PDZ domain protein GIPC interacts with the cytoplasmic tail of melanosomal membrane protein gp75 (tyrosinase-related protein-1).

Tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related proteins (TRPs) are a family of melanosomal membrane proteins involved in mammalian pigmentation. Whereas the melanogenic functions of TRPs are localized in their amino-terminal domains that reside within the lumen of melanosomes, the sorting and targeting of these proteins to melanosomes is mediated by signals in their cytoplasmic domains. To identify proteins that interact with the cytoplasmic tail of gp75 (TRP-1), the most abundant melanosomal membrane protein, we performed yeast two-hybrid screening of a melanocyte cDNA library. Here, we show that the cytoplasmic domain of gp75 interacts with a PDZ domain-containing protein. The gp75-interacting protein is identical to GIPC, an RGS (regulator of G protein signaling)/GAIP-interacting protein, and to SEMCAP-1, a transmembrane semaphorin-binding protein. Carboxyl-terminal amino acid residues, Ser-Val-Val, of gp75 are necessary and sufficient for interaction of gp75 with the single PDZ domain in GIPC. Although endogenous and transfected GIPCs bind efficiently to transiently expressed gp75, only a small amount of GIPC is found associated with gp75 at steady state. Using a strategy to selectively synchronize the biosynthesis of endogenous gp75, we demonstrate that only newly synthesized gp75 associates with GIPC, primarily in the juxtanuclear Golgi region. Our data suggest that GIPC/SEMCAP-1 plays a role in biosynthetic sorting of proteins, specifically gp75, to melanosomes.

CD30/TNF receptor-associated factor interaction: NF-kappa B activation and binding specificity.

CD30 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily. CD30 is expressed on normal activated lymphocytes, on several virally transformed T- or B-cell lines and on neoplastic cells of Hodgkin's lymphoma. The interaction of CD30 with its ligand induces pleiotropic effects on cells resulting in proliferation, differentiation, or death. The CD30 cytoplasmic tail interacts with TNF receptor-associated factors (TRAFs), which have been shown to transduce signals mediated by TNF-R2 and CD40. We demonstrate here that TRAF2 also plays an important role in CD30-induced NF-kappa B activation. We also show that TRAF2-mediated activation of NF-kappa B plays a role in the activation of HIV transcription induced by CD30 cross-linking. Detailed site-directed mutagenesis of the CD30 cytoplasmic tail reveals that there are two independent binding sites for TRAF, each interacting with a different domain of TRAF. Furthermore, we localized the TRAF-C binding site in CD30 to a 5-7 amino acid stretch.

A novel gene product that couples TCR signaling to Fas(CD95) expression in activation-induced cell death.

Cross-linking the TCR in T cell hybridomas induces cell apoptosis following activation. This activation-induced apoptosis has been used as a model for clonal deletion of thymocytes or peripheral T cells. Anti-TCR-induced apoptosis of T cell hybridomas requires de novo macromolecular synthesis, including up-regulation of Fas and FasL. The Fas-FasL interaction then activates the apoptosis program. To study apoptosis-specific signaling processes, we generated a mutant T cell hybridoma line defective in induction of apoptosis, but competent to induce activation, upon TCR triggering. Subsequently, we cloned the gene TDAG51, which restored activation-induced apoptosis when transfected into the mutant cell line, and showed that TDAG51 expression was required for Fas expression. Thus, TDAG51 plays an essential role in induction of apoptosis by coupling TCR stimulation to Fas expression.