Prothrombinase complex assembly on the platelet surface is mediated through the 74,000-dalton component of factor Va

The blood coagulation protein factor Va forms the receptor for the serine protease factor Xa on the platelet surface. This membrane-bound complex of factor Va and factor Xa plus Ca2+ comprises the prothrombinase complex, the enzyme that catalyzes the proteolytic conversion of prothrombin to the clotting enzyme thrombin. Factor Va is a two-subunit protein composed of component D (Mr = 94,000) and component E (Mr = 74,000); subunit interaction is Ca2+ dependent. Factor Va bound to platelets consists of three peptides: component D, component E, and component D'(Mr = 90,000) which appears as the result of a platelet-associated protease cleavage of component D. The present studies were undertaken to determine which peptide(s) mediates the binding of factor Va to the platelet membrane surface and which peptide(s) serves as the binding site for factor Xa. These interactions were assessed by direct measurements of radiolabeled factor Va and factor Xa binding to platelets as well as autoradiographic visualization of the factor Va peptides associated with the platelet. Experiments were performed to determine the interaction of components D and E with platelets under reaction conditions in which components D and E were present as either the intact, functional two-subunit protein or as nonfunctional discrete peptides dissociated by the addition of Na2EDTA. The results suggest that component E mediates the binding of factor Va to the platelet and also serves as the binding site for the interaction of factor Xa with platelet-bound factor Va.