ADAM13 is a cell surface metalloprotease expressed in cephalic neural crest
cells during early Xenopus development. The cytoplasmic domain of ADAM13 c
ontains three potential SH3 (Src homology type 3) binding sites, suggesting
that this region may support interactions with intracellular proteins. In
this report we describe the identification, by a new strategy, of three pro
teins that bind the ADAM13 cytoplasmic domain in vitro: X-Src1, X-An4, and
X-PACSIN2. We focused our study on X-PACSIN2 protein because it colocalizes
with ADAIM13 in migrating neural crest cells during embryonic development.
Using pull-down experiments we show that X-PACSIN2 binds to ADAM13 in vitr
o. Using Xenopus XTC cells, we demonstrate that ADAM13 and X-PACSIN2 coloca
lize to membrane ruffles and cytoplasmic vesicles. We also show that X-PACS
IN2 overexpression can rescue developmental alterations induced by overexpr
ession of ADAM13, suggesting that both protein's interact in vivo. Finally,
our results suggest that X-PACSIN2 overexpression reduces endogenous ADAM1
3 function while a truncated X-PACSIN2 (Delta SH3) increases this activity
in cephalic neural crest cells. We propose that X-PACSIN2 may regulate ADAM
13 activity by influencing either its subcellular localization or its catal
ytic activity. In agreement with this model, elimination of the ADAM13 cyto
plasmic domain increased developmental alterations attributable to ADAM13 p
roteolytic activity, (C) 2000 Academic Press.