Characterization of functional domains of the eukaryotic co-chaperone Hip

The homo-oligomeric Hip protein cooperates with the 70-kDa heat shock cognate Hsc70 in the folding of newly synthesized polypeptide chains and in the conformational regulation of signaling molecules known to interact with Hsc70 and Hsp90. In order to further assess the role of Hip during protein biogenesis, a structure-function analysis of the Hip protein was initiated. By employing the yeast two-hybrid system, the Hsc70-binding site of Hip was mapped to a domain comprising multiple tetratricopeptide repeats and flanking charged alpha-helices. Affinity chromatography confirmed direct interaction of isolated Hip fragments and protein fusions bearing this region with the ATPase domain of Hsc70 in an ATP- and salt-dependent manner. Contact of Hip with the ATPase domain appears to be mediated primarily by the positively charged alpha-helix following the tetratricopeptide repeats. Furthermore, a domain required for homo-oligomerization was identified at the extreme amino terminus of Hip.