Conformation of an Shc-derived phosphotyrosine-containing peptide complexed with the Grb2 SH2 domain

We have determined the structure of an Shc-derived phosphotyrosine-containing peptide complexed with Grb2 SH2 based on intra- and intermolecular NOE correlations observed by a series of isotope-filtered NMR experiments using a PFG z-filter. In contrast to an extended conformation of phosphotyrosine-containing peptides bound to Src, Syp and PLC gamma SH2s, the Shc-derived peptide formed a turn at the +1 and +2 positions next to the phosphotyrosine residue. Trp(121), located at the EF1 site of Grb2 SH2, blocked the peptide binding in an extended conformation. The present study confirms that each phosphotyrosine-containing peptide binds to the cognate SH2 with a specific conformation, which gives the structural basis for the binding specificity between SH2s and target proteins.