Solution structure and p43 binding of the p38 leucine zipper motif: coiled-coil interactions mediate the association between p38 and p43

p38, which has been suggested to be a scaffold protein for the assembly of a macromolecular tRNA synthetase complex, contains a leucine zipper-like motif. To understand the importance of the leucine zipper-like motif of p38 (p38LZ) in macromolecular assembly, the p38LZ solution structure was investigated by circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The solution structure of p38LZ showed an amphipathic α-helical structure and characteristics similar to a coiled-coil motif. The protein–protein interaction mediated by p38LZ was examined by an in vitro binding assay. The p43 protein, another non-synthetase component of the complex, could bind to p38LZ via its N-terminal domain, which is also predicted to have a potential coiled-coil motif. Thus, we propose that the p38–p43 complex would be formed by coiled-coil interactions, and the formation of the binary complex would facilitate the macromolecular assembly of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.