Interactions among subunits of the oligosaccharyltransferase complex

The mammalian oIigosaccharyltransferase (OST) is an oligomeric complex composed of three membrane proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum: ribophorin I (RI), ribophorin II (RII), and OST48. In addition, sequence homology between the Ost2 subunit of the yeast OST complex and Dad1 (defender against apoptotic death) suggests that Dad1 may represent a fourth subunit of the mammalian OST complex. In attempts to elucidate the structural organization of this complex, we have studied the interactions among its subunits. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we have shown that the luminal domains of RI and RII (Ra and RIIL, respectively) interacted with the luminal domain of OST48 (OST48L), but no direct interaction was observed between RIL and RIIL. These results were confirmed by biochemical assays. Deletion analyses using the yeast two-hybrid system showed that subdomain of RIL or RIIL adjacent to the respective transmembrane domains interacted with OST48L. Of the three equal length subdomains of OST48L, the one at the N terminus and the one next to the transmembrane domain interacted with RIL. None of these three subdomains of OST48L interacted with RIIL. The yeast two-hybrid assay also revealed affinity between the cytoplasmically located N-terminal region of Dad1 and the short cytoplasmic tail of OST48, thus placing Dad1 firmly into the OST complex. Tn addition, we found a homotypic interaction between the cytoplasmic domains of RI, which may play a role in the formation of the oligomeric array formed by components of the translocation machinery.