Download MendeleyThe laminin-binding domain of agrin is structurally related to N-TIMP-1.
Stetefeld, J., Jenny, M., Schulthess, T., Landwehr, R., Schumacher, B., Frank, S., Ruegg, M.A., Engel, J., Kammerer, R.A.(2001) Nat Struct Biol 8: 705-709
- PubMed: 11473262
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/90422
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
1JB3, 1JC7 - PubMed Abstract:
Agrin is the key organizer of postsynaptic differentiation at the neuromuscular junction. This organization activity requires the binding of agrin to the synaptic basal lamina. Binding is conferred by the N-terminal agrin (NtA) domain, which mediates a high-affinity interaction with the coiled coil domain of laminins. Here, we report the crystal structure of chicken NtA at 1.6 A resolution. The structure reveals that NtA harbors an oligosaccharide/oligonucleotide-binding fold with several possible sites for the interaction with different ligands. A high structural similarity of NtA with the protease inhibition domain in tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) supports the idea of additional functions of agrin besides synaptogenic activity.
Organizational Affiliation:
Department of Biophysical Chemistry, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
