Scaffold protein series#

In the literature, the names are often used interchangeably, which indicates that the functions of the proteins in the four categories overlap significantly and they are often difficult to distinguished. by binding at least two signaling enzymes together and directing, coordinating and regulating their action ( Fig. 1). These proteins come under a variety of names, such as scaffold, adaptor, anchor and docking, but invariably function by ‘enforced proximity’, i.e. It is generally accepted that the primary mechanism is to promote the proximity of signaling enzymes by specific binding to a special class of regulatory proteins ]. Because of the multiplicity and broad substrate specificity of signaling enzymes, it is of immense importance to understand how the cell achieves efficiency and accuracy in signaling. post-synaptic density, disc large, zo-1 proteinĬells use a multitude of signaling proteins to alter cellular behavior in response to changes in their external and internal environment.non-catalytic region of tyrosine kinase adaptor protein.Fas-associated protein with death domain.dual-adapter for phosphotyrosine and 3-phosphoinositides.Thus, the field is in a state of continuous advance and expansion, which demands that the classification scheme be regularly updated and, if needed, revised. In addition, although not usually considered as scaffolds, several other proteins, such as regulatory proteins with catalytic activity, phosphatase targeting subunits, E3 ubiquitin ligases, ESCRT proteins in endosomal sorting and DNA damage sensors also function by bona fide scaffolding mechanisms. It will also be shown, however, that the categories partially overlap and often their names are used interchangeably in the literature. Here we discuss the categories of scaffolds, anchors, docking proteins and adaptors in some detail, and using many examples we demonstrate that they cover a wide range of functional modes that appear to segregate into three practical categories, simple proteins binding two partners together (adaptors), larger multidomain proteins targeting and regulating more proteins in complex ways (scaffold/anchoring proteins) and proteins specialized to initiate signaling cascades by localizing partners at the cell membrane (docking proteins). By binding and bringing into proximity two or more signaling proteins, these proteins direct the flow of information in the cell by activating, coordinating and regulating signaling events in regulatory networks.

Scaffold protein series#

In this series of four minireviews the field of scaffold proteins and proteins of similar molecular/cellular functions is overviewed.