A novel role for a YXXPhi motif in directing the caveolin-dependent sorting of membrane-spanning proteins

Frank C Dorsey1, Thangavel Muthusamy, Michael A Whitt

  • 1Department of Molecular Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 858 Madison Avenue, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.

Previous studies showed that the sequence between amino acids 38 and 63 of the chicken AE1-4 anion exchanger is sufficient to direct basolateral sorting and recycling to the Golgi when fused to a cytoplasmic tailless F(c)RII B2 receptor. Further characterization of the recycling pathway has indicated that the chimera F(c)38-63 colocalizes with caveolin 1 in the basolateral membrane of MDCK cells, and in early endosomes following its internalization from the cell surface. Studies using small interfering RNA (siRNA) and dominant-negative mutants revealed that F(c)38-63 endocytosis is primarily caveolin-dependent and clathrin-independent. The endocytosis of the chimera is also dependent upon cholesterol and dynamin. Co-precipitation studies indicated that caveolin 1 associates with F(c)38-63. Mutation of the tyrosine or leucine residues in the cytoplasmic sequence Y(47)VEL of F(c)38-63 disrupts this interaction and inhibits the endocytosis of the chimera. Additional analyses revealed that AE1-4 also associates with caveolin 1. Mutation of the leucine in the Y(47)VEL sequence of AE1-4 disrupts this interaction, and blocks the recycling of this transporter from the basolateral membrane to the Golgi. The Y(47)VEL tetrapeptide matches the sequence of a YXXPhi motif, and our results indicate a novel role for this motif in directing caveolin-dependent sorting.

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