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J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 279, Issue 21, 22331-22346, May 21, 2004
Protein Trafficking and Anchoring Complexes Revealed by Proteomic Analysis of Inward Rectifier Potassium Channel (Kir2.x)-associated Proteins*![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ||
From the
Received for publication, January 12, 2004 , and in revised form, March 2, 2004.
Inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels play important roles in the maintenance and control of cell excitability. Both intracellular trafficking and modulation of Kir channel activity are regulated by protein-protein interactions. We adopted a proteomics approach to identify proteins associated with Kir2 channels via the channel C-terminal PDZ binding motif. Detergent-solubilized rat brain and heart extracts were subjected to affinity chromatography using a Kir2.2 C-terminal matrix to purify channel-interacting proteins. Proteins were identified with multidimensional high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, N-terminal microsequencing, and immunoblotting with specific antibodies. We identified eight members of the MAGUK family of proteins (SAP97, PSD-95, Chapsyn-110, SAP102, CASK, Dlg2, Dlg3, and Pals2), two isoforms of Veli (Veli-1 and Veli-3), Mint1, and actin-binding LIM protein (abLIM) as Kir2.2-associated brain proteins. From heart extract purifications, SAP97, CASK, Veli-3, and Mint1 also were found to associate with Kir2 channels. Furthermore, we demonstrate for the first time that components of the dystrophin-associated protein complex, including 1-, 1-, and 2-syntrophin, dystrophin, and dystrobrevin, interact with Kir2 channels, as demonstrated by immunoaffinity purification and affinity chromatography from skeletal and cardiac muscle and brain. Affinity pull-down experiments revealed that Kir2.1, Kir2.2, Kir2.3, and Kir4.1 all bind to scaffolding proteins but with different affinities for the dystrophin-associated protein complex and SAP97, CASK, and Veli. Immunofluorescent localization studies demonstrated that Kir2.2 co-localizes with syntrophin, dystrophin, and dystrobrevin at skeletal muscle neuromuscular junctions. These results suggest that Kir2 channels associate with protein complexes that may be important to target and traffic channels to specific subcellular locations, as well as anchor and stabilize channels in the plasma membrane.
Ion channel expression, trafficking and activity are all regulated by interactions with intracellular proteins. These interactions involve the specific targeting of channels to distinct subcellular locations, recruitment of signaling molecules, stabilization at the plasma membrane, and direct channel alteration by post-translational modification. The strong inward rectifier potassium (Kir2.x)1 channel family of potassium channels contribute to a wide variety of physiological functions such as the modulation of cell excitability, repolarization of the action potential, and determination of the cellular resting potential (1-3). These functions are likely to be influenced by intracellular interactions with regulatory proteins.
The three most abundant strong inward rectifier potassium channels Kir2.1, Kir2.2, and Kir2.3 contain a protein-protein interaction motif at their C terminus that can bind to scaffolding proteins that contain PDZ domains. This PDZ binding motif is only found within a subset of Kir channels that also includes Kir3.2c and Kir4.1. Via the channel C-terminal class I PDZ binding motif (amino acids S(E/A)I), Kir2 channels have been reported to interact with four scaffolding/trafficking proteins: PSD-95, SAP97, Chapsyn 110, and Veli-2 (also known as Lin-7b or Mals2) (4-8). PSD-95, SAP97, and Chapsyn 110 are members of the membrane-associated guanylate kinase (MAGUK) family, a group of proteins that act as molecular scaffolds to recruit signaling and trafficking molecules to ion channels and receptors (9, 10). PSD-95 has been demonstrated to promote Kir2.3 channel clustering in the plasma membrane and to influence channel surface expression (5). SAP97 also binds to Kir2 channels (6) and has been implicated in receptor trafficking and recruitment of signaling complexes with other receptors (11). Another PDZ-containing protein, Veli-2, can bind to Kir2.3 and was reported to decrease channel internalization from the plasma membrane (7). In addition to these previously identified Kir2 channel-interacting proteins, a large number of other proteins contain class I PDZ domains. We hypothesized that novel channel interactions may exist with previously unidentified channel-binding proteins, and we sought to identify these potential channel regulators. Not only might proteins bind directly to channels and influence their function, but scaffolding proteins may serve as a link to recruit multiprotein complexes to the channels. PSD-95, SAP97, Veli-2, as well as other scaffolding proteins are composed of modular domain structures capable of assembling with additional proteins that may influence Kir2 channel activity, trafficking, membrane stability, and localization. We adopted a proteomics approach to identify proteins in the brain and heart that complex with Kir2 channels via the channel C-terminal PDZ binding motif. Our goal was to identify proteins that interact directly with the channels, as well as multiprotein complexes that are associated with the channels. Affinity chromatography and co-immunoprecipitation coupled with immunoblotting techniques have been useful for discovery of individual interacting proteins, but protein identification involves considerable trial and error, and macromolecular complexes are difficult to analyze by this method. An inherent difficulty in immunoblotting is that it is unlikely to reveal truly novel interactions, because potential interacting proteins must be selected by some criteria from among previously identified proteins. In addition, limitations arise from the lack of specific antibodies and the need to individually test for association with each candidate protein. An alternative approach for identification of proteins is mass spectrometry. A recent study utilized affinity chromatography combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight spectrometry to determine peptide masses of the 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor-associated proteins separated by two-dimensional SDS-PAGE (12). Another study employed affinity chromatography and co-immunoprecipitation together with tandem mass spectrometry to identify NMDA receptor-adhesion protein signaling complexes (13). Recent advances in high pressure liquid chromatography directly coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS) have led to technology that allows the identification of individual proteins within complex protein mixtures (14-17).
In this study, we developed an affinity chromatography technique to specifically purify proteins associated with the C-terminal binding PDZ motif of Kir2.2. Proteins associated with the C terminus of Kir2.2 were identified by HPLC-MS-MS, N-terminal Edman degradation, and immunoblotting. We identified eight members of the MAGUK family of proteins (SAP97, PSD-95, Chapsyn-110, SAP102, CASK, Dlg2, Dlg3, and Pals2), two isoforms of Veli (Veli-1 and Veli-3), Mint1, and the actin-binding LIM protein (abLIM) as Kir2.2-associated proteins. Several of these proteins were investigated in detail in a parallel study in which we demonstrated that SAP97, CASK, Veli-3, and Mint1 form a multiprotein complex with Kir2 channels in brain and heart and showed that a CASK-containing complex is involved in channel trafficking (18). Here, we also show for the first time that components of the dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC), including
Cerebellum, Whole Brain, and Heart Extract PreparationTissues were harvested from adult rats, immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen, and stored at -80 °C. Tissues were then homogenized with a glass/Teflon homogenizer in 10 volumes of Buffer D (20 mM Hepes, pH 7.6, 125 mM NaCl, 10% glycerol, 1 mM EDTA, 1 mM EGTA, 1 mM dithiothreitol, 1 mM PMSF, 1x protease inhibitor mixture (Roche Applied Science)), except heart, which was ground with a mortar and pestle under liquid nitrogen prior to homogenization. Triton X-100 was added to a final concentration of 1%, and the homogenate was incubated at 4 °C for 1 h. To remove insoluble material, the homogenate was centrifuged twice (16,000 x g, 10 min at 4 °C, followed by 100,000 x g, 30 min). The supernatant from this spin was then precleared of nonspecific binding proteins by incubation with BSA-Affi-Gel, followed by passage over a GST-Affi-Gel column. These Triton X-100-solubilized cerebellum, brain, and heart extracts were subsequently used for affinity chromatography and co-immunoprecipitations.
cDNA ConstructscDNAs encoding C-terminal regions of Kir channels were generated by PCR and cloned in-frame to the 3'-end of GST in the bacterial expression vector pGEX2T (Amersham Biosciences). The C-terminal segments of the fusion constructs coded for Kir2.1 (mouse Kir2.1 amino acids 372-428), Kir2.2 (rat Kir2.2 amino acids 362-427), Kir2.2
Preparation of Affi-Gel-GST-Kir2.2 Affinity MatrixBL21 Escherichia coli expressing either GST, GST-Kir2.2, or GST-Kir2.2
Affinity Chromatography for Silver Staining, Western Blotting, and Mass Spectrometry50 µl of packed Affi-Gel-GST fusion protein matrix (5 mg/ml) was added to 10 ml of 1% Triton X-100 solubilized rat brain or heart protein ( Affinity Chromatography for N-terminal MicrosequencingBrain extract was subjected to the purification scheme described above, but scaled up ten times. Purified proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE and transferred to Hybond-P (Amersham Biosciences) polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane. Proteins transferred to PVDF were stained with Coomassie Blue and air-dried, the desired protein bands were excised, and N-terminal protein microsequencing was performed by automated Edman degradation (Proseq Inc.).
Multidimensional High Pressure Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass SpectrometryThe trichloroacetic acid-precipitated sample was reduced and alkylated using Tris 2-carboxyethyl phosphine and iodoacetamide according to the methods of McCormack et al. (14). The sample was then sequentially digested with endoproteinase Lys-C (Roche Diagnostics) and sequencing grade soluble trypsin (Promega) to produce a large collection of peptide fragments (14). The resulting peptide mixture was then separated and analyzed by multidimensional protein identification technology, which features a series of HPLC columns (reverse phase/strong cation exchanger/reverse phase) followed by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry as described previously (15, 19), with modifications as described in McDonald et al. (17). Tandem mass spectra were searched against the rat, mouse, and human translated genomic databases using the SEQUEST software algorithm (20, 21). Search results were filtered and grouped using the DTASelect program, which generates a file in which peptides are matched to a genetic locus (22) and identifications confirmed through manual evaluation of spectra. Eluted proteins common to both the control (Kir2.2 GST Fusion Protein Pull-down AssayPull-down assays with GST fusion proteins were performed as described (6) using 10 mg of heart extract (see above) and 10 µg of GST fusion protein per pull-down.
COS-1 Cell Protein Expression and Co-immunoprecipitationCOS-1 cells were co-transfected with Immunoaffinity PurificationSyntrophin and associated proteins were purified from rat hindlimb muscle using mouse monoclonal antisyntrophin 1351 immunoaffinity chromatography as previously described (23).
Antibodies and AntiseraPrimary antibodies used include affinitypurified rabbit polyclonal anti-Kir2.2 (6, 24), mouse monoclonal anti-SAP97, anti-Mint1 antibody, and anti-dystrobrevin (BD Transduction Laboratories), mouse monoclonal anti-CASK antibody, anti-PSD-95 family antibody (pan-MAGUK; clone K28/86.2), and rabbit polyclonal anti-GluR1 (Upstate Biotechnology), rabbit polyclonal anti-SAP97 (PA-741, Affinity Bioreagents), rabbit polyclonal anti-Veli/MALS-1, -2, and -3 (Zymed Laboratories Inc.), and mouse monoclonal anti-syntrophin 1351 (25), mouse monoclonal anti-dystrophin (MANDRA1, Sigma), mouse monoclonal anti-
Immunofluorescence MicroscopyMice were euthanized with CO2, and sternomastoid muscles were dissected and immediately flash frozen in isopentane. Muscle was mounted with Histoprep. 16-µm frozen sections were cut with a cryostat (Leica CM 1850) and transferred to charged microscope slides (Fisher Scientific). Sections were fixed with 100% methanol 10 min at -20 °C then incubated in blocking buffer (3% BSA, 1% donkey serum, 1% goat serum in 1x PBS) overnight at 4 °C. Sections then were incubated with primary antibodies diluted in blocking buffer overnight at 4 °C. Sections were washed 5 times 30 min with PBS at room temperature. Sections were incubated with secondary antibodies diluted in blocking buffer (1:50 donkey anti-rabbit fluorescein isothiocyanate (Jackson ImmunoResearch); 1:200 goat anti-IgG1 Alexa Fluor 647; 1:200
Affi-Gel-GST-Kir2.2 Affinity Chromatography Specifically Purifies and Enriches Kir2-associated ProteinsPreviously, GST fusion protein affinity chromatography was used to identify the Kir2-associated proteins SAP97 and PSD-95 (6). To establish a large scale affinity chromatography approach for identification of Kir2-associated proteins, we covalently crosslinked Affi-Gel-10 matrix to a GST-Kir2.2 C-terminal fusion protein (Kir2.2), and a control GST-Kir2.2 fusion protein with the three C-terminal amino acids deleted (Kir2.2 3) (Fig. 1A). Comparing proteins isolated by these columns should allow one to identify proteins that are specifically associated with the Kir2.2 C-terminal PDZ binding motif (ESEI; Fig. 1A). We incubated these matrices with detergent-solubilized rat cerebellum extracts, washed the columns extensively, and eluted bound proteins by competition with an excess of the competitive peptide, which corresponds to final ten C-terminal amino acids of Kir2.2. Eluted Kir2.2-associated proteins were then analyzed and identified by a number of different methods: 1) subjecting the eluted protein mixture directly to multidimensional high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS) followed by protein data base searching with identified peptide masses, 2) SDS-PAGE followed by transfer to PVDF membrane and identification of candidate proteins by microsequencing using N-terminal Edman degradation, and 3) SDS-PAGE followed by transfer to nitrocellulose and probing the membrane with antibodies to candidate proteins (Fig. 1B).
We employed control experiments to verify that our Kir2.2 columns could efficiently and specifically purify proteins from detergent-solubilized rat cerebellum, a brain region in which Kir2.2 expression is high (28-31). Extracts were incubated with Affi-Gel-linked GST, Kir2.2, or Kir2.2 3 and eluted with the competitive peptide. Eluted proteins were then separated by SDS-PAGE and silver-stained. Proteins that were specifically bound and eluted from the Kir2.2 column with the competitive peptide could easily be detected (Fig. 1C, silver stain, lane 4, arrowheads). These specific Kir2.2-binding proteins were not detected in eluates from the control GST or Kir2.2 3 columns (Fig. 1C, silver stain, lanes 2 and 3). As a separate control for the specificity of the eluting peptide, a scrambled peptide encoding the same amino acids as the competitive peptide, but in a random order, was used to elute protein isolated by the Kir2.2 column. None of the specific proteins eluted by the competitive peptide were eluted by the scrambled peptide (Fig. 1C, silver stain, lane 5). This shows that the competitive peptide specifically elutes proteins associated with the C terminus of Kir2.2.
To demonstrate that the Affi-Gel-Kir2.2 matrix could efficiently enrich known Kir2.2-interacting proteins (4, 6), eluted fractions from columns were subjected to Western blotting with anti-SAP97 antibodies. SAP97 was significantly and specifically enriched in competitive peptide eluates as was PSD-95, which is also recognized by the antibody (Fig. 1C, peptide elution, lane 4). No SAP97 or PSD-95 could be detected in peptide eluates from the GST or Kir2.2
Analysis of Kir2.2 Affinity-purified Brain Proteins by HPLC-MS-MSRecent advances in HPLC-MS-MS and development of computer software for the analysis of large peptide fragment data sets, coupled with the huge increase in available protein sequence databases, has greatly improved our ability to analyze purified protein mixtures and complexes (see "Experimental Procedures") (14-16, 19). Affi-Gel-Kir2.2 and Kir2.2
Table I shows the results from this mass spectrometry analysis. The identified proteins are displayed along with matching peptide sequences. Sequence coverage (% coverage) refers to the percentage of amino acid sequence of a particular protein that is matched by identified peptide masses. All four of the PSD-95-related MAGUK proteins, SAP97, PSD-95, SAP102, and Chapsyn-110, were identified with sequence coverages of 53.3%, 43.5%, 29%, and 28.4%, respectively. These proteins all contain three PDZ domains, an SH3 domain, and GK domain. These mass spectrometry identifications confirmed the two previously identified Kir2.2 channel-associated proteins PSD-95 (4) and SAP97 (6). SAP102 and Chapsyn-110 have relatively high sequence similarity to PSD-95 and SAP97, and all contain class I PDZ binding domains that have been reported to recognize similar channels and receptors (32-35).
In addition, four other MAGUK proteins were identified: CASK, Dlg2, Dlg3, and Pals2 with 17.9%, 34.2%, 28.2%, and 2.4% sequence coverage, respectively. Tentative identification of Pals2 was based on only one peptide, which is also conserved in Dlg2; immunoblot analysis (below) confirms that Pals2 is indeed a Kir2-associated protein. CASK, Dlg2, Dlg3, and Pals2 are similar to one another in domain structure, with a single PDZ domain followed by SH3 and GK domains, but with significantly different N termini. The PDZ domains of CASK, Dlg2, Dlg3, and Pals2 are class II PDZ domains, and, unlike the PDZ domains of SAP97-like MAGUK proteins, they are predicted to be incapable of direct interaction with Kir2.2 Indeed, we recently have shown that CASK does not bind directly to the channel, but instead interacts with the channel through its tight association with SAP97 or Veli (18, 36, 37). Both Veli-1 and Veli-3 were identified with 29.2% and 27.9% sequence coverage, respectively. The Veli proteins contain a single N-terminal L27 domain followed by a single class I PDZ domain. In addition to known interactions of CASK, Dlg2, Dlg3, and Pals2 with the Veli L27 domain, the C terminus of the NMDA receptor NR2B can interact with the Veli PDZ domain (38). Interestingly, we also identified the actin-binding LIM protein, which could provide a link of the channel to the actin cytoskeleton.
Kir2 Channel-associated Proteins Identified by N-terminal Edman DegradationTo complement the HPLC-MS-MS, we identified proteins isolated with the Kir2.2 columns by purifying-associated proteins from large amounts of rat brain extract (from
Immunoblot Analysis of Kir2.2 Affinity-purified Brain ProteinsAnother method to confirm that the Kir2-associated proteins that were identified by mass spectrometry are indeed positive identifications was Western blot analysis of peptide eluates from both the Kir2.2 and Kir2.2 We made probable assignments of the Kir2.2-specific band identities observed on the silver-stained gels. Combining the predicted molecular mass data (Table I) with known mobilities of the proteins identified by Western blot (Fig. 2B), approximate locations of proteins were aligned with specifically eluted bands (Fig. 2A, arrows). These protein band assignments are complicated by posttranslational modifications, unique protein folding characteristics, and alternative splicing forms, making some of the bands difficult to resolve on an SDS-PAGE. Fig. 2A shows that most of the proteins identified by mass spectrometry and immunoblotting can be correlated with silver-stained bands in the correct vicinity of their molecular masses. Analysis of Kir2.2 Affinity-purified Heart Proteins by HPLC-MS-MSNon-neuronal tissues contain unique types of channel-associated proteins that are not present in brain. Kir2 channels are particularly abundant in muscle, including cardiac muscle, and are likely to associate with proteins that are distinct from those in brain. To compare Kir2 channel-associated proteins identified in brain with proteins associated with the channels in cardiac tissue, we elected to perform Kir2.2 affinity chromatography using detergent-solubilized heart samples. Isolated heart proteins were then subjected to mass spectrometry/multidimensional protein identification technology analysis as described above for purified brain proteins.
The purified heart proteins from Kir2.2 or Kir2.2
Analysis of heart proteins specifically eluted from the Kir2.2 column identified ten proteins (Tables II and III). As in the brain, the proteins SAP97, Veli-1, Veli-3, and CASK were identified as Kir2.2-associated proteins in the heart (Table II and III, and Fig. 3C). We also identified two peptides corresponding to the protein Mint1 in heart. This is a protein that associates with CASK and Veli in brain (40, 41) but was not detected in our mass spectrometry analysis from brain. The presence of Mint1 in heart is a novel finding, because previous reports described Mint1 as a neuronal-specific protein, with no Mint1 mRNA detected in heart by Northern blot analysis (42, 43).
Previously unidentified Kir2.2-associated proteins that were purified from heart extracts by affinity chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry also include proteins of the dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC): 1, 1, and 2 isoforms of syntrophin, dystrophin, and -dystrobrevin (Tables II and III). The DAPC forms a structural link between the actin cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix and is particularly important in muscle cells where alterations in dystrophin can lead to muscular dystrophy (44). Syntrophins are PDZ and pleckstrin homology domain-containing proteins that have been demonstrated as part of the DAPC. Two syntrophin-interacting proteins in the complex include dystrophin and dystrobrevin, both identified here as Kir2 channel-associated proteins.
Immunoblot Analysis of Kir2.2 Affinity-purified Heart ProteinsTo confirm that the Kir2-associated heart proteins that were identified by mass spectrometry are indeed positive identifications, we performed Western blots on peptide as well as SDS eluates from both the Kir2.2 and Kir2.2
To test for the presence of Kir2-associated proteins in brain that may have been missed by mass spectrometry, affinity-purified brain proteins were analyzed with antibodies to the DAPC and Mint1. When we probed these eluates with antibodies directed against protein components of the DAPC, we detected two isoforms of syntrophin, two isoforms of
Differential Protein Association with Other Kir ChannelsTo determine whether other Kir channels containing C-terminal class I PDZ binding motifs, in addition to Kir2.2, could associate with the DAPC as well as SAP97, CASK, and Veli, we performed affinity interaction assays. GST-Kir fusion proteins were constructed with the C-terminal 50 amino acid tails of Kir2.1 (PDZ binding motif: SEI), Kir2.2 (PDZ binding motif: SEI), Kir2.3 (PDZ binding motif: SAI), and Kir4.1 (PDZ binding motif: SNV). These GST fusion proteins were used in affinity pull-down assays with Triton X-100-solubilized heart and skeletal muscle extracts. In heart extracts, we readily detected syntrophin, -dystrobrevin-2, and the Dp71 isoform of dystrophin in association with Kir2.2, Kir2.3, and Kir4.1 fusion proteins (Fig. 5, lanes 4, 6, and 7), but not the controls GST and Kir2.2 3 (Fig. 5, lanes 3, 1, and 5). Association of syntrophin, -dystrobrevin-2, and Dp71 with the Kir2.1 construct was detected with longer exposure times (data not shown). Additionally, the Kir4.1 construct pulled down the full-length isoform of dystrophin (Fig. 5, lane 7). To compare Kir channel association with other interacting proteins, we probed the same immunoblots for SAP97, CASK, and Veli-3. Kir2.1, Kir2.2, and Kir2.3 fusion proteins all associated with these three proteins (Fig. 5, lanes 2, 3, and 5); however, the Kir4.1 construct did not pull down detectable SAP97, CASK, or Veli-3 (Fig. 5, lane 7). We obtained similar results for affinity interaction assays using skeletal muscle extracts (data not shown).
These data demonstrate that each of these Kir channels can associate with scaffolding proteins and that there is channel specificity in the interaction. Via their C terminus, Kir4.1 channels associate with the DAPC; and Kir2.1, Kir2.2, and Kir2.3 channels can associate with both the DAPC as well as SAP97, CASK, and Veli-3. These data imply that the C-terminal PDZ binding motifs of Kir channels confer specificity to their association with multicomponent protein complexes such as the DAPC and complexes containing SAP97, CASK, and Veli.
Kir2 Channels Co-purify with Syntrophin and the DAPC in the Skeletal MuscleTo determine whether Kir2 channels associate with the DAPC in a native setting, we performed immunoaffinity chromatography with a column composed of immobilized anti-syntrophin antibodies. Syntrophin and associated proteins were purified from detergent-solubilized rat skeletal muscle extracts. Co-purification of Kir2.1/Kir2.2 with syntrophin was detected using the anti-Kir2.1/2.2 antibody (Fig. 6B, upper panel). No Kir2 channels were detected when a control mouse IgG column was used for the purification (Fig. 6B, upper panel). Co-purified channels may represent both Kir2.1 and Kir2.2, both of which are present in skeletal muscle. Probing purified proteins from the same columns showed that other components of the DAPC, including dystrobrevin and -dystroglycan, co-purified with syntrophin, as shown previously (Fig. 6B, lower panels and Ref. 23). This demonstrates that Kir2 channels associate with syntrophin and the DAPC in skeletal muscle.
Kir2.2 Co-localizes with Syntrophin, Dystrophin, and Dystrobrevin at Neuromuscular JunctionsThe DAPC is well known for its role in skeletal muscle where the complex provides mechanical stabilization of the plasma membrane during contraction and is involved in the formation and maintenance of the neuromuscular junction. In the absence of the normal complement of dystrophin, the sarcolemma may become damaged during contraction, leading to muscular dystrophy (44). Because the C terminus of Kir2.2 could readily associate with proteins of the DAPC, localization of Kir2.2 and the DAPC were examined in skeletal muscle where syntrophin, dystrophin, and dystrobrevin are known to be highly concentrated at neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated that Kir2.2 was localized at NMJs in mouse sternomastoid muscle (Fig. 7, left panels). Neuromuscular junctions were identified by labeling with
In this study, we have utilized affinity chromatography combined with a variety of protein identification techniques to demonstrate the association of nineteen different proteins with the C-terminal PDZ binding motif of Kir2.2 (Fig. 8). To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive proteomics study to identify proteins associated with a potassium channel. We verified that the previously identified Kir2.2 channel-associated proteins (PSD-95 and SAP97) could be enriched, purified, and identified by the techniques developed in this study (Fig. 1) (4, 6). New channel-interacting proteins were identified here using affinity chromatography coupled with both HPLC-MS-MS and Western blotting to confirm the identifications. All four members of the PSD-95 family of MAGUK proteins (PSD-95, SAP97, SAP102, and Chapsyn-110) in brain were found to associate with Kir2.2, whereas only SAP97 was identified from this group in heart. This is probably due to the very low or absent expression of PSD-95, SAP102, and Chapsyn-110 in heart. The proteins CASK, Mint1, and two isoforms of Veli (Veli-1 and Veli-3), which form a stable tripartite complex (40, 41, 47), associated with the C terminus of Kir2.2 with both brain and heart extracts. The biochemical composition and functional consequences of the channel association with SAP97, CASK, Mint1, and Veli are investigated in detail in the parallel study, where we show that a complex of these proteins is assembled with Kir2 channels in brain and demonstrate that a CASK-containing complex is involved in channel localization (18). Other less well characterized MAGUK proteins, Dlg2, Dlg3, Pals2, and actin-binding LIM protein, were identified only in brain. An important novel finding of this study was that components of the dystrophin complex ( 1, 1, and 2 syntrophin, dystrophin, Dp71, -dystrobrevin-1, and -dystrobrevin-2) associate with Kir2 channels proteins in heart, skeletal muscle, and brain. Because most of these proteins are composed of modular protein-protein interaction domains (Fig. 8), we conclude that Kir2 channels are associated with large complexes of proteins that may perform a variety of unique functions in channel trafficking and localization.
The proteins identified here are specific binding partners for the Kir2.2 C terminus, which in some cases may also interact with the related channels Kir2.1, Kir2.3, and Kir4.1 (Fig. 5). Without exception, association with the channel C terminus required the channel PDZ binding motif, and interactions were never observed in truncated channel constructs that lacked the C-terminal three-amino acid motif. We were able to eliminate many nonspecific binding proteins by subtracting out proteins that bound to the Kir2.2 3 control column, which was identical to the Kir2.2 column, but lacked the three C-terminal amino acids. Further specificity was obtained by eluting the columns with a competitive peptide encoding the final ten amino acids of Kir2.2. There are many other proteins expressed in brain and heart that contain class I PDZ domains that might have interacted with the Kir2 channel C termini (48), but we did not detect specific binding by this method. For example, only the Veli-1 and Veli-3 isoforms were purified from brain, even though Veli-2 is also expressed in this tissue (18, 38, 49). In early studies, we predicted that Kir2 channels might be linked to GluR1 AMPA receptors, because both proteins interact with SAP97 (39). However, under these purification conditions we were not able to detect any GluR1 associated with Kir2.2. Taken together, these data indicate that the proteins purified on the Kir2.2 columns are specific binding partners for Kir2.2. A variety of experiments shows that the proteins are functional interacting partners of the Kir2 channels in native tissues. In this study, and the parallel study (18) we describe the functional interactions of many of these proteins. We find that these proteins are associated with the channels when expressed in COS cells (SAP97, CASK, Mint1, Veli, PSD-95, and syntrophin), that they co-immunoprecipitate with the channels in native tissues (SAP97, CASK, and syntrophins), are colocalized with the channels in cultured cells and native tissues (SAP97, PSD-95, Veli, Mint1, syntrophin, dystrophin, and dystrobrevin), and functionally regulate channel trafficking or membrane clustering (CASK and PSD-95) (5, 18).2 These associations will be described in more detail below with the individual proteins. SAP97, CASK, Mint1, and Veli are investigated in depth in a parallel study (18).
How are the proteins associated with the channel? Of these Kir2-associated proteins, nine proteins contain class I PDZ domains (PSD-95, SAP97, SAP102, Chapsyn-110, Veli-1, Veli-3,
PSD-95 is a well-studied membrane-associated MAGUK protein with a class I PDZ domain. PSD-95 is known for its roles in clustering ion channels and receptors (5, 32, 34), post-synaptic targeting, and localization due to dynamic palmitate modification (50-53), involvement in glutamatergic synaptic development (54), and learning and memory formation (55). PSD-95 and its homologous family members SAP97, SAP102, and Chapsyn-110 all contain three PDZ domains, followed by an SH3 domain and GK domain (Fig. 8), with the second PDZ domain essential for interaction with the C-terminal PDZ binding motifs of ion channels and receptors. We find that coexpression of Kir2.2 channels with PSD-95 causes co-clustering of the channels and PSD-95 in the plasma membrane; this effect is not observed with control Kir2.2 SAP97, a MAGUK protein closely related to PSD-95, seems to be involved in very different functions. Unlike PSD-95, SAP97 is ubiquitously expressed, is not tightly membrane associated (62), and when expressed in heterologous cells does not cluster NMDA receptors (33), Kv1 channels (35), or Kir2 channels2 at the plasma membrane. Instead, SAP97 seems to interact with receptors and channels early during their biosynthesis and may be involved in targeting and trafficking proteins, as well as assembly of signaling complexes. Interaction of SAP97 with the GluR1 AMPA receptor (39) was demonstrated to participate in the recruitment of a protein kinase-signaling complex, which may be involved in synaptic plasticity (11). SAP97 also was shown to interact with GluR1 early in their biosynthetic pathway while the receptors are in intracellular compartments (63), implicating SAP97 in receptor targeting. In epithelial cells, the N-terminal domain of SAP97 is involved in targeting SAP97 to basolateral membranes (64, 65), and its localization is influenced by interactions with CASK (37). CASK also is classified as a MAGUK protein, but one that contains a single class II PDZ domain followed by an SH3 domain and GK domain (Fig. 8). Because CASK contains a class II PDZ domain, it is unlikely to interact directly with the Kir C terminus, and indeed we have shown that it can be recruited to the channel C terminus by SAP97 or Veli (18). Both SAP97 and CASK were demonstrated to interact in epithelial cells (36, 37), and we have recently demonstrated that they form a stable complex with Kir2 channels in brain and heart (6, 18). Indeed, SAP97 and CASK co-localize with Kir2.2 and Kir2.3 channels (7, 18), and a dominant-negative CASK construct results in Kir2.2 channel mislocalization in epithelial cells suggesting that a CASK-containing complex is involved in targeting Kir2.2 channels (18). Because SAP97 and CASK are ubiquitously expressed, perhaps these proteins act together to influence Kir2 channel function in many different tissues. Indeed, targeted gene disruptions of SAP97 or CASK in mice result in the similar phenotype of cranial dysmorphogenesis and cleft palate (66, 67) providing genetic evidence for their functional association. CASK is known to form a complex with the proteins Veli and Mint1, and we found that all of these proteins were purified by Kir2.2 affinity chromatography (Tables I and II and Figs. 2, 3, 4). The evolutionarily conserved tripartite complex composed of CASK, Veli, and Mint1 is implicated in ion channel/receptor targeting and trafficking in both Caenorhabditis elegans epithelial cells (47) and mammalian neurons (68). Because the CASK, Mint1, and Veli complex associates with a variety of channels and receptors (12, 47, 68), the complex may play a general role in targeting and trafficking receptors and channels containing PDZ binding motifs. The Veli proteins have a relatively simple domain structure with an N-terminal L27 domain fused to a Class I PDZ domain (Fig. 8). The L27 domain has been shown to interact with N-terminal sequences of CASK-like MAGUK proteins and the PDZ domain interacts with NR2B NMDA receptors (38) and Kir2 channels (7, 18). As well as forming a complex with CASK, Mint1, and SAP97 (18), Veli proteins are involved in neuronal NMDA receptor trafficking and are implicated in the retention of channels and transporters in the plasma membrane, including the BGT-1 GABA transporter in epithelial cells and Kir2.3 channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes (7, 69). Thus, it appears that Veli proteins may have different functional roles depending on the cellular context. Mint1 is a protein that contains two PDZ domains near its C terminus as well as other functional domains (Fig. 8). Mint1 has been shown to interact with a variety of neuronal proteins, including the motor protein KIF17 (68), suggesting an interesting function to link cargo proteins to motor proteins for transport. Our finding that Mint1 associates with the Kir2.2 column in heart was unexpected. Previous reports of mRNA distribution characterized Mint1 as a protein expressed exclusively in neurons (42, 43). However, mass spectrometry identified two proteolytic peptides from Mint1 (Table II), and the identification was confirmed by immunoblot (Fig. 4). This discovery implicates functional roles in cargo transport for Mint1 in non-neuronal tissues. Three of the Kir2-interacting proteins from brain, Dlg2, Dlg3, and Pals2, are members of a CASK-like MAGUK protein family. Little is known about the function of these MAGUKs. All three proteins have the same general domain organization as CASK with two L27 (L27N and L27C) domains at the N terminus followed by a class II PDZ domain, an SH3, and GK domains (Fig. 8). All three proteins can interact with Veli proteins via their L27C domain (27, 37, 40). The homology that these proteins display with CASK indicates that CASK, Dlg2, Dlg3, and Pals2 may associate with Kir2 channels in a similar manner. They probably do not interact directly with the channels, because the PDZ domains of these proteins will not recognize class I PDZ binding motifs, but like CASK, may be recruited by SAP97 or Veli (18). Dlg2 and Dlg3 recently were shown to bind to SAP97 (70), and these proteins contain L27 domains, which may interact with Veli proteins (27, 37). No direct binding partners for the PDZ domains of Dlg2, Dlg3, and Pals2 have been described to date. It is possible that these proteins may be able to substitute for CASK, but target channel complexes differently. Additionally, the N-terminal domains of Dlg2, Dlg3, or Pals2 are unique, which increases the possible diversity of protein complexes with the channels. It is likely that these MAGUKs may assemble other, as yet unidentified proteins into a Kir2-associated complex. An interesting Kir2-associated protein in brain is the actinbinding LIM protein, abLIM, which exists in three different isoforms, short, medium, and long. The protein has a multidomain structure composed of N-terminal LIM domains, a dematin-like domain, fused to a domain homologous to villin (26). LIM domains are cysteine-rich zinc finger motifs first identified in homeodomain proteins involved in development and cellular differentiation, whereas other LIM-containing proteins have been found associated with the cytoskeleton (71). The dematin-like domain/villin domain was demonstrated to facilitate binding of abLIM to F-actin (26). The association of this protein with Kir2 channels may link the channels to the actin cytoskeleton. It is unclear at this point how abLIM associates with the channels, but it is probably through another protein, because abLIM does not contain a PDZ domain.
An intriguing group of novel Kir2-interacting proteins are the members of the dystrophin-associated complex (
The dystrophin complex has been demonstrated to form a structural link between the actin cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix and is especially prevalent in muscle cells. Disruptions in the complex lead to inadequate support for muscle cell membranes, and contraction leads to breakdown of the muscle sarcolemma, which is the primary cause of muscular dystrophy (44). Via the PDZ domain, syntrophins act as a linker of sodium channels, AQP-4, and nNOS to the dystrophin complex (45, 46, 72). The in vivo role of syntrophins as functional scaffolding proteins at the neuromuscular junction has been demonstrated in The discovery that Kir2 channels associate with the DAPC led us to investigate the Kir2 distribution in skeletal muscle, a tissue where the DAPC proteins have been well characterized. We demonstrated the interaction of Kir2 channels with syntrophin in skeletal muscle by co-immunoprecipitation (Fig. 6). The co-localization experiments demonstrate for the first time that Kir2 channels are located at the NMJ (Fig. 7). Additionally, we observed co-localization of Kir2.2 with the DAPC at the NMJ (Fig. 7). These data suggest that syntrophin may be able to link Kir2 channels to the dystrophin complex, immobilizing the channels at the neuromuscular junction by connection of the complex to the actin cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix. Our GST fusion protein pull-down assay demonstrated that Kir channels with PDZ binding motifs have different inherent abilities to associate with the DAPC and SAP97, CASK, and Veli (Fig. 5). The C terminus of Kir2.2 associated strongly with both complexes, whereas Kir2.1 and Kir2.3 interacted more weakly. We could only detect association of the Kir4.1 construct with the DAPC proteins. The C-terminal PDZ binding motifs of these channels, as well as nearby upstream amino acids, probably contribute to their specific association with different protein complexes. Supporting this idea, the peptide sequence SSG, which lies upstream of the PDZ binding motif in the GluR1 AMPA receptor, confers selective binding to SAP97 (77). Interestingly, Kir2.2 also contains this sequence in roughly the same upstream location. Careful analysis of amino acid sequences of the PDZ binding region of Kir2.1, Kir2.2, Kir2.3, and Kir4.1 may reveal how these channels selectively associate with distinct protein complexes. Here, we have identified proteins associated with C-terminal PDZ binding motifs of Kir channels. The techniques of affinity chromatography coupled with SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting, and HPLC-MS-MS have proven a powerful combination in the proteomic analysis of Kir2 channel-associated proteins. Analysis of these-associated proteins revealed proteins that bind directly to the channel, as well as those that are recruited to the channels as part of multiprotein complexes. At least two multiprotein complexes were revealed: the dystrophin-associated protein complex containing syntrophin, dystrophin, and dystrobrevin and an assembly of SAP97, CASK, Mint1, and Veli (18). Functional experiments and co-localization studies implicate these complexes in Kir2 channel trafficking and plasma membrane stabilization. It has been established that the serine within the PDZ binding motif of Kir2.1, Kir2.2, and Kir2.3 is part of a consensus PKA phosphorylation site that when phosphorylated inhibits interaction with class I PDZ domain-containing proteins (4, 6). We speculate that channel phosphorylation may provide a mechanism to regulate the channel interaction and facilitate the transfer of channels between different binding partners. A variety of additional channel-associated complexes with PSD-95-related proteins (PSD-95, SAP102, and Chapsyn-110), CASK-related proteins (Dlg2, Dlg3, and Pals2), and abLIM may provide a diverse array of channel interactions during channel biogenesis as well as delegate unique functions in different cell types. Now that we have defined supramolecular complexes of Kir2-associated proteins, functional assays, including genetic knockout, dominant negative, and channel trafficking experiments, will help elucidate how the interaction of these protein complexes affects the physiology of Kir2 channels.
* This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grant NS43377 (to C. A. V.), NS33145 (to S. C. F.), California Tobacco-related Disease Research Program Grant 11RT-0114 (to C. A. V.), American Heart Association, Western Affiliate, Predoctoral Fellowship (to D. L.), and Tri-Counties Blood Bank Postdoctoral Fellowship (to L. R. C). 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. || To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel.: 805-893-8505; Fax: 805-893-2005; E-mail: vandenbe{at}lifesci.ucsb.edu.
1 The abbreviations used are: Kir2, inward rectifier potassium channel 2; MAGUK, membrane-associated guanylate kinase protein family; GST, glutathione S-transferase; DAPC, dystrophin-associated protein complex; NMDA, N-methyl-D-aspartic acid; MS-MS, tandem mass spectrometry; PMSF, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride; BSA, bovine serum albumin; PBS, phosphate-buffered saline; PVDF, polyvinylidene difluoride; NMJ, neuromuscular junction; nNOS, neuronal nitric-oxide synthase; AQP-4, aquaporin-4; AMPA,
2 D. Leonoudakis and C. Vandenberg, unpublished results.
We thank Heather J. Moore for technical assistance with the immunoaffinity purifications and Dr. Tiansen Li and Dr. Ben Margolis for antibodies.
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