IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v8y2017i1d10.1038_s41467-017-02230-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Multivalent cross-linking of actin filaments and microtubules through the microtubule-associated protein Tau

Author

Listed:
  • Yunior Cabrales Fontela

    (Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE)
    Universitätsmedizin Göttingen
    Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie)

  • Harindranath Kadavath

    (Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE)
    Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie)

  • Jacek Biernat

    (Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE))

  • Dietmar Riedel

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie)

  • Eckhard Mandelkow

    (Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE)
    CAESAR Research Center)

  • Markus Zweckstetter

    (Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE)
    Universitätsmedizin Göttingen
    Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie)

Abstract

Microtubule-associated proteins regulate microtubule dynamics, bundle actin filaments, and cross-link actin filaments with microtubules. In addition, aberrant interaction of the microtubule-associated protein Tau with filamentous actin is connected to synaptic impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. Here we provide insight into the nature of interaction between Tau and actin filaments. We show that Tau uses several short helical segments to bind in a dynamic, multivalent process to the hydrophobic pocket between subdomains 1 and 3 of actin. Although a single Tau helix is sufficient to bind to filamentous actin, at least two, flexibly linked helices are required for actin bundling. In agreement with a structural model of Tau repeat sequences in complex with actin filaments, phosphorylation at serine 262 attenuates binding of Tau to filamentous actin. Taken together the data demonstrate that bundling of filamentous actin and cross-linking of the cellular cytoskeleton depend on the metamorphic and multivalent nature of microtubule-associated proteins.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunior Cabrales Fontela & Harindranath Kadavath & Jacek Biernat & Dietmar Riedel & Eckhard Mandelkow & Markus Zweckstetter, 2017. "Multivalent cross-linking of actin filaments and microtubules through the microtubule-associated protein Tau," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-02230-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02230-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-02230-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-017-02230-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-02230-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.