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The domain structure of Entamoeba α-actinin2

Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters volume 15, pages 665–678 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Entamoeba histolytica, a major agent of human amoebiasis, expresses two distinct forms of α-actinin, a ubiquitous actin-binding protein that is present in most eukaryotic organisms. In contrast to all metazoan α-actinins, in both isoforms the intervening rod domain that connects the N-terminal actin-binding domain with the C-terminal EF-hands is much shorter. It is suggested that these α-actinins may be involved in amoeboid motility and phagocytosis, so we cloned and characterised each domain of one of these α-actinins to better understand their functional role. The results clearly showed that the domains have properties very similar to those of conventional α-actinins.

Abbreviations

ABD:

actin-binding domain

EF:

EF-hand calcium-binding domain

ROD:

rod domain

SH3:

src homology domain 3

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden

    Barbara Addario & Lars Backman

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  1. Barbara Addario
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  2. Lars Backman
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Correspondence to Lars Backman.

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Addario, B., Backman, L. The domain structure of Entamoeba α-actinin2. Cell Mol Biol Lett 15, 665–678 (2010). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11658-010-0035-z

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Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters

ISSN: 1689-1392

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