Emerging Features of Linear Motif-Binding Hub Proteins

Abstract

Hub proteins are important elements of interactomes within an organism; they bind diverse partners, display significant pleiotropy, and connect many cellular systems. Static hubs interact with their partners simultaneously, while dynamic hubs bind different partners at different locations and times. Although this distinguishes some features of hub protein/partner interactions, the increasing literature requires an expanded categorization of molecular and functional properties. Here, we focus on dynein light chain LC8 as a canonical example of dynamic hub proteins to develop a conceptual residue-level framework for hub-partner interactions and functions. We propose a new class of structural linear motif-binding hub proteins (LMB-hubs) with key common features. LMB-hubs have structural plasticity yet conserved interfaces, can function as integral members of large multimolecular assemblies, and are self-regulating.

Keywords: LC8; dynamic; feedback regulation; hubs; linear motifs.