Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026

Induction and Diagnosis of Tumors in Drosophila Imaginal Disc Epithelia
Published on: July 25, 2017
Phosphorylation-dependent interaction between tumor suppressors Dlg and Lgl
Jinwei Zhu1, Yuan Shang1, Qingwen Wan2
1Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
Discs Large (Dlg) and Lethal giant larvae (Lgl) proteins physically interact in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. This finding elucidates the Scribble complex formation mechanism and aids in developing targeted cancer therapies.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Structural Biology
Background:
- Tumor suppressors Discs Large (Dlg), Lethal giant larvae (Lgl), and Scribble are crucial for epithelial cell polarity in metazoans.
- These proteins form the evolutionarily conserved Scribble complex and exhibit strong genetic interactions.
- Physical interactions between Dlg, Lgl, and Scribble have remained uncharacterized despite extensive research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physical interaction between Discs Large (Dlg) and Lethal giant larvae (Lgl) proteins.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the formation of the Scribble complex.
- To provide a structural basis for designing targeted inhibitors of the Scribble complex.
Main Methods:
- Biochemical assays to demonstrate direct interaction between Dlg and Lgl.
- Phosphorylation studies to identify the role of Lgl phosphorylation in Dlg binding.
- X-ray crystallography to determine the structure of the Dlg guanylate kinase (GK) domain in complex with phosphorylated Lgl peptides.
Main Results:
- Dlg directly interacts with Lgl in a phosphorylation-dependent manner.
- Phosphorylation of any of the three conserved Ser residues in Lgl's central linker region mediates binding to the Dlg GK domain.
- Crystal structures reveal the molecular basis for specific and regulated Dlg/Lgl complex formation.
Conclusions:
- The study provides the first direct evidence of a physical interaction between Dlg and Lgl.
- The findings elucidate the mechanism of Scribble complex assembly, highlighting the role of Lgl phosphorylation.
- The Dlg/Lgl complex structure offers a potential starting point for developing specific Dlg inhibitors to target Scribble complex formation in diseases.
More Related Videos
06:51Utilizing 18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging and Quantitative Histology to Measure Dynamic Changes in the Glucose Metabolism in Mouse Models of Lung Cancer
Published on: July 21, 2018
10:31Detection of In Situ Protein-protein Complexes at the Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction Using Proximity Ligation Assay
Published on: January 20, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Abnormal Proliferation
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway
Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...