The Structure of Tap42/Alpha4 Reveals a Tetratricopeptide Repeat-Like Fold and Provides Insights Into Pp2A Regulation.
Yang, J., Roe, S.M., Prickett, T.D., Brautigan, D.L., Barford, D.(2007) Biochemistry 46: 8807
- PubMed: 17616149 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/bi7007118
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
2V0P - PubMed Abstract: 
Physiological functions of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) are determined via the association of its catalytic subunit (PP2Ac) with diverse regulatory subunits. The predominant form of PP2Ac assembles into a heterotrimer comprising the scaffolding PR65/A subunit together with a variable regulatory B subunit. A distinct population of PP2Ac associates with the Tap42/alpha4 subunit, an interaction mutually exclusive with that of PR65/A. Tap42/alpha4 is also an interacting subunit of the PP2Ac-related phosphatases, PP4 and PP6. Tap42/alpha4, an essential protein in yeast and suppressor of apoptosis in mammals, contributes to critical cellular functions including the Tor signaling pathway. Here, we describe the crystal structure of the PP2Ac-interaction domain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Tap42. The structure reveals an all alpha-helical protein with striking similarity to 14-3-3 and tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) proteins. Mutational analyses of structurally conserved regions of Tap42/alpha4 identified a positively charged region critical for its interactions with PP2Ac. We propose a scaffolding function for Tap42/alpha4 whereby the interaction of PP2Ac at its N-terminus promotes the dephosphorylation of substrates recruited to the C-terminal region of the molecule.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Section of Structural Biology, Chester Beatty Laboratories, Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK.