The I domain present within the ␣2 chain of the integrin ␣ 2  1 (GPIa/IIa) contains the principal collagenbinding site. Based on the crystal structure of the ␣2-I domain, a hypothetical model was proposed in which collagen binds to a groove on the upper surface of the I domain (Emsley, J., King, S. L., Bergelson, J. M., and Liddington, R. C. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 28512-28517). We have introduced point mutations into 13 residues on the upper surface of the domain. Recombinant mutant proteins were assayed for binding to monoclonal antibodies 6F1 and 12F1, to collagen under static conditions, and for the ability to retain adhesive activity under flow conditions. The mutations to residues surrounding the metal ion-dependent adhesion site that caused the greatest loss of collagen binding under both static and flow conditions are N154S in the A-␣1 turn, N190D in the B-C turn, D219R in the ␣3-␣4 turn, and E256V and H258V in the D-␣5 turn. Mutation in one of the residues that coordinate the metal binding, S155A, completely lost the adhesive activity under flow but bound normally under static conditions, whereas the mutation Y285F had the converse effect. We conclude that the upper surface of the domain, including the metal ion-dependent adhesion site motif, defines the collagen recognition site.
The glycoprotein (GP)1 Ia/IIa (integrin ␣ 2  1 ) is a major platelet adhesion receptor for collagen. Integrins are a family of heterodimeric cell adhesion molecules that mediate cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion (1). The integrin ␣ 2  1 is expressed on several different cell types. Although it is a collagen receptor in platelet and fibroblastic cells, it functions both as a collagen and laminin receptor on endothelial and epithelial cells (2, 3). It also acts as the receptor for the human pathogen echovirus-1 (4).␣ 2  1 is composed of a 150-kDa ␣2 and a 130-kDa 1 subunit (5). Within the ␣2 subunit, the 200-amino acid I domain shares homology with the A domains of von Willebrand factor, complement proteins, cartilage matrix protein, and certain other integrins. There is increasing evidence that I (A) domains play an important role in cell-adhesion protein and cell-matrix interaction.Within the ␣ 2  1 integrin, the I domain (amino acids 140 -349) provides the principal binding site for collagen. Thus, antibodies that block ␣ 2  1 interaction with collagen recognize epitopes within the I domain (6 -8). Three groups have shown that recombinant ␣2-I domain fusion proteins bind specifically to collagen in a divalent cation-dependent manner (9 -11), and a fourth group has presented conflicting data suggesting that collagen binding is independent of divalent cation (12).Like other I domains, the ␣2-I domain contains a cationbinding site called the metal ion-dependent adhesion site (MI-DAS) motif (13). In the crystal structure (14), the side chains of residues Ser-153, Ser-155, and Asp-254 directly coordinate a Mg 2ϩ ion, and Asp-151 and Thr-221 provide water-mediated bonds. One study reported that mutation of residues A...