shown), permitted a
quantitative analysis of binding (Fig.
5). Scatchard plots revealed a dissociation constant of 1.05
± 0.18 µM, n = 3
(Fig. 5 is a representative
experiment). This value compares favorably with the dissociation constants of
well established tubulin-binding proteins such as stathmin
(38) and Tau
(39).
ENTH Domains Bind Assembled MicrotubulesMany of the
specific functions of microtubules, including their roles in intracellular
membrane trafficking, depend upon their dynamic ability to cycle between
soluble 
-tubulin heterodimers and insoluble microtubules
(40). To determine whether
ENTH domains interact with microtubules in addition to tubulin heterodimers,
purified tubulin was assembled into microtubules that were stabilized with the
addition of taxol. Upon incubation with microtubules followed by separation of
soluble and insoluble fractions, a GST fusion protein to the ENTH domain of
MP90 (GST-MP90 ENTH) sedimented only in the presence of microtubules, whereas
an unrelated GST fusion protein (GST-NPFL) failed to co-sediment
(Fig. 6A). In control
experiments, MAP-2 sedimented only in the presence of microtubules, whereas
bovine serum albumin did not sediment under any conditions
(Fig. 6B). Thus, the
ENTH domain can interact directly with both microtubules and soluble tubulin
in vitro.

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FIG. 6. ENTH domain binds assembled microtubules. A, GST-NPFL (1.5
or 15 µM) or GST-MP90 ENTH (1 or 10 µM) was
incubated with assembled, taxol-stabilized microtubules (+MTs) or
with buffer alone (MTs). After incubation at 30 °C,
proteins were centrifuged, and the pellet fraction was resolved by SDS-PAGE
and stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue. Arrows on the
right indicate the mobilities of the tubulin subunits and the two GST
fusion proteins. B, a sample of assembled microtubules stabilized
with taxol or of buffer lacking microtubules was incubated with MAP-2, bovine
serum albumin (BSA), or buffer alone (blank) as indicated.
Following incubation at 30 °C, the samples were centrifuged, and the
proteins in the pellets (left panel) and supernatants (right
panel) were resolved by SDS-PAGE and stained with Coomassie Brilliant
Blue. Arrows on the right indicate the mobilities of the
tubulin subunits as well as MAP-2 and bovine serum albumin.
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In Vivo Interaction of Epsin and TubulinTo determine
whether tubulin interacts with ENTH-domain-containing proteins in
vivo, we performed co-immunoprecipitation assays for epsin from soluble
rat brain extracts. Immunoprecipitation with epsin antibodies 2345 or 2346
revealed immunoreactive species at 94 and 74 kDa
(Fig. 7) as determined by
Western blotting with the 2345 antisera, in agreement with the reported
molecular mobility of rat epsins 1 and 2, respectively
(2,
18). In addition, the epsin
immunoprecipitates contained the clathrin adaptor AP2, a previously described
binding partner of epsin (2,
41,
42) and tubulin
(Fig. 7). As control for
specificity, we found that another component of the endocytic machinery,
synaptojanin, was not recovered in the same immune complex
(Fig. 7). Thus, based on
co-immunoprecipitation data, epsins 1 and 2 may exist in protein complexes
with tubulin and other endocytic proteins in rat brain extracts.
To further address the interaction between epsin and tubulin in
vivo, we assessed the localization of endogenous epsins 1 and 2 relative
to the microtubule cytoskeleton in dissociated cortical neurons. Consistent
with the previously reported cellular distribution of rat epsins 1 and 2 to
clathrin-coated pits (2,
18,
24), epsins displayed a
punctate staining pattern (Fig.
8). Epsin-positive punctae were distributed throughout the cell
body, in neuronal processes (Fig.
8, upper panels) and within growth cones
(Fig. 8, lower
panels). Although not exclusively associated with microtubule filaments,
punctate staining of endogenous epsins 1 and 2 in neuronal processes was
coincident with microtubules as revealed with
- and
III-tubulin
antibodies, and co-localization was particularly evident within growth cones
(Fig. 8) where microtubules are
splayed and distinct filaments are easily discernable
(43,
44). Staining of the actin
cytoskeleton in the same cell preparations revealed the full extent of the
growth cone (Fig. 8). These
data demonstrate that epsin can interact with tubulin in vivo, as
illustrated by immunoprecipitation analyses, and that a significant component
of epsin punctae are associated with the microtubule cytoskeleton in
dissociated cortical neurons, indicative of a physiological interaction
between the ENTH domain and microtubules.
E/ANTH Domains Stimulate Neurite OutgrowthIt was
suggested recently that the tubulin-binding protein collapsin response
mediator protein-2 stimulates neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells in conjunction
with low doses of nerve growth factor, by drawing together tubulin
heterodimers beyond a critical concentration required for polymerization
(45,
46). This is consistent with
the observation that PC12 cells require tubulin polymerization and
reorganization of the microtubule cytoskeleton for neurite outgrowth to occur
(4751).
To investigate whether ENTH domains might also be able to influence tubulin
polymerization, we examined for alterations in neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells
expressing ENTH domains. Expression of GFP-tagged fusion proteins encoding the
individual E/ANTH domains of epsin or AP180 stimulated the outgrowth of
processes defined as extensions greater than one cell body
(Fig. 9). In contrast,
expression of constructs encoding GFP, GFP-tagged full-length epsin, or
GFP-epsin lacking the ENTH domain did not enhance neurite outgrowth
(Fig. 9). Moreover, the
isolated
12 and
-7 helices of the epsin ENTH domain,
which bind tubulin in vitro (Fig.
4), stimulate outgrowth, whereas the
34 helices that
do not bind tubulin (Fig. 4)
have no effect (Fig. 9).
Although the precise mechanisms by which E/ANTH domains stimulate neurite
outgrowth remain to be elucidated, it appears that expression of the E/ANTH
domain is self-sufficient to stimulate outgrowth within PC12 cells.

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FIG. 9. E/ANTH domains stimulate neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. PC12 cells
transiently expressing GFP vector alone or GFP fusion proteins encoding epsin,
epsin lacking the ENTH domain ( ENTH), epsin ENTH domain and
AP180 ANTH domain, and the isolated 12, 34, and
7 segments of the epsin ENTH domain were cultured for 5 days, processed
for immunofluorescence, and analyzed by laser scanning confocal microscopy.
All transfected cells were quantified and analyzed for neurite outgrowth,
defined as processes greater than one cell body. Left, graphical
analyses of neurite outgrowth (four experiments were conducted, where
n = the total number of transfected cells counted, as indicated in
the bar graph for each construct). Right, representative cells for
GFP, GFP-epsin, GFP-epsin ENTH, and GFP-AP180 ANTH. Scale bars
represent 20 µm.
|
|
 |
DISCUSSION
|
|---|
The E/ANTH domain is an evolutionarily conserved protein module composed of
a super-helix of
-helices and located within the N terminus of a
variety of proteins. Recently it was demonstrated that this module functions
as a mediator of lipid interactions
(12,
13). Previous studies have
indicated that the domain also binds to proteins
(11). In this study, we have
characterized a novel interaction between tubulin and the E/ANTH domain
isolated from several different species. Moreover, we have provided evidence
that E/ANTH domain tubulin-binding elements are distinct from those implicated
in lipid interactions. In this regard, the E/ANTH domain is reminiscent of
other modular domains such as PH domains that bind to both inositol
phospholipids and proteins
(52). For example, the PH
domain of the
-adrenergic receptor kinase binds to both
PtdIns(4,5)P2 and the G-protein
/
subunit. In fact,
simultaneous interaction with both ligands is necessary for the recruitment of
the kinase to membranes (53).
Moreover, PH domains from several proteins including Bruton's tyrosine kinase
bind to both phosphoinositides and actin
(54). C2 domains also interact
with multiple ligands including Ca2+, phospholipids,
inositol polyphosphates, and proteins
(55). Thus, like other
modules, the E/ANTH domain appears to be multifunctional in terms of its
ligand partners. Interestingly, this idea is consistent with recent studies
demonstrating that as yet unidentified protein-binding partners are essential
for E/ANTH domain function in yeast
(26).
Based on our findings, we propose that the interaction between E/ANTH
domains and tubulin/microtubules represents a general mechanism for linking
functionally disparate E/ANTH domain-containing proteins to the cytoskeletal
architecture. Of the numerous proteins characterized and shown to harbor an
E/ANTH domain, there is a propensity for these to function in
clathrin-mediated membrane budding. It has long been demonstrated that tubulin
is a component of clathrin-coated vesicles
(56,
57). Thus, an interesting
possibility is that tubulin interactions may help recruit E/ANTH proteins to
endocytic vesicles. A functional link between endocytosis and the cytoskeleton
has been examined in numerous studies. For example, in yeast, mutations in
several genes, including the epsin genes, ENT1 and ENT2
(8), disrupt both endocytosis
and the actin cytoskeleton. However, a study examining the dynamics of
clathrin-coated pits in living cells indicates that while the actin
cytoskeleton is involved in restricting pit mobility, actin is not entirely
capable of determining where pits will form or of guiding vesicle movements
(58). Thus, these authors have
suggested that dynamic interactions between pits and other cytoskeletal
structures, such as the microtubule network, are likely involved in spatial
regulation of coated pit dynamics
(58). Evidence supporting a
direct role for microtubules in endocytosis consists of observations that
endocytic vesicles can be captured by microtubules below the cell cortex and
actively transported inward along microtubules
(59,
60). Moreover, this movement
is sensitive to various microtubule-destabilizing or -stabilizing drugs
(61). Ostensibly, endocytic
E/ANTH domain-containing proteins such as epsin and/or HIP1 and HIP12 could
bridge the endocytic vesicles comprising these proteins directly to
microtubules for microtubule-based transport through the cell cortex or
subsequent trafficking through the endosomal pathway. Consistent with this
notion, the endocytic protein Eps15, an in vivo interacting partner
for epsin (2), has been
demonstrated to move from the plasma membrane to various intracellular
compartments of the endocytic pathway in a microtubule-dependent manner
(62). Our observations could
also provide a link between the actin- and tubulin-based cytoskeletal
networks. For instance, the ANTH domain-containing protein HIP12 is a clear
example of a molecule that physically links the actin cytoskeleton with
components of clathrin-mediated endocytosis
(21). With our demonstration
that ANTH domains bind tubulin, HIP12 could additionally bridge these
components to the microtubule cytoskeleton for coordinated regulation of
endocytosis with actin networks. Elucidation of the precise role of E/ANTH
domain interactions with tubulin in microtubule-based vesicular trafficking
and/or in linking actin and microtubule networks awaits further
investigation.
 |
FOOTNOTES
|
|---|
Note Added in ProofRappoport et al. (Rappoport, J.
Z., Taha, B. W., and Simon, S. M. (2003) Traffic 4,
460467) have recently reported the lateral movement of plasma
membrane-associated dsRed-clathrin spots along microtubules parallel to the
plasma membrane.
* This work was generously supported by Grant 197685 from the Natural
Sciences and Engineering Research Council (to P. S. M.), the Canadian
Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) (to M. R. H.), and Merck-Frosst Canada
(to M. R. H. and M. M). The costs of publication of this article were defrayed
in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby
marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C.
Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact. 
Supported by a studentship from the Fond de la Recherche en Sante du
Quebec. 
|| Supported by a studentship from the CIHR. 

A CIHR Investigator, a Killam Scholar of the Montreal Neurological Institute,
and a McGill University William Dawson Scholar. To whom correspondence should
be addressed: Dept. of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological
Institute, McGill University, 3801 University Ave., Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4,
Canada. Tel.: 514-398-7355; Fax: 514-398-8106; E-mail:
peter.mcpherson{at}mcgill.ca.
1 The abbreviations used are: ENTH, epsin N-terminal homology; ANTH, AP180
N-terminal homology; E/ANTH, epsin/AP180 N-terminal homology; DH, Dbl
homology; GFP, green fluorescent protein; GST, glutathione
S-transferase; HIP, Huntingtin-interacting protein; MAP,
microtubule-associated protein; MES, 4-morpholineethanesulfonic acid; MP90,
mitotic phosphoprotein of 90 kDa; PH, pleckstrin homology; PIPES,
1,4-piperazinediethanesulfonic acid; PtdIns(4,5)P2,
phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate; SH3, Src homology 3; TRITC,
tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate. 
 |
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
|
|---|
We thank Dr. Margaret Robinson (Cambridge University) for antibodies to
AP2, and Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Drs. Richard Hooley (Institute for
Arable Crop Research), Todd Stukenburg (Harvard University), and Tadoami
Takenawa for the cDNAs of AP180, Af10, MP90, and epsin, respectively. We are
also grateful to Simon Moore, Drs. Brigitte Ritter, Valerie
Legendre-Guillemin, Wayne Sossin, and Beverly Wendland for their critical
analyses and insight regarding the manuscript and to Elaine De Heuvel for
excellent technical assistance.
 |
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