The ability of adhesion receptors to transmit biochemical signals and mechanical force across cell membranes depends on interactions with the actin cytoskeleton. Filamins are large, actin-crosslinking proteins that connect multiple transmembrane and signaling proteins to the cytoskeleton. Here, we describe the high-resolution structure of an interface between filamin A and an integrin adhesion receptor. When bound, the integrin beta cytoplasmic tail forms an extended beta strand that interacts with beta strands C and D of the filamin immunoglobulin-like domain (IgFLN) 21. This interface is common to many integrins, and we suggest it is a prototype for other IgFLN domain interactions. Notably, the structurally defined filamin binding site overlaps with that of the integrin-regulator talin, and these proteins compete for binding to integrin tails, allowing integrin-filamin interactions to impact talin-dependent integrin activation. Phosphothreonine-mimicking mutations inhibit filamin, but not talin, binding, indicating that kinases may modulate this competition and provide additional means to control integrin functions.

Human filamins are large actin-crosslinking proteins composed of an N-terminal actin-binding domain followed by 24 Ig-like domains (IgFLNs), which interact with numerous transmembrane receptors and cytosolic signaling proteins. Here we report the 2.5 Å resolution structure of a three-domain fragment of human filamin A (IgFLNa19-21). The structure reveals an unexpected domain arrangement, with IgFLNa20 partially unfolded bringing IgFLNa21 into close proximity to IgFLNa19. Notably the N-terminus of IgFLNa20 forms a b-strand that associates with the CD face of IgFLNa21 and occupies the binding site for integrin adhesion receptors. Disruption of this IgFLNa20-IgFLNa21 interaction enhances filamin binding to integrin b-tails. Structural and functional analysis of other IgFLN domains suggests that auto-inhibition by adjacent IgFLN domains may be a general mechanism controlling filamin-ligand interactions. This can explain the increased integrin binding of filamin splice variants and provides a mechanism by which ligand binding might impact filamin structure.

Leukocyte integrins of the ␤2 family are essential for immune cell-cell adhesion. In activated cells, ␤2 integrins are phosphorylated on the cytoplasmic Thr758, leading to 14-3-3 protein recruitment to the ␤2 integrin. The mutation of this phosphorylation site impairs cell adhesion, actin reorganization, and cell spreading. Thr758 is contained in a Thr triplet of ␤2 that also mediates binding to filamin. Here, we investigated the binding of filamin, talin, and 14-3-3 proteins to phosphorylated and unphosphorylated ␤2 integrins by biochemical methods and x-ray crystallography. 14-3-3 proteins bound only to the phosphorylated integrin cytoplasmic peptide, with a high affinity (K d , 261 nM), whereas filamin bound only the unphosphorylated integrin cytoplasmic peptide (K d , 0.5 mM). Phosphorylation did not regulate talin binding to ␤2 directly, but 14-3-3 was able to outcompete talin for the binding to phosphorylated ␤2 integrin. X-ray crystallographic data clearly IntroductionIntegrins are heterodimeric plasma membrane receptors that mediate binding to the extracellular matrix and to ligands present on the surface of other cells. Their function is tightly regulated; they bind ligands only after activation. Modulation of integrin activity occurs through tightly regulated interactions between cytoplasmic molecules and integrin intracellular tails. Factors binding to integrin cytoplasmic domains regulating integrin adhesiveness include the cytoskeletal proteins talin 1,2 and filamin, 3 and the 14-3-3 proteins, which are molecular adaptors that bind to phosphorylated serine or threonine (pSer/ pThr) containing polypeptide sequences. 4 The ␤2 integrins are expressed exclusively on leukocytes and bind ICAM molecules on other leukocytes and endothelial cells after cell activation. 5,6 Talin binds to ␤2 integrins in vitro and in cells and is involved in activating the ␤2 integrins, resulting in binding to ICAMs. 1,4,[7][8][9] The ␤2 integrin polypeptide chain is phosphorylated on the intracellular domain on several residues after cell stimulation with various agents. 10 Thr758 is a physiologically important amino acid residue in the ␤2 cytoplasmic tail, and becomes phosphorylated after T-cell stimulation with T-cell receptor (TCR) antibodies or with phorbol esters. [11][12][13] After its phosphorylation, ␤2 binds to 14-3-3 proteins both in vitro and in cells. 4 Blocking of this interaction with a ␤2 Thr758 to Ala mutation, or by expression of constructs that bind to 14-3-3 proteins and block their interactions with target proteins, leads to abrogation of actin cytoskeleton rearrangements, cell spreading, and adhesion to ICAM ligands. 4 ␤2-Thr758 phosphorylation leads to the activation of the actin cytoskeleton modulators, Rac1/Cdc42, in cells. 13 The region in the ␤2 cytoplasmic tail that binds 14-3-3 proteins has been reported to interact with filamin in other integrins, 14 and for the strong filamin-binder ␤7 integrin, phosphorylation mimicking substitutions of 3 threonine residues (TTT) reduces filamin affinity. 3 Fi...

Filamins are essential in cell motility and many developmental processes. They are large actin cross linking proteins that contain actin binding domains in their N termini and a long rod region constructed from 24 tandem Ig domains. Dimerization is crucial for the actin crosslinking function of filamins and requires the most C-terminal Ig domain. We describe here the crystal structure of this 24th Ig domain (Ig24) of human filamin C and show how it mediates dimerization. The dimer interface is novel and quite different to that seen in the Dictyostelium discoideum filamin analog. The sequence signature of the dimerization interface suggests that the C-terminal domains of all vertebrate filamins share the same dimerization mechanism. Furthermore, we show that point mutations in the dimerization interface disrupt the dimer and that the dissociation constant for recombinant Ig24 is in the micromolar range.