The Nup62 Coiled-Coil Motif Provides Plasticity for Triple-Helix Bundle Formation
Dewangan, P.S., Sonawane, P.J., Chouksey, A.R., Chauhan, R.(2017) Biochemistry 56: 2803-2811
- PubMed: 28406021 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biochem.6b01050
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
5H1X - PubMed Abstract: 
The central transport channel of the vertebrate nuclear pore complex (NPC) consists of nucleoporins: Nup62, Nup54, and Nup58. The coiled-coil domains in α-helical regions of these nucleoporins are thought to be crucial for several protein-protein interactions in the NPC subcomplexes. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of the coiled-coil domain of rat Nup62 fragment (residues 362-425) to 2.4 Å resolution. The crystal structure shows the conserved coiled-coil domain as a parallel three-helix bundle for the Nup62(362-425) fragment. On the basis of our size exclusion chromatography coupled to multiangle light scattering analysis and glutaraldehyde cross-linking experiments, we conclude that the Nup62(362-425) fragment displays dynamic behavior in solution and can also exist in either homodimeric or homotrimeric states. Our comparative analysis of the rat Nup62(362-425) homotrimeric structure with previously reported heterotrimeric structures [rat Nup62(362-425)·Nup54(346-407) and Xenopus Nup62(358-485)·Nup54(315-450)·Nup58(283-406) complexes] demonstrates the structural basis for parallel triple-helix bundle formation for Nup62 with different partners. Moreover, we show that the coiled-coil domain of Nup62 is sufficient for interaction with the coiled-coil domain of rat Exo70, a protein in an exocyst complex. On the basis of these observations, we suggest the plausible chain replacement mechanism that yields to diverse protein assemblies with Nup62. In summary, the coiled-coil motif present in Nup62 imparts the ability to form a homotrimer and heterotrimers either with Nup54 or with Nup54-Nup58 within the NPCs as well as with Exo70 beyond the NPCs. These complexes of Nup62 suggest the crucial role of the coiled-coil motifs in providing plasticity to various modular assemblies.
Organizational Affiliation: 
National Centre for Cell Science , S. P. Pune University Campus, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007, India.