| abstract |
C-terminal Src Homology 3 domain of Ct10 Regulator of Kinase adaptor proteins. CRK adaptor proteins consists of SH2 and SH3 domains, which bind tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides and proline-rich motifs, respectively. They function downstream of protein tyrosine kinases in many signaling pathways started by various extracellular signals, including growth and differentiation factors. Cellular CRK (c-CRK) contains a single SH2 domain, followed by N-terminal and C-terminal SH3 domains. It is involved in the regulation of many cellular processes including cell growth, motility, adhesion, and apoptosis. CRK has been implicated in the malignancy of various human cancers. The C-terminal SH3 domain of CRK has not been shown to bind any target protein; it acts as a negative regulator of CRK function by stabilizing a structure that inhibits the access by target proteins to the N-terminal SH3 domain. SH3 domains are protein interaction domains that bind to proline-rich ligands with moderate affinity and selectivity, preferentially to PxxP motifs. They play versatile and diverse roles in the cell including the regulation of enzymes by intramolecular interactions, changing the subcellular localization of signal pathway components, and mediating the formation of multiprotein complex assemblies. |