Tyrosine phosphorylation of vinexin in v-Src-transformed cells attenuates the affinity for vinculin

Vinexin is an adaptor-type focal adhesion protein that interacts with vinculin. Here, we report the tyrosine phosphorylation of vinexin α in v-Src-transformed NIH3T3 cells. Point mutational analysis of vinexin α clarified that three tyrosine residues in vinexin α were phosphorylated. A non-phosphorylatable mutant of vinexin α had higher binding affinity for vinculin than its wild-type counterpart. In conclusion, vinexin α is tyrosine phosphorylated in v-Src-transformed cells, and this tyrosine phosphorylation of vinexin α attenuates the association of vinexin α with vinculin.