Summary A tyrosine-based sorting signal is involved in connexin 43 stability and gap junction turnover

The gap junction protein connexin43 is known to have a rapid turnover, involving degradation by both the proteasomal and lysosomal systems, but the structural features of connexin43 that govern these actions are not known. The connexin43 C-terminal sequence contains a proline-rich region corresponding to the consensus of a protein-protein interaction PY-motif (xPPxY), and an overlapping putative tyrosine-based sorting signal (Yxxphi; =hydrophobic), known to play a role in the intracellular trafficking of many membrane proteins. As both motifs may control turnover of connexin43, we used a combination of metabolic radiolabelling, immuno-precipitation and functional assays to determine the possible role of these motifs in controlling degradation of human connexin43 expressed in SKHep1 cells. Mutation V289D in the tyrosine-based sorting motif increased the steady-state pool of connexin43 by approximately 3.5-fold, while mutation P283L in the PY-motif produced a comparatively modest augmentation (1.7-fold). No additive effect was observed when the overlapping tyrosine was mutated. In pulse-chase experiments, the Y286A [...] THOMAS, Marc, et al. A tyrosine-based sorting signal is involved in connexin43 stability and gap junction turnover. Journal of Cell Science, 2003, vol. 116, no. Pt 11, p. 2213-22 DOI : 10.1242/jcs.00440