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Updated: Apr 24, 2026

Isolation of Labile Multi-protein Complexes by in vivo Controlled Cellular Cross-Linking and Immuno-magnetic Affinity Chromatography
Published on: March 9, 2010
The crystal structure of the RhoA-AKAP-Lbc DH-PH domain complex
Kamal R Abdul Azeez1, Stefan Knapp, João M P Fernandes2
1*Structural Genomics Consortium, Oxford University, Old Road Campus Research Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, U.K.
Abstract:
The RhoGEF (Rho GTPase guanine-nucleotide-exchange factor) domain of AKAP-Lbc (A-kinase-anchoring protein-Lbc, also known as AKAP13) catalyses nucleotide exchange on RhoA and is involved in the development of cardiac hypertrophy. The RhoGEF activity of AKAP-Lbc has also been implicated in cancer. We have determined the X-ray crystal structure of the complex between RhoA-GDP and the AKAP-Lbc RhoGEF [DH (Dbl-homologous)-PH (pleckstrin homology)] domain to 2.1 Å (1 Å = 0.1 nm) resolution. The structure reveals important differences compared with related RhoGEF proteins such as leukaemia-associated RhoGEF. Nucleotide-exchange assays comparing the activity of the DH-PH domain to the DH domain alone showed no role for the PH domain in nucleotide exchange, which is explained by the RhoA-AKAP-Lbc structure. Comparison with a structure of the isolated AKAP-Lbc DH domain revealed a change in conformation of the N-terminal 'GEF switch' region upon binding to RhoA. Isothermal titration calorimetry showed that AKAP-Lbc has only micromolar affinity for RhoA, which combined with the presence of potential binding pockets for small molecules on AKAP-Lbc, raises the possibility of targeting AKAP-Lbc with GEF inhibitors.
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