Crystal structure of kindlin-2 PH domain reveals a conformational transition for its membrane anchoring and regulation of integrin activation
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026

Efficient Production and Purification of Recombinant Murine Kindlin-3 from Insect Cells for Biophysical Studies
Published on: March 19, 2014
1National Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Kindlin-2 belongs to a subfamily of FERM domain containing proteins, which plays key roles in activating integrin transmembrane receptors and mediating cell adhesion. Compared to conventional FERM domains, kindlin-2 FERM contains an inserted pleckstrin homology (PH) domain that specifically binds to phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5) trisphosphate (PIP3) and regulates the kindlin-2 function. We have determined the crystal structure of kindlin-2 PH domain at 1.9 Å resolution, which reveals a conserved PH domain fold with a highly charged and open binding pocket for PIP3 head group. Structural comparison with a previously reported solution structure of kindlin-2 PH domain bound to PIP3 head group reveals that upon PIP3 insertion, there is a significant conformational change of both the highly positively charged loop at the entry of the PIP3 binding pocket and the entire β barrel of the PH domain. We propose that such "induced-fit" type change is crucial for the tight binding of PIP3 to anchor kindlin-2 onto the membrane surface, thereby promoting its binding to integrins. Our results provide important structural insight into kindlin-2-mediated membrane anchoring and integrin activation.
Related Concept Videos
Activation of Integrins
In "outside-in signaling," external factors in the extracellular space bind to exposed ligand binding sites on integrins. This causes the inactive protein to undergo a conformational change to become active. Integrins are often clustered on the cell membrane. Repetitive and regularly spaced ligand binding events provide an effective stimulus.
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
Structure of Cadherins
Assembly of Signaling Complexes
Interaction domains in cell signaling
Interaction domains recognize exposed features of their binding partners containing post-translationally modified sequences,...
Cytoskeletal Linker Proteins - Plakins
Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with cytoskeletal...

