Evidence for hetero‐association of transmembrane helices of integrins

KE Gottschalk, H Kessler - FEBS letters, 2004 - Wiley Online Library
FEBS letters, 2004Wiley Online Library
Integrins are important transmembrane cell‐surface receptors, which mediate interactions of
the cell with other cells or the extracellular matrix. Integrins are heterodimers composed of
an α‐and a β‐subunit. They can switch between different activation states depending on
intra‐or extracellular signals. Inside/out and outside/in signaling is mediated via integrins
across the membrane. A biologically important and yet still unanswered question is the role
of the transmembrane domains in the signaling event. Here it is shown by simulated …
Integrins are important transmembrane cell‐surface receptors, which mediate interactions of the cell with other cells or the extracellular matrix. Integrins are heterodimers composed of an α‐ and a β‐subunit. They can switch between different activation states depending on intra‐ or extracellular signals. Inside/out and outside/in signaling is mediated via integrins across the membrane. A biologically important and yet still unanswered question is the role of the transmembrane domains in the signaling event. Here it is shown by simulated annealing/molecular dynamics calculations that recently published structural data of the cytoplasmic domains of integrin αIIbβ3 are supporting a structure with interacting transmembrane helices. This corroborates a model of transmembrane domains that are actively involved in the transmembrane signaling event.
Wiley Online Library