PMID: 24070258

Authors:

Traore DA, Brennan AJ, Law RH, Dogovski C, Perugini MA, Lukoyanova N, Leung EW, Norton RS, Lopez JA, Browne KA, Yagita H, Lloyd GJ, Ciccone A, Verschoor S, Trapani JA, Whisstock JC, Voskoboinik I

Title:

Defining the interaction of perforin with calcium and the phospholipid membrane.

Journal:

Biochem J. 2013 Sep 27.

Abstract:

Following its secretion from cytotoxic lymphocytes into the immune synapse, perforin binds to target cell membranes through its Ca2+-dependent C2 domain. Membrane-bound perforin then forms pores that allow passage of pro-apoptopic granzymes into the target cell. Here, structural and biochemical studies reveal that Ca2+ binding triggers a conformational change in the C2 domain that permits four key hydrophobic residues to interact with the plasma membrane. However, contrary to previous suggestions, these movements and membrane binding do not trigger irreversible conformational changes in the pore-forming MACPF domain, indicating that subsequent monomer-monomer interactions at the membrane surface are required for perforin pore formation.