Structural characterization of the intramolecular interaction between the SH3 and guanylate kinase domains of PSD-95

PSD-95/SAP90 is a member of the MAGUK superfamily. In excitatory synapses, PSD-95 clusters receptors and ion channels at specific sites in the postsynaptic membrane and organizes downstream signaling and cytoskeletal molecules. We have determined the crystal structures of the apo and GMP-bound forms to 2.3 and 2.0 A resolutions, respectively, of a fragment containing the SH3, HOOK, and guanylate kinase (GK) domains of PSD-95. We observe an intramolecular interaction between the SH3 and GK domains involving the formation of a beta sheet including residues N- and C-terminal to the GK domain. Based on amino acid conservation and mutational data available in the literature, we propose that this intramolecular interaction is a common feature among MAGUK proteins.