Structural and Mechanistic Insights Into Ras Association Domains of Phospholipase C Epsilon
Bunney, T.D., Harris, R., Gandarillas, N.L., Josephs, M.B., Roe, S.M., Sorli, S.C., Paterson, H.F., Rodrigues-Lima, F., Esposito, D., Ponting, C.P., Gieschik, P., Pearl, L.H., Driscoll, P.C., Katan, M.(2006) Mol Cell 21: 495
- PubMed: 16483931 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2006.01.008
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
2BYE, 2BYF, 2C5L - PubMed Abstract: 
Ras proteins signal to a number of distinct pathways by interacting with diverse effectors. Studies of ras/effector interactions have focused on three classes, Raf kinases, ral guanylnucleotide-exchange factors, and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases. Here we describe ras interactions with another effector, the recently identified phospholipase C epsilon (PLCepsilon). We solved structures of PLCepsilon RA domains (RA1 and RA2) by NMR and the structure of the RA2/ras complex by X-ray crystallography. Although the similarity between ubiquitin-like folds of RA1 and RA2 proves that they are homologs, only RA2 can bind ras. Some of the features of the RA2/ras interface are unique to PLCepsilon, while the ability to make contacts with both switch I and II regions of ras is shared only with phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase. Studies of PLCepsilon regulation suggest that, in a cellular context, the RA2 domain, in a mode specific to PLCepsilon, has a role in membrane targeting with further regulatory impact on PLC activity.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Cancer Research UK Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology, Chester Beatty Laboratories, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, United Kingdom.